I first visited the Marche aux Puces (Les Puces de Saint-Ouen) 5 years ago. I was feeling adventurous and had a new house I dreamed of filling with amazing finds from the famous Parisian flea markets. As soon as I arrived, however, my confidence and sense of adventure plummeted. There was so much, and it was all so beautiful, I couldn’t decide where to begin. I didn’t know if bargaining was de rigueur, and I was timid about asking for prices because I assumed most of the dazzling objects that caught my eye had to be out of my price range (especially since most of them looked like they came right out of Versailles). I found some amazing light fixtures and chairs, but they weren’t going to fit into the overhead bin on my flight home, and I hadn’t the first clue about how to arrange to shipping. In the end, my eyes got their fill of gorgeous pieces but I left empty handed.

Random finds at the Marché aux Puces (Michael Tucker)

My experience, sadly, is not uncommon. The flea markets of Paris can be very intimidating and the vast maze of memorabilia is more than a little overwhelming.  My fellow HIP gal pal Andrea knows exactly what I mean; she’s suffered from the flea market frazzle too!

So this summer, when Toma Haines and Franca Giagnacovo from Antiques Diva reached out and offered to take us ladies at HIP on a shopping tour of the Puces, we jumped, of course! After all, these women are bonafide experts on all things antique – maybe they could do something to salvage our dream of decorating our American homes with authentic French finds.

Walking the Paul Bert market at Clignancourt (Dave Bloom)

Our fabulous guide Franca met us in the morning with mini bottles of bubbly and personalized tote bags to carry home the treasures we were to collect that day. She gave us a great info package with maps and a brief description of each market within the Puces so we could pinpoint exactly where to go and what we wanted to see.  Andrea and I were both on a mission to feather our nests, so we focused on furniture, house wares and art. She steered us effortlessly through the slightly rough looking streets leading to les Puces and around the sea of cheap plastic knickknacks and designer knock offs that precede the “real” flea markets. Once inside, she knew exactly which vendors had what we were looking for, and she was willing to help us haggle (a very accepted practice).  Andrea has the scoop on the amazing treasures we saw.

Some flea market finds (Extranoise; Artbandito)

Like Ariel’s, my eyes were getting bigger and bigger as we moved along in the tour, getting closer to the jewels of the market. There was so much to look at that my head was almost spinning with inspiration, but somehow, with Franca’s guidance and easy manner, the level of intimidation eased away. While we walked past the vendors’ booths, she struck up conversations with many of them, talking about past purchases and previous clients. I have to say; I was as mesmerized by the goods as I was by the vendors and passers-by.

Luckily, Franca’s deep knowledge of the ins and outs of the market helped steer Ariel and I in the right direction, towards the beautiful objects found in the Paul Bert and Serpette markets. I would have needed an entire shopping cart to walk away with everything I wanted. I’m used to scouring American antique sales and flea markets, but somehow everything here possessed an air of timelessness that I find lacking at home. The grand-scale, high-quality, inspirational furniture came with a story, and the aged look, that I just can’t get enough of, was real.

Furniture stall at the Paul Bert market (Dave Bloom)

At Flavien Gaillard’s booth in the Paul Bert market, I admired the beautiful 20th century furniture, especially the pieces by French designer Jean-Louis Avril. Another favorite in Paul Bert was Marc Maison — the fireplace mantels, furnishings and accessories were just gorgeous. In particular, a 1930s enameled sink with modern hardware caught my eye. I could see it fitting right into my 19th century New England farmhouse! While the bigger pieces at the Paul Bert and Serpette markets are certainly pricey, the inspiration is free. With Franca and Ariel, I walked away that day with countless ideas for my future home.

Vanves flea market (Josh Leo)

Truthfully, we would probably have ventured into the flea market again on our own (for the sheer love of baubles). After experiencing a guided tour, though, we couldn’t imagine a serious antique-buying spree without our lovely Franca there to guide us to the real gems and ease away our fears with her expert bargaining.

Related Links:

• For more information on the Antique Diva market tours, check out their website here
• HiP Paris friend Claudia Strasser, of The Paris Apartment, is also organizing antique shopping trips this September, in time for the famous Maison &  Objet show.
• Antiques aren’t your thing? Context Travel leads some fantastic cultural walks within Paris
• Last year, our very own Maggie B. also visited the Marché aux Puces – here is what she found

Written by Andrea and Ariel for the Hip Paris Blog. For our amazing rentals in Paris, Provence & Tuscany check out our website Haven in Paris.

The fair coordinators who organize my favorite French flea market – La Foire Nationale à la Brocante et aux Jambons in Ile de Chatou – which is going on in the Paris suburbs March 11-20, 2011, have compiled “Les 10 Commandements du Chineur a la Brocante de Chatou” or “The 10 Commandments of Flea Marketing at Chatou” to help customers shop the fair.

Because their version is only available in French, I thought I’d provide you with a rough translation (and a few ad libs) to let you know what the French fair coordinators have to say about what to do – or more importantly what not to do – when shopping this National French Fair of the Flea Market and Ham.  Now that’s what I call the inside scoop à la française!

1) Se lever tôt et venir en semaine. Get up early and come shop during the week (to avoid weekend crowds).

