Our travel writer Nigel Heath, like many other frequent visitors to France, is hooked on Vide Greniers which are held in cities, towns and villages all over the country mainly during the summer months.

Our early equivalent was the village and town hall jumble sale, overtaken in more recent times by the ever-popular car boot sales where bargains galore may well be found.

Oh! how the pulse quickens on spotting that collectable item, which might be acquired for a few pence only to be worth a fortune when presented to one of those experts on the BBC’s Antiques Road Show.

Vide Grenier, loosely translated means empty attic and provides an opportunity for French folk to erect stalls outside their homes and sell off all their unwanted possessions as Nigel explains in this week’s Beacon online travel report.

He is pictured here with a two handled pot purchased for a few Euros.