Marché aux Puces St-Ouen de Clignancourt, Paris’s most famous flea market, is a grouping of more than a dozen flea markets – a complex of 2,500 to 3,000 open stalls and shops on the northern fringe of the city. Les Puces, as it is commonly called, is the largest flea market in the world.
If you love shopping and could spend hours browsing though shops and stalls filled with every imaginable thing you will love the flea markets in Paris. Visiting the “flea’s” as they are called, has been on my “must do” list since my first trip to the City of Light but I have always put it off because of their distance from the heart of the city, the sheer size of the markets, worries about not speaking French, fear of getting hopelessly lost, etc. I knew my son and daughter would enjoy a good treasure hunt so this time I turned to my friend, Mimi, at BONJOUR ROMANCE, to plan our outing. Mimi has a company, PARIS TRAVEL GROUP – PARISIAN BLOGGER GETAWAYS, that will plan your own personalized tour of whatever your interests are: flea markets, cooking classes, neighborhood walks, tours outside the city…whatever you want to see and do. We arranged a half-day flea market tour that began with Mimi picking us up at 10:00 am at our apartment. I gave her a list of what we were looking for and she guided us through the maze of shops until each of us found a few treasures to bring home. She helped us do a little bargaining and, if we had made any large purchases, she would have helped arrange shipping home. Some of the furniture we saw was so beautiful…and those chandeliers…very tempting. We had such a good time with Mimi and came away feeling we had a friend we would see whenever we come to Paris. We were delivered back to our apartment mid-afternoon with a few great buys and memories to last a lifetime. Thanks, Mimi.
Beautiful silver flatware ~ This is where I bought my little dessert forks
The flea market is a maze of narrow alleys and streets that goes on forever
I thought about all my dishaholic friends in these shops
If you are looking for a wooden leg…look no farther
Beautiful old maps and prints
The enjoyable French pastime of “window licking”
Hmmmm, I’ll take the one on the right
Crown or tiara? I can’t decide which would look better with my vintage Chanel dress
This could scare the living daylights out of somebody
Home and garden accessories…thousands of them
The market is filled with beautiful old copper pots and pans. The old ones are lined with tin…not stainless steel
Good thing this won’t fit into my suitcase
A tour of any good flea market has to end with a skeleton in a box.
If you are planning a trip to Paris and would like help with your itinerary I hope you will contact Mimi at PARIS TRAVEL GROUP. She will help you make the very most of your time in one of the world’s great cities.
This post is linked to OH, THE PLACES I HAVE BEEN at The Tablescaper.
Thank you..I am having my little lunch persing these fabulous sights..Oh what a trip:)
Monique recently posted..Le Muguet..le Mois de Mai~End Soon~
Thanks for the recommendation on Paris Travel Group. I must keep that in mind the next time I am in Paris. How I would love to visit a flea market such as this. Thanks for sharing the photos. I would indeed have to come home with a few of those gorgeous turquoise plates, but also have a weakness for the garden things too. What a wonderful trip.
Marilyn recently posted..Monday’s Quotes
Wow Cathy what a great time you must have had wandering through all of that market!! So many things to see! Thanks for sharing:-)
Those beautiful plates are the first thing that caught my eye Cathy. Mimi sounds like a treasure herself.
bellini recently posted..A Celebration on the “Coast of the Gods” with Wild Arugula Salad with Sopressata and Pecorino
Oh, be still my heart….I’m having palpitations, just looking at the photos. Imagine what I would do if I was there in person?? If I EVER win the lottery………….
Rettabug recently posted..A Grateful Memorial Day
Cathy, I have always wondered about this place north of town. I think you figured out the perfect way to get there…with a very efficient guide. The furniture…I always love to see the furniture. Amazing. So glad you got to do this.
Susan recently posted..Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream
That market is my idea of heaven—I think I’d go in and never come out!
