Folie's favourite French antiques haunts
If you’re an avid antiques enthusiast or a holiday rummager, you'll enjoy this jam-packed article. It's full of our favourite places
If you follow Folie, you’ll know that I’m off sourcing at least twice a month to Italy and France to bring home the most amazing collections of vintage furniture and homewares. Though now we mainly source the Folie collections from professional events, and our vast network of contacts, I still cant resit a great old rummage in a local brocante and have sourced some really rare and unusual vintage collections. I’ve included a tour of our favourite places so you can plan a summer filled with sun, brocantes, baskets and linens.
Places
Three main types of places to find antiques in France. Brocantes, can be found in most villages and towns. We’d refer to them as an antiques shop, or junk shops in the UK and they offer such a great place for a rummage. Lots of changing stock and they vary so much in quality and content, but I’m yet to drive past one and not stop. Les Puces can be found in most major cities, with the most famous being in Paris. They’re flea markets, with hundreds of dealers occupying stalls. Don’ be alarmed when you see some of the prices, as in the major cities like Paris or Lyon, a lot of the stalls are occupied by big ticket dealers. A lovely smallish one can be found in Nice, with a great lighting dealer.
Whilst you’re there, make sure you also check out the Monday Antiques market in Nice, where you will find some great items amongst the stalls. And for a beautifully curated collections, head to the shops around Rue Antoine Gautier.
Finally you have the Vide-greniers, these are informal garage/ house sales, set up like the UK car boots. These are my favourite, as never know what gems you can stumble across. Most are found in the summer months and are advertised locally, on road side posters, or in cafes. We love the Vide-greniers at Saint-Germain-de-la-coudre, and are always surprised by what we find.
Annual events
You’ll have probably heard of the two main fairs in France, which attract thousands of visitors each year. La Grande Rederie d’Amiens and the La Grand Braderie de Lille. If you’re new to antiques shopping, it’s a great place to start. In Lille, the September event attracts thousands of stall holders and visitors. The streets are overflowing with people, and the mussel mountains, as people enjoy the traditional moules et frites, are a fantastic sight. If you’re buying, you might stumble upon a few traditional french antiques such as bobbin stools, metal lights, linens, glassware and cutlery before you head back on the Eurostar. Both are great to head to for the atmosphere, but remember they are geared towards tourists and are so heavily populated it is more likened to a street party than a place for buying. If you’re looking for some seriously rare and unique pieces, you won’t find them here. We by-pass these events now, and if we’re wanting an atmospheric market with great stock we instead head to the annual event held in June in the North called