France is the ideal place to start any antique shopping tour. Around the world, I find "European Antiques" and "French Antiques" used interchangeably. If France is the sun, then antique shoppers are the world. Our buying patterns revolve around French finery as if one of the Louis' cast a spell to magnetically pull all future generations towards the treasures of La Rpublique!
If you're going to France, then what better place to start than the world-famous "March aux Puces de Saint-Ouen - Porte de Clignancourt". As lovely as Paris is with the Tour Eiffel and the Haussmanian buildings, this market is located in the hairy armpit of the city. And trust me, Paris isn't wearing any deodorant. This isn't a typical flea market filled with makeshift tents but, instead, well-organized permanent structures housing millions of Euro of inventory, complete with 13 districts, 2,000 vendors and 7 miles of alleyways.
As this is Paris, the flea market also boasts an assortment of eateries such as the singing Chez Louisette or the gourmet Le Soleil. "Les Puce" is only open 3 days a week -- Friday morning for the dealers and Saturday, Sunday and Monday for the mere shopping mortals. On Mondays, half the vendors close early in the spirit of TGIM.
Perhaps the downside of the market is that "les puce" is the 4th largest tourist attraction in France with 11 million visitors per year. For this reason, French friends advise "leave Clignancourt and their overpriced forgeries to the tourists." Personally after 5 years living in Paris, I ignore these naysayers, as I've found incredible purchases, once buying a Chest of Drawers that was later valued at 4 times the purchase price. I've found forgeries but vendors tend to confess when asked if something is a reproduction. Take that as a tip - Always ask "When was this made?" and while skeptically opening drawers ask, "Is all the hardware original?"
In Paris, I also peruse the 380 stalls set up Saturday and Sunday 7am - 1pm along the 14th arrondissement's Avenue Marc Sangnier and Avenue Georges Lafenestre. The Porte de Vanves Market has less panache than Clignancourt, but you're more likely to find a bargain, especially during the last weekend in July when many of the vendors are departing for their working holidays as they select inventory while vacationing in France.
While the flea markets in Paris
have a special place in my heart, I love to browse the upscale galleries where
I do more sight-seeing than shopping. Visiting galleries is like doing a
wine tasting to educate the palate or touring a museum to educate the
eye. The 120 galleries in the Carr Rive Gauche across the river from the
Louvre in St-Germain-des-Prs literally have me licking the windows. I
can barely contain my drool when I cross the Seine
to Le Louvre des Antiquaires on the other side of the museum where you're given
the option to purchase the type of treasures found within the palatial
walls. For more attainable prices, I head to Village Suisse, at 54,
Avenue de la Motte-Picquet, in the shadow of the Tour Eiffel.
Speaking of better prices, you must go to the "Depot Vente de
Paris" at 81 Rue de Lagny, in the 20th arrondissement. One day I found a
1950's black mirror tea trolley for a mere 15 Euro. The 14th
arrondissement's Depot Vente d'Alesia at 117 rue d'Alesia carries equally
well-priced antique, vintage and used items coated with a layer of dust, making
you believe you have found a buried treasure.
And after all, isn't that what it's all about -
the treasure hunt! Bonne Shopping!