Antique Shopping in Paris: A Guided Tour of the Marché Aux Puces

September 1, 2011  by Ariel Kocourek and Andrea Cherkerzian

Typical Parisian flea market (Josh Leo)

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. Continue Reading »

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A Visit to Le Marché aux Puces (The Paris Flea market)

March 4, 2010  by Maggie Battista

When I said I was moving to Paris for three months, those who know me well were worried for me. I’m a city girl, so adapting to the hustle and bustle of this little métropole (metropolis) wasn’t a concern. They knew I’d adapt eventually, and I totally have.

My friends, my family and (especially) my husband were all concerned that Paris would prove to be a frenetic playground on which I’d wield my stash of credit cards. They were worried I’d arrive with two suitcases and return with seven, stocked to the brim with pricey designer fashions and cool vintage finds. I promised everyone, especially my husband, that I’d closely monitor my passion for shopping (including my ongoing quest for the perfect handbag), focusing on the bare necessities and perhaps, from time to time, a great deal.

Of course, while visiting Le Bon Marche, I lost myself for a moment. Everything was so pretty that I almost convinced myself that a soft blue scarf with a €245 price tag was, in fact, a steal. Whoever said you could find a steal in Paris was either a true local or a very well informed touriste (tourist).

To ensure I fit into one of those categories, I paid an initial visit to Le Marché aux Puces in Saint-Ouen. Continue Reading »

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