A treasure trove of the bizarre and the brilliant, the Marché aux Puces is a nonpareil of Parisian flea markets. Home to thousands of unique stalls, it is a shopping experience unlike any other. It is a stop not to be missed, even if you have just a short week in Paris.
To reach the Marché aux Puces, take the metro to Porte de Clignancourt. When you exit you will find yourself in a teeming common-place market of cheap clothing and accessories. Press on till you find Rue des Rosiers, where you will find the Marché’s truly enchanting discoveries. Trinkets and baubles spill out of wooden crates that line the narrow streets. Cozy covered market rooms open to the paved roads, enticing bystanders with charming displays that press passerby to peruse their products. Old-fashioned cashiers and large leather books lay on wooden tables. Antique women's fashion ads and gold-framed mirrors hang from the walls. School desks with wrought iron framework house ivory quills and silver ink bottles. Ebony brooches and Victorian silhouette pendants poke out of drawers. Eery porcelain dolls and faded teddy bears cuddle on velvet couches. From over-priced rubbish to priceless finds, anything and everything can be found at the Marché aux Puces.
My friend Betty and I spent a wonderful Saturday afternoon browsing the stalls at the Marché. For photographing and antiquing enthusiasts like me, the Marché was my own Eden. Each stall had a unique personality, from the charming to the curious. Some were Victorian Versaillaise, others Thomas Edison Steampunk. One stall looked like a toy maker's workshop from an old Christmas storybook, another looked like a mad scientist's laboratory. Exploring the Marché was one of my most memorable experiences in Paris.
This is a photo of Betty and I at the "Toy Maker's Workshop," as I call it.
Check out these reviews from The New York Times and Frommer's to learn more about the Marché aux Puces!
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