2) Ne pas hésiter à revenir souvent: la marchandise se renouvelle pendant la durée de la Foire. Don’t visit the market just once; return often as many vendors continue to put out new inventory throughout the duration of the fair.

3) Avoir l’oeil vif et la curiosité en éveil. Shop with a keen eye and let your curiosity guide you.

4) Prendre son temps: fouiner, chiner, chercher inlassablement pour dénicher la pièce unique. Take your time to snoop, scour, dig and rake through the piles. Your persistence will pay off when you find that rare, one-of-a-kind piece.

5) Montrer que l’objet ou le meuble vous intéresse. Don’t be afraid to be direct: tell the vendor which items you’re interested in.

6) Discuter gentiment, personne ne doit perdre la face. When bargaining, be nice.  No one needs lose face during the negotiation process.

7) Rester courtois, pas d’offre ridicule ou de capitulation honteuse. This point is so important that the fair coordinators make it twice: remain polite, don’t push for ridiculous or insulting bargains.

8 ) Ne pas dénigrer la marchandise, le brocanteur connaît les défauts de ce qu’il propose et ajuste son prix en conséquence, donc il faut savoir doser habilement ses réticences. Do not disparage the inventory. The dealer is already aware of his products’ defects and prices his goods accordingly. While asking for a discount is always expected at the market, you need to present your proposals skillfully.

9) Faire appel aux experts présents pendant toute la durée de la Foire en cas de litige. The fair has experts on hand to evaluate and give estimates on inventory at the fair. Should you need an extra opinion, don’t hesitate to get the experts to weigh in.

10) La rigueur n’est pas de règle, c’est la loi de l’offre et de la demande et celle de la mode. Le prix est basé sur la qualité et la rareté de l’objet. Aussi faut-il beaucoup regarder, questionner, marchander, savoir dire non et quitter avec gentillesse, ne pas se presser. Price is based on any number things – from supply and demand to a product’s quality, rarity and trend status at any given time.  Check prices from stall to stall, ask the vendor questions about the pieces you’re interested in and always haggle and if the price isn’t interesting to you. Also please remember to thank the vendor for his time.

Bon Shopping,

The Antiques Diva

Related Links:

• The Antiques Diva blogs about getting ready for the Chatou fair
• Check out The Paris Apartment, another one of our favorite antique divas, who also offers fantastic antique tours in Paris
• Sharon, from My French Country Home, offers fabulous Brocante tours in her French countryside town in Normandy
• Gorgeous lifestyle and interior design inspiration at Elements of Style

Written by Toma Clark Haines. All images by Dave Bloom. Dave Bloom is an American photographer based in Paris. Contact: www.flickr.com/photos/davebloom. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

Photo by Erica Berman

Parisian Market Shopping

Although supermarkets, big and small, abound in Paris, most natives make it a point to buy their fresh produce from the colorful, bustling Marchés that dot Parisian neighborhoods. Long considered the centers of city life, nothing beats the satisfaction of returning to your apartment with a cartful of fragrant produce and a head-full of neighborhood gossip. With that in mind, here are few tips for navigating the oft-intimidating foodie meccas…

•    It’s more than worth it to make it out early enough to snag the day’s freshest picks. Most produce markets open around 9 or 10, and you can bet the freshest fish will be gone by 11.

•    It’s a good idea to do a quick walk-through before you start purchasing in order to get familiar with the offerings. Most stands will appear indistinguishable – yards and yards of contiguous vegetable stands, for example – but each often has a loyal following for whatever it does best, so a little detective work can pay off.

•    Unless you have a particular meal in mind, feel free to ask the vendor what he recommends – you’ll find most are more than willing to chat and, if prompted, are happy to point you to the choicest picks. A little charm and you might even walk away with a couple extra shrimp!

•    When it’s your turn to order, especially at cheese or olive stands, feel free to ask for a quick taste of your top choices before going with your final pick. And in order to guarantee you don’t have to walk away from a beautiful Tome de Brebis, be sure to bring enough cash.

•    A few stands may have credit card machines, but markets mostly operate on a cash-only basis.

•    Although you’ll see almost everything you need to stock your kitchen for gourmet feasts, markets are generally best for specialty foods, meat, fish, vegetables, cheese and fruit. You’ll mainly want to stick to your neighborhood boulangerie for bread and to supermarkets for non-perishables.

•    A few must-sees to start you off: The chic Raspail market in the 6th features exclusively organic produce. The legendary (part covered, part open-air) Marché d’Aligre in the 12th has everything from antique books to Halal butchers to artisan cheese mongers. For rare finds, try the famed St Ouen flea market. The covered Marché des Enfants Rouges in the 3rd, the oldest market in Paris with its variety of sit-down “traiteurs”, is also not to miss.

•    A few helpful links:

o Excellent list of all Paris markets with address, hours, and Metro stop

o   A list of food markets & hours – by arrondissment
o   List of Paris’ Flea Markets

o Article from the Guardian describing some different Paris markets (Fleur et Oiseaux, Marhce rue Dejean,     Marche Richard Lenoir, Montreuil Flea market, and more

o    Info on rue Cler Market, Saxe-Breteuil Market, Marcher de Grenelle, and the Marche Ave President Wilson