A Look Inside the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen, Part I: Paul Bert

Hoards of travellers and locals alike flock to Paris’ flea markets in search of antique wares and one-of-a-kind finds, and rightfully so. The Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen is one of our favorite markets and this series will detail some of its top vendors. Today we look inside the best of Mid-century Modern. Enjoy! – Erin

Artocarpus

The Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen is the largest flea market in the world, welcoming over five million visitors to its maze of stands and alleyways each year. And a maze it truly is—the sprawling complex houses over 1,700 vendors, from art dealers to artisans to purveyors of second-hand furniture.

Marché Paul Bert

So, you might ask, how do you find your way through this market, and where do you start? While there is value in going simply to get lost, this won’t work if your goal is to really sort the treasure from the trash. It should help that the Puces de Saint-Ouen is divided into 14 separate markets, some of which generally have better quality items than others. The Puces website has a description of each market here.

Marché Paul Bert

One of our favorite markets in the Puces de Saint-Ouen is the open-air Marché Paul Bert, best known for its early- to mid-20th century furniture and decorative items, from Art Deco to minimalist mid-century modern. Paul Bert has over 220 stalls and is, along with its sister Marché Serpette, one of the more high-end markets at the Puces. In fact, you’ll often find other Parisian shop owners browsing the collections for their own inventories. Of the 220 stands, we love C.M.O. Paris (Allée 1 – Stand 67), Franck & Louise Morel (Allée 5 – stand 194), and Artocarpus (Allée 2 – Stand 143). So if you’re looking for that Eames chair, Noguchi table, or similar, head there.

Marché Paul Bert

Prices do tend to be high at Paul Bert, but negotiating is expected. If this feels daunting, hire a shopping expert (like Context Travel) to guide you and assist with purchases.

Marché Paul Bert

Marché Paul Bert, 85, Rue des Rosiers – 93400 Saint Ouen, open Saturday (9-6 pm), Sunday (10-6 pm), and Monday (11-5 pm). Métro: Porte de Clignancourt (ligne 4).

Marché Paul Bert

Related links:

• Take a break from browsing antique treasures to enjoy a delicious lunch at Ma Cocotte.
• Feeling overwhelmed at the market? Consult the experts and book a guided tour at Context Travel!
• Whatever you do, don’t forget the 10 Commandments of Flea-marketing in France.

Written by Sara McCarty of Context Travel for the HiP Paris Blog. All photos by Emma Stencil. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, London, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.