A pretty little excursion site
It was May 1st - a public holiday. However, my daughter was at a sports camp and my wife was visiting her mother. So I had some time to myself. And because I hadn't been to our north-western neighbor for a long time, I decided to go to Alsace quite spontaneously. Thanks to the Vide-Grenier web portal, I realized that the Alsatians use the work-free day (...?) in various villages of the Haut-Rhin to carry out these screed emptying activities - which is what Vide Grenier means. Great! And so I set off later that morning. That's about one and a half to two hours' drive from my home. My first destination was the flea market in Cernay. It was easy to find as it was right in the town center. And the great thing about France is that even when the main square is full, there are still plenty of free parking spaces around it.
The market was not quite so successful for my search scheme, I didn't really find anything of interest. The character of the event was clearly designed with an emphasis on the expression Vide-Grenier. There was a lot of junk and few precious objects. So I drove a little further, by now it was already early afternoon. In Issenheim, the whole village was practically cordoned off on May 1st for a really big flea market - in relation to the village. It's fair to say that there wasn't a huge haul here either, and my search for antiquarian toys and toy cars in particular was virtually fruitless. However, a second glance revealed a tiny little Porsche 911 on one of the sales tables. At second glance, it was the Porsche 901 - it still says so on the bottom of the car - from Siku in the police version. The model first appeared in 1964, which may explain the original model designation. And miraculously, its long plastic radio antenna had survived. The lady quoted an amount X, I handed her the money and she corrected herself at the sight of my euro bills - downwards! Misunderstandings like that are my favorite! But the conclusion of my 250-kilometer flea market excursion to Alsace seemed a little meagre: a tiny car oil.
Flea market on May 1, 2025 in Issenheim, Alsace
However, I don't really care. The trip was heart-warming, the car ride - alone behind the wheel - ideal for indulging in a few thoughts. And yes, I really like the Siku 901-911, what a find for less than 10 euros! Of course, it wasn't worth it at all, but I will be going back to Alsace soon. According to www.vide-greniers.org, there are a whole series of flea markets and brocantes coming up over the next few months in the department of 68 (Haut-Rhin). Some of them are even closer to Basel than Cernay or Issenheim. But the most important thing is: they are a wonderful reason to move your classic! And finally this: A wonderful model car fair takes place every autumn in Thann (F), organized by the local handball club. The next date is October 26, 2025, but I will come back to this later...
