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Flea Markets
Brocantes around Paris and France
The Flea Markets in Paris
If you believe you cannot afford the Biennial antique market held at the Louvre Carousel, try one of the flea markets (marchés aux puces) that are tucked into the rounded corners of Paris.
The largest is St-Ouen in the north, Montreuil is in the northeast, Aligre is in a corner of the 12th arrondissement and Vanves is to the south in the 14th arrondissement.
The flea markets are either stationary – as in St. Ouen – or moveable feasts – the others.
Used, second-hand, loved, rejected, scavenged items are what the markets offer.
Despair not if you arrive at the end of the market. What may have been an expensive vase is now worthless if the merchant drops it on the sidewalk. The pieces might enhance your mosaic project.
A fallen page from a book or loose ad from an ancient newspaper or medicine bottle that is lying on the sidewalk might find new life laminated as a bookmark. Tear the pages from the old book lying at the base of a tree and turn it into some other example of art.
Odds and ends or flatware that the merchants no longer want to haul around end up in the street waiting for the men in green with their green trucks to come and sweep them away.
Vanves flea market - Puces de la Porte de Vanves
The men in green told me this is market is safer than St. Ouen – fewer thieves.
Vanves is held every Saturday and Sunday during the year -- about 350 merchants participate until 1300 along Avenue Marc Sangnier. The market continues all day along Avenue Georges Lafenestre -- during the month of August, Lafenestre will close about 1400 .. (Sangnier and Lafenestre intersect one another.)
Look for furniture, books, art, fabric, glassware, clocks, jewelry, military paraphernalia, photos, music and other curiosities. If you really like getting into an authentic Paris flea market atmosphere, come to Vanves.
Metro: Porte de Vanves (line 13 direction Châtillon Montrouge)(14th arrondissement) rues Marc Sangnier and Georges Lafenestre (If you use the blue book for your Paris map, “Paris Pratique” it labels rue Marc Sangnier as “Marché aux Puces”.)
Marché Beauvau- Aligre
The regular food markets (open and covered) are there as well the Baron Rouge to relax after shopping! – Ask me about the Baron Rouge. Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 0800 until 1300 and from 1600 to 1930. On Sunday, 0800 until 1300. Place d’Aligre in the 12th arrondissement, Metro: Ledru-Rollin
Les puces de Paris Saint-Ouen:
The largest flea market is Saint-Ouen (Metro: Porte de Clignancourt )
It is open Saturday, Sunday and Monday (holidays included) from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The market is most active on Friday compare to Monday when many stands are closed. Most of the activity is mid-day; considered weak at the beginning of the morning and end of the day.
The website includes an English version and contains a menu for the history, markets, environment, exhibitors, news, slide show, trends, boutique, life with furniture, partners, events and stars.
Instructions on using their site: Click on "Environment" and this is the list of choices:
·
How to get here
· The restaurants in the Flea Market · The restaurants in Saint-Ouen
·
Getting here: airports, railway stations,
taxis, bus, underground… Click on " Slide show" and you have an array of photos.Click on " Markets" and it lists the 14 markets.Click on a market and voila the history and maps.
Visit the website for the Saint-Ouen market
The French version is labeled “Les Puces”; the English version is labeled “Flea Market”. Most of the site is bilingual; however, it would help to have a French-English dictionary handy if you are not fluent in the language (for example, tissus=fabrics)
There are only three
Are you looking for ordinary objects at the March aux Puces and not large pieces of furniture? Visit the Marche Vernaison at the beginning of the flea market (ash trays for example)..... Did you know that there is an official tourist office for the Saint-Ouen market?
Would you like a map of the flea market? Download it from the tourist office website. Montreuil flea market Montreuil is located on the périphérique (the outlying section of Paris). You find new and used clothing for one euro and up. Used items are farther into the market, but mostly scraps.
I did, however, make a good bargain on a used pencil. Our negotiations began at 50 cents (euros) and
ended up at 10 when I insisted he throw in the pencil sharpener for that price.
Metro: Porte de Montreuil 93100 Montreuil (line 9 direction Mairie de Montreuil) Open: Friday 0600-1400 (normally reserved for professionals they say) Saturday and Sunday 0930-1800 and Monday 1030-1700 (not all stalls are open) Brocantes around Paris and France If you want to take a drive and find antiques and furniture, etc. in smaller towns than Paris as a focus for sightseeing, several websites have now become active that are full of dates and times and locations.
Calendar of events in Central France Vide-Greniers.org has information on marchés aux puces, brocantes, foires à tout et salons de collectionneurs (flea markets, antique sales, festivals, trade shows for collectioners) Bienvenue à Brocantes France is an English language website if you are wondering where to find the Brocantes on your days off.
Living in France or traveling to France here is a list of Brocantes, vide greniers, Puces and general information listed for easy viewing in each department of France. |
