Journey Back in Time at the Flea Markets
When we discover old objects that fascinate us; we take a journey back in time. We learn about the human experience. Whatever moves you to collect is something that touches you deeply. Objects can speak to us from the lowliest to the most luxurious. There is the creation and the manufacture of them. The craftsmanship and their ultimate purpose. For a painting, there is the act of creation itself from an artist that engages us. I identify with the clothes or jewelry from the past; they inspire me to think about the people who wore them. But for you, it could be a pistol or a long gun that evokes a historic battle. For whatever reason, our curiosity about objects of the past continue to fascinate. A trip to the Flea Market in Paris has all this ‘wonderment’ in one place. I also love the sheer joy of wandering, don’t you?
Window Shopping in Orleans*
My wanderings took me through many ancient streets with no urban plan in the older section of town that runs along the Loire River. I spied an antique shop that was closed (it was a Sunday) so I stepped up to the window. There, the jumbled piles of small objects (mostly painted miniatures) were displayed on a background of a once elegant piece of blue watered silk. The faces of ladies and gentlemen (some children) were peering plaintively from their small tarnished or rubbed gilt frames. Their identity was a mystery but their request was the same; please take me home. A small ceramic bust of Napoleon was sitting on a pile of assorted antique rubble. There was something poetic and sad about him. Once he was a coveted souvenir proudly displayed on a tea table or small mantle. Now, he was waiting for someone to adopt him and take him home so he could reign once again.
*When you visit the LOIRE VALLEY you simply get off the train (it takes about 55 minutes) and stop is the town of Orléans* an ancient medieval market town that was the birth town of Joan of Arc.
The History of the Flea Markets in Paris
The history of the markets and its origins is a story that changes with every telling. The ‘great renovation’ of Paris finally ordered the “ragpickers” to move and relocate as their neighborhood was about to be razed to the ground. Their livelihood depended on finding timeworn discoveries of the past, cast-off objects, or “junk” or “rags” that might be vintage furniture, clothes, objects. Today, the markets have expanded into several large locations located at the end of the Metro Stop, Porte Clignancourt. Almost 180,000 visitors per year visit the area and it is suggested you take a GUIDE or go with a few friends so that you can cover the vast area with expertise.
Collecting is an Obsession
What elements make this trip to the flea markets an obsession for people? I believe the search (or what awaits at the other end) drives this human need to discover. Collectors are always searching for the holy grail and the goal of their obsessions. They need to remember that the process is part of the game but will you tell them? Devoted collectors would argue that assembling a unique and personal set of objects is a story in itself. I can see that this obsession for the flea markets is both a desire to accumulate, to inspire, to learn and to explore and finally to discover the stories of our past. Your mission, if you choose to accept it. Our advice: Take a guide so you don’t get lost or better yet, get lost just a little.
For a Deeper Dive into All Things French
We can also suggest that in addition to your subscription here, Please Add PIKKE10 when you go to the BELLE INSPIRATION magazine to subscribe there as your obsession with flea markets will be well entertained there. For more French Lifestyles our special subscription rate to Joie de Vivre streaming television is available also for 10 Percent off with the code PIKKE 10 when you go to the subscription page.
Postscript: Today, there are many Napoleon collectors out there. I saw a very extensive collection at the Grand Palais in Paris worth tens of millions. He is still big box office, two hundred plus years later.
Editor’s Note: Our chat with MIMI BLEU on our recent podcast was really fun and we learned that as a GUIDE to the flea markets, her experience was critical to finding the perfect item in what we call “strategic strike” especially if you are time compressed. If you wish to hear the podcast with Mimi, it will be offered here for paid subscribers and sent directly to your inbox with a special emailing.
Practical Guides to the Wandering of Flea Markets are pretty much everywhere in the French blogging world. We have attached here the guide from our friends at Paris Perfect is the easiest to read and if you don’t want a guide, this will suffice.
