Paris is the ultimate antique heaven, that’s a given. But if you already know Paris antique markets and want to go to the next level in your thrifting and just can’t get enough of it, like me, you should definitely take a day trip to the suburbs of Paris antique markets, called in French “brocante” or “marche aux puces”.
Walk on the wild side!
Antique markets are happening all year long in the suburbs of Paris and all around France. In just two hour drive from Paris, you can find yourself thrifting in a tiny old village that got stuck in time. I went with Nao, a stylist and vintage boutique owner from Tokyo called Curious Tokyo. Nao is a pro when it comes to thrifting and it was fascinating to see her at work. We went out at 4:30 am (!!!) on our way there, and when we arrived at about 6:30 am it was already filled with people and open to the public.
The old houses were so adorable, I completely fell in love with them. It’s hard to imagine people actually live inside.
My best find was a vintage film camera of the brand Minolta ,which I got for 20 euros, and I already managed to drop it and cause a little damage since. It still works. It had an old film rolled inside. The pictures turned out super creepy but interesting. Maybe I’ll share them in another post.
For this post I used my vintage film 35mm Pentax camera, which apparently has focus issues.
Tip: Bring big bags or even a little cart to carry all of your findings around easily, and of course some cash to spend, since the sellers almost never accept bank cards.
The way back on the train was beautiful with lots of green fields.
I had the best time antiquing in the suburbs of Paris.
Enjoy your next thrifting adventure!
FIN