Sue/the view from great island recently posted..Minimal Monday: Layered Ice Cubes
Looks like a fun way to spend the day Cathy:@)
Happier Than A Pig in Mud recently posted..Recycled Apron from Old Jeans Legs-Functional, Fast and Free
I love Clignancourt and could have spent a whole weekend just perusing everything. I came home with a few treasures on my last trip there too.
ciaochowlinda recently posted..Ricciarelli From Siena
It is so hard to resist all the wonderful treasures that you find while traveling…especially in Paris.
Karen (Back Road Journal) recently posted..Candied Flowers…Perfect For A Special Occasion
I do love traveling vicariously. Would rather do it in person, but this will have to do for now. Sigh. I could browse for hours. 🙂
Betty recently posted..“The Chewy” Chocolate Chip Cookie
Oh how fun, I would never want to leave! You look as happy as a lark Cathy, and rightly so. What a fantastic trip you had!
Marie recently posted..Plank Grilling with Cheese
I am window licking too! What a wonderful experience. Yes, I have wanted to go too, but I haven’t either for the same reasons. What a wonderful tip! She sounds like the perfect connection. Oh, I would be tempted by things little and things large!
Jacqueline recently posted..Sue’s Winning Cheesecake – Light and Fluffy
That would be a morning I’d enjoy. The best sort of fun is poking through dishes and silver and linens. I’ll file that information – thanks!
That doesn’t exactly look like the flea markets I’m used to seeing in these parts 🙂
Larry recently posted..Enchilada’s Several Ways
Heaven, you went to my kind of Heaven!
Can’t wait to go back in Septembre.
I am an antiques dealer, so it’s hard to just buy for one small suitcase!
Great pics!
stacey snacks recently posted..Pickled Shrimp
What a delightful looking place to visit! I know I could spend hours browsing there!
Jeannie recently posted..Braised porkbelly with mushrooms and wild cloud ears fungus
Cathy what a great market! So many things to see.
Wow, I would go crazy in that place. I already have too many dishes but some of those are so cute!
Rhonda recently posted..Pineapple Basil Chicken
Add me to your list of dishaholic friends. Before we moved back to the States from the UK I stocked up on china to the point that I have no more room for anything but I’m still buying, just can’t stop myself. I love the stuff. Your photos have me drooling.
Karen Harris recently posted..Blogging and Contesting: Sparkling Lemon Ginger Cooler and a Cooking Contest Central Membership Giveaway
Oh, how fun Cathy! Your head must have been just swimming, with delight of course. This looks totally amazing!
The Café Sucre Farine recently posted..A Fun, Fast. Fantastic Appetizer w/ Feta, Tomatoes & Fresh Oregano
What a wonderful experience. We will have just 4 days in Paris this time. Maybe I can work this in. Thanks for the idea Cathy.
Penny recently posted..Blogger Luau and Fun with Friends
Mimi sounds like a real jewel. I’m making a note about her services. What a fabulous place to shop. Silverware is a nice thing to bring back and fits easily in your suitcase. I could stay here all day if my husband would let me 🙂
Sam
Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen recently posted..Luau at the Lake – 4th Annual Blogger Get-together
Cathy, I would go both crazy and broke at this Parisian flea market. If I could only just win the lottery and buy up all of that silver, copper, and furniture! Just think of all of the food props I’d have! What a fun photo-tour!
Merci’
Roz
Roz recently posted..Visiting Local Farmers’ Markets in Search of Authentic Taste of Hawaii
Well, I could live there….. my hubby ahd better keep watch out for me…… Awesome!
Schotzy recently posted..White Oak Tavern
If I were there I would be bankrupt. Wonderful photos.
Wow! This is the kind of store that, when you get out of there, all you want to do is find a nice café and sit down and not do anything else the rest of the day, because the mind can’t process any more data! What a visual treat!
Maria recently posted..Roman Holiday: The Pantheon
Very nice post – I hope to get to a French Flea Market someday.
Jeanne recently posted..Beads Glorious Beads!