August Journal: Brilliant Brocantes

How to bag a bargain at French flea markets this summer!

Shopping at French flea markets or 'Brocantes' can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to furnish your home. The thrill of bagging a bargain or finding that perfect piece to finish a room is unmatched. There’s something wonderful about filling your home with pieces that are not only beautiful but also carry with them the memories of your holiday. Libs recently spoke to The Times about how to spot the best bits at a French flea market, and how her love of antiques has led her to be a 'dab hand' in sourcing across many regions in the French countryside.

We wanted to share the tips and tricks directly from Libs so that if you're planning a trip to France this summer you too can go on the hunt for beautiful secondhand objects!

Libs' top tips for Planning trips...

My love of French antiques grew when I spent holidays in Normandy with a friend and our young children. These trips soon became busman's holidays, with every visit becoming an opportunity for a new haul. When my close friend moved to Normandy permanently, I became even more familiar with the area's antique fairs and shops, regularly making trips and filling my estate car and roof rack with treasures.

The French have set dates annually for brocantes - some are small village affairs that ramble through all the little village lanes. Some take place in a village field and commonly have stalls selling ‘Merguez Frites’ and wine in plastic cups. These types often take place on the weekend, but during August, there are also lots of weekday ones to be found, so now is the perfect time to take a trip...

You can ask in the local TABAC (newsagent) for a small book or magazine that lists the local brocantes in that area or go on L’Agenda des Brocantes or BrocaBrac. Once you find a market, much like bargain hunting in the UK, a smile goes a long way and basic French always helps.

Five top tips for shopping at French flea markets

Rummage - don’t expect items to be all laid out for you. Look behind things/ underneath things. You’ve either got the bug for a rummage or you haven’t.
Go with a mental list - having a mental shopping list of things you want for your house or a specific project helps focus you - some of the fairs are huge so it can feel overwhelming. I always leave room for the odd spontaneous purchase as well.
Measure before you go - if you’re looking for specific things for your house make sure you measure gaps before you leave home. There’s nothing worse than bringing back a dream piece only to find it doesn’t quite fit. Take photos of the area in your home that you are souring for, as well as minimum and maximum dimensions that the item can be.
Tape measure - always take a tape measure with you - and a notebook is useful too.
Cash - most sellers prefer cash and will be more likely to cut you a better deal if you come armed and ready to buy.

FAVOURITE FRENCH MARKETS

Barjac Antiques Fair

Set in the town square, it sprawls through all the little mediaeval side roads and upper terraces with fabulous views. Prices are higher at the start but you’ve got the pick of the bunch. You get what you pay for!

Date: From 14 - 18 August

Location: Barjac, Le Gard

Carpentras Flea Market

There’s a great variety of things for sale. I found lots of wonderful old quilts here. Not much shade though so remember your sun cream.

Date: Every Sunday 10am-4pm (most busy before lunch, some stallholders don’t stay all afternoon)

Location: Les Platanes (Allées Jean Jaures), Carpentras

Bayeux Flea Market

Lovely historic town with lots to see.

Date: Sunday 11th August

Location: Place Saint-Patrice, Normandy

Useful Translations!

Keep your eyes peeled for posters on the approach to and around the town for anything featuring the below:

"Marché au puces" - flea market.
"Vide Grenier" - loft clearance.
"Brocante" - can mean open-air flea market or bricks-and-mortar antique shop.
"Foire a Tout" - equivalent to an English boot sale.
"Depôts Vente" - buildings where second-hand goods are sold. Some small, some massive, selling a mixture of new and old. Quite often selling on commission for customers so prices are not always negotiable.

the ditto wallpaper collection

We recently launched our debut Wallpaper Collection which is named after two picturesque towns in Northern France, ‘Deauville’ and ‘Honfleur’, both designs in the collection pay homage to the French flea markets in which they were found.

With two whimsical and nostalgic designs, each in three colourways, the Wallpaper collection's pattern inspiration is taken from end of roll wallpapers found during one of Libs' trips to France.

SHOP Wallpaper