Hey Friends! Today I am sharing about a little adventure I went on! You may have heard that Paris is known for their flea markets, and of course you know that I am a sucker for things with a rich history at bargain prices! Well, apparently there is a very famous flea market here in Paris called the “Peces de Ouen” that was on the must do list for a few travel sites I checked out. So, I took the address, plugged it into my i-phone and headed out for a day of adventure and treasure hunting! I was a little nervous about going out on my own (Tim had some bowtie business to attend to) but I felt like the flea market(s) were something I couldn’t miss. . . and every now and again I think it is important to do things that challenge me (like navigating a foreign city). I don’t mind relying on Tim, but I like to know that I can do things on my own too, you know?
Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised and proud when I arrived at my destination without any issues (yes, the i-phone really did all the work so I shouldn’t be that proud). I saw booths set up along the street and started taking in all the amazing pieces. I was delighted!
Our bowtie buddy, Bacile, metioned that there would be an outer ring of vendors with more junky items and the more amazing pieces would be towards the center, in the heart of the flea market. Well, I was pretty excited when I saw some pretty cool stuff at the first few booths I came to. I thought “If this is ‘rubbish’ I can’t wait to see what the good stuff looks like!” So, I continued walking along the street until I came to a final booth and the flea market just stopped. I immediately got confused and stopped in a local bakery hoping one of the employees could speak enough english to help me find the epicenter of the famous flea market.
(finds from the flea market- I love old photos but am not sure how I feel about using photos of people I don’t know)
I did find a very nice baker that helped me along. But the issue, apparently, was not that I was missing the main part of the market, but that I was in the completely wrong area!! So she wrote out directions for me that was a number of subway stops away. Did I somehow get lucky and run into a random flea market in the first place? Did she really understand what I was asking? Did the i-phone send me to the wrong place (which has happened a couple of times in the U.S., so I would not be surprised if it was off over here in France)? These were all questions running through my mind. I thought about combing through the flea market I was at again and just enjoying the antique goodness I had stumbled upon, but there was something in me that wanted to see the market considered to be “the best in Paris.” So, I set out following the directions given to me.
(finds from the first flea market)
Well, once again I followed the directions without any issues (without an i-phone this time!) and the subway spit me out in what felt like a very seedy part of town. I walked through the streets playing it cool on the outside, but on the inside I was a bit nervous. Generally in these situations, I put on my “mean muggin’” face, don’t look at anyone directly, and walk with a purpose. So far that strategy has worked for me. I finally came to an area with a bunch of tents set up. This “market” reminded me of Chinatown in NYC, except with much less style and quality. Ok, this must be the outer rim Bacile was talking about. Surely, I am close to the market? However the fact that the area felt very shady and I didn’t see anyone carrying cool old stuff around, I thought I could have gotten it wrong once again. After a bit of looking around, I gave up and went back to the i-phone. I tried another address for the main flea market that I found online (I thought there might be more than one address since it probably covered a good chunk of real estate). So, I walked and walked and walked. Finally I began to come into a nicer part of town and felt like I was getting close. Nope! The i-phone took me to the middle of a park!!! Although it was a lovely park, I was pretty frustrated. At that point, I counted it a blessing that I ran into at least one flea market (even though I didn’t get to buy anything) and decide it was probably time to head home.
(finds from the first flea market- beautiful trimmings to adorn all sorts of things!)
I’m still trying to figure out what went wrong on this little journey:
– Were the addresses I found online wrong?
– Was the I-phone off?
– Did I just miss something?
Ugg! I wish I knew! But there was a positive to the story- I learned how to navigate the subway system and how the get around Paris with ease. To a New Yorker that may seem like no big deal, but to a gal from small town Oklahoma (who’s streets are laid out in a perfect grid), it felt like quite an accomplishment! And although I didn’t find what I was looking for, I did make it back “home” safe and sound. Unfortunately, I guess I’ll have to make my visit to the famous flea market next time we visit Paris!
Haha the grid system in Tulsa is like a total luxury. I get overly proud of myself just for navigating my way through big airports!
I’m drooling over some of the stuff in your photos though. You can’t get too frustrated though, I mean, you’re in PARIS!
hah! i’ve learned from years of traveling to rely on internet and verified sources only! in most cultures, people on the street don’t want to appear rude or ignorant of what you were asking and so they will ALWAYS give you directions, even if they have no clue. it used to drive me nuts – i’d be screaming in my head after finding myself in a cemetery or a meat market on the opposite side of town/village/mountain – “why the complicated lie with hand gestures?! i would have loved a no!”
Mostly because I’m cheap, I don’t use my iphone to get around a foreign city. Its a lot easier to take a travel book (written specifically for tourists who dont know what they are doing) and then ask people for refinement in directions.
If you really can’t find it after all that, you could always jump in a cab and have the driver take you to the right spot.
I’m sure you are very frustrated after searching for it but if you get another opportunity to go back, you absolutely must. The Paris flea markets are just amazing to look at (buying at the insane high prices is another thing altogether).
Those items all look amazing – accidental discovery is all part of visiting a new place! 🙂
Another factor that could have contributed is that some flea markets (puces, not peces, if i may be so bold to point out your typo) are only open on certain days of the week, while others are open on other days of the week. For example, when I was in Paris I hit up les puces de clignancourt on a Monday, their last official day but found that over half the booths were closed up even though the market was “technically open.” I love the photos of the stuff you did find, though! That trim! Those photos!
Hi Kara,
Here are directions to get to the flea market you want, it’s a little tricky! We were there last July and yes it’s a little shady at first but keep walking and you’ll find a huge area that looks exactly like the flea market you picture.
http://ohhappyday.com/2011/03/how-to-get-to-the-paris-flea-market/
You have to take metro stop Porte de Clignancourt on line 4 and look for the signs that say “Les Puces”
Hey Friends! Thanks so much for the info! Unfortunately, I never made it to the flea market because as you know they are only open certain days and we had to head to London. But at least that gives me a reason to go back, right?!!! 🙂