№ 751. Paris Flea Market at Saint Ouen

 

Today, you can visit no less than fourteen markets here, each with its own distinct identity, grouped like neighbourhoods in a village that marches to its own beat. Open to the general public from Saturday to Monday, it is reserved for professionals – antiques dealers, bric-a-brac sellers, decorators and architects – on Thursdays and Fridays.

You can also visit the flea market by wandering randomly through the maze of flowered passageways and covered alleys. For decorators and international gallerists, the Paul Bert-Serpette Antiques Market is an unsurpassed source of material and inspiration. Its little rows of houses teem with chic addresses that make it a must for Parisians on Sunday outings. At the centre of the Dauphine Market, specialised in pop culture, comics, books and vinyl, don’t miss the Finnish architect Matti Suuronen’s surprising Futuro “flying saucer”, which seems always just about to take off.

The original Saint-Ouen vibe can be found at the Jules Vallès Market, overflowing with textiles and vintage clothing, decorative trinkets and vintage haberdashery. As you walk around, you’ll also see plenty of unofficial traders with job-lots of bargains as well as trend-setting concept-stores. Saint-Ouen is the spot where fashions are made and unmade.