Belcastel, Aveyron – September 2025

Each September, the medieval village of Belcastel in southern France fills with locals and collectors for its Foire aux Antiquités et à la Brocante. Stalls line the cobbled streets along the Aveyron River. Terracotta jars, pewter, enamelware, and hand-thrown pottery sit beneath slate rooftops. The sound of voices mixes with the water below the bridge.

Belcastel’s origins trace back to the 9th century. The fortress above the river guarded this valley for generations. In the 1970s, architect Fernand Pouillon restored the ruined village with local stone, reviving a living artistic heritage. Today it stands among Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, where historic making traditions remain visible in every wall, arch, and hand-cut beam.

We travel to Belcastel for its antique market and its sense of time. The village is shaped by artisan work, part of a centuries-old practice that values material honesty and endurance. Many of the finds here — pottery, glass, or rustic furniture — sit naturally in French farmhouse interiors, Mediterranean homes, and country houses that balance texture and simplicity.

This short film captures the morning of market day — mist over the river, stalls opening, the quiet rhythm of trade. A portrait of a village where the past still shapes the everyday.