Marché aux Puces and Brocante in Paris
The flea market of Saint-Ouen, in French Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen, is the largest flea market in Paris and there are really all sorts of items.
Every weekend, more than 2,000 merchants welcome visitors to the avenues of the world’s first antiques market.
There are furniture, upholstery, mirrors, lamps and tableware of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, as well as works of art of the twentieth century.
Open from Saturday to Monday, the market covers an area of seven hectares and is considered a real paradise for shoppers and those looking for trivia and vintage objects.
In this market, which unites antique dealers, artisans and artists, there is really everything from furniture to clothes, from antique books to pieces of art that happened by chance.
Prices are generally higher than expected, so it is advisable to bargain a little before buying and even if you do not find anything interesting, you will still be happy to have breathed the exquisitely chaotic and authentic atmosphere of this market.
In addition, there is also a ‘personal shopper’ service in different languages. A professional specializing in the purchase of objects of art and antiquity, accompanies the visitor who wants it in a tailor-made itinerary, in search of the rare piece. info: www.st-ouen-tourisme.com
And then the Brocante Market or Chatou Fair just outside Paris, held once a year at the end of September, is also a very varied brocante market. When you visit you can find the opportunity of your life or return without any interesting purchase. However, the ‘outing’ tour on a sunny Sunday is still pleasant. You can have lunch outdoors and enjoy a day in the Parisian countryside. Every time I go back I always come back with some very interesting contacts.
