Clignancourt Flea Market (St-Ouen flea market) - Paris, FRANCE
There are flea markets in every pocket of the French capital, and you can get anything you want, from authentic Euro antiques to fake watches, classical furniture and the latest sneakers. However, the three main Paris flea markets are the Marché aux Puces de Montreuil in the 20th district, or arrondissement, to the east; the Marché aux Puces de la Porte de Vanves near Montparnasse to the south; and the massive Puces de Saint-Ouen flea market (also known as the Puces de Clignancourt) just outside Montmartre to the north.
These brocante vary in size and there are smaller flea markets to be explored, but they are as much an essential part of a Paris trip as the Louvre. And once you’ve mastered the Metro, you can see the best of them in one day of all-out shopping.
Originally the site of rag-and-bone men – otherwise known as “pecheurs de lune” (moon fishermen), due to their habits of stealing other people’s rubbish by night and then selling it on their stalls – who lived outside the city’s borders, Saint-Ouen flea market has a long history of market trading. In the late 19th century, these traders joined together to form what is now Paris’s largest and most famous flea market, attracting between 120,000 to 180,000 visitors every weekend.
Saint-Ouen flea market hosts no fewer than twelve different flea markets (among which many indoor flea markets), with around a couple of thousand stalls in total. This brocante covers seven hectares and is the largest antique market in the world. That means it’s pretty much impossible to come away without at least a few goodies.
Head to Marché Vernaison flea market on Rue des Rosiers for narrow alleyways full of collectibles and antiques like kitchenware, books and table lamps, or if you’re feeling flush, Marché Dauphine flea market on the same street for some upmarket jewellery and ornate antique furniture. Porte de Clignancourt flea market is on metro line 4. Read our full review of the St Ouen – Porte de Clignancourt Flea Market >
Where: Marché aux Puces Porte de Clignancourt, 140 Rue des Rosiers 93400 Saint-Ouen, France
When: Saturday 10h to 18h > Sunday 10h to 18h > Monday 11h to 17h
