"Colonial" holiday display. The small covered cafe au lait is from Morocco in its days as a French colony. It is rare to find a cafe au lait bowl complete with lid. The candlesticks are modern French and the metal urn (with lid suspended from a chain) is American. A hand-embroidered cloth from a French church covers the Spanish chest.
Today my friend Lee and I braved the biting cold to visit the Marché aux Puces at Clignacourt. We saw plenty of explorer relics from colonial days in North Africa and Africa, including life-size stuffed lions, zebras, an oryx, a giraffe and peacocks. Lee and I agreed those were a bit creepy, but the setting was interesting, complete with animal skin rugs and throws, hardwood furniture pieces and accessories appropriate while on safari (well, maybe one of those scrumptious Ralph Lauren-styled faux safaris).
This being Paris, we opted for some local treasures. I brought home two petit chocolate moulds - fish and bells for Easter - for my collection, as well as five 18th-century paperback books with aqua blue covers (the dealer had 28, but where would I put them)? Lee got a fabulously chic and warm scarf and supplies she might use in her next art piece. Many Clignacourt stalls were closed for the holidays, but we found plenty of unusual sights to keep us entertained. And when the cold became too much, we stopped for a lovely lunch and hot tea.
Wine bottles suspended from the ceiling at Marché Vernaison.
The Marché aux Puces at Saint-Ouen is Paris's largest and most famous flea market. It has over 2,500 stalls, spread over 15 acres! The market is open Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays year-round. Take Metro Line 4 to Porte de Clignacourt, then exit the metro to your left and walk past the crowds of stalls selling cheap knock-offs from Africa and China. Cross the street and walk underneath the overpass and turn left, again past a few stalls selling cheap goods. Take the first street to your right past these stands and you'll see the beginnings of the antiquities market.
My favourites are Marché Vernaison, Marché Dauphine and Marché Paul Bert. Stop by Stall 241 at the latter and say hello to the charming and elegant Laurence Lenglare. Her exquisite taste combined with beautiful finds from the Loire Valley are show-stopping. Both Laurence's shop and her stunning home have been featured in various French and American magazines. Laurence is also a talented sculptor. Early in the new year, you'll see photos of her work on Paris Parfait.
Contributions from The Stencil Project at Marché Paul Bert.
Art tiles at Marché Dauphine. Photos above by Lee Renninger.
Aren't those tiles incredible? Bring the grandgirls to Paris and we'll have a blast! :) xoxox
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 01 January 2009 at 12:47
Glad you found some fun treasure after braving the cold! Love those art tiles - fabulous~xOx
Posted by: tinker | 01 January 2009 at 02:15
Oh, Maddie if only we lived closer! I miss you too. Let's talk soon. xoxox
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 31 December 2008 at 12:36
Steph, hope you'll come to Paris and we can go together to see the curious offerings at Clignacourt. Aren't those tiles great? Will take my camera next time and get more photos. xoxox
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 31 December 2008 at 12:36
Helen, thank you! The flea market can be seen only in small doses; otherwise it's overwhelming, as it's so big (and exhausting, covering all that ground). I saw a lot of stencils in York, England last year and I've seen a few around Paris recently.
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 31 December 2008 at 12:35
Merci, Leau! I, too, am looking forward to the new year and its mysteries! xoxox
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 31 December 2008 at 12:33
Barbara, hoping your new year is fabulous - and that you get to come to Paris! Let me know if and when... One of my readers sent me the Keats quote, which I had forgotten. I think it's a good one to remember.
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 31 December 2008 at 12:32
There IS a lot of beauty in this city. Hope you can come and visit!
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 31 December 2008 at 12:31
Robin, I've been there when it's raining too. Not much fun, but worth it to see all the unusual and curious things available.
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 31 December 2008 at 12:30
Di, I hope between your far-flung travels, we can squeeze in a visit to Antwerp. Hope those sculptural dress forms aren't haunting you! :) I predict the new year will bring great things for you and your photography. See you soon, I hope! xoxox
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 31 December 2008 at 12:30
Di, when you come over in the new year, let's go together. Wishing you and H a wonderful new year and a happy celebration! xoxox
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 31 December 2008 at 12:28
Muchas gracias! Buena ano nueva!
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 31 December 2008 at 12:27
Those people did some cool things with the Stencil Project. It's even more impressive in person.
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 31 December 2008 at 12:27
Thank you Laura! Hope your new year is fantastic and your new book enjoys tremendous success! I'll be looking for it in London my next trip.
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 31 December 2008 at 12:26
What a fun day--lucky you!
Hope your New Year is filled with beauty and love, Tara. Your blog and photos are such a gift!
Posted by: Laura Benedict | 30 December 2008 at 19:52
Awww, ya gwan and tug at me heart wit da, Nesta Robert Marley. ; )
I want to touch that stencil, no I want to hug the wall.
One love. : )
Posted by: Soul Aperture | 30 December 2008 at 17:18
The Happiest 2009 for you, Tara. Best wishes from Spain.
Posted by: Evasivas | 30 December 2008 at 15:09
I wish I had been there. You know how much I would have loved it. It looks like Banksy has been to Paris. Happy 2009 (I have written a post on how to survive it)
Hugs
Di
Posted by: Di Overton | 30 December 2008 at 12:29
You are so incredibly brave going out in the cold. I froze a couple of days ago, after spending a few hours at the zoo with the camera. Mmmm, then again, today my blog weather underground widget is telling me it's minus 7 celsius here ... I believe it.
Stay warm and all the very very best in the new year. xo
Posted by: Di | 30 December 2008 at 10:30
I like the Marché Paul Bert as well. I enjoyed a wonderful and inexpensive lunch at the restaurant in that market on my visit. It was POURING rain that day :( Thanks for the memory!
Posted by: My Melange | 30 December 2008 at 02:19
those wine bottles are beautiful Tara ! would make such a pretty vase
for some wildflowers or daisies:)
hope you are having a peaceful christmas back in paris...
i miss you!
will call you this week and chat your head off
hugs:)
Posted by: maddie | 30 December 2008 at 00:55
The tiles and the wine bottles are just beautiful. So much beauty around you Tara.
Posted by: Yoli | 30 December 2008 at 00:55
Someday, someday, I am going to come to Paris and let my soul just feast on all the sights and sounds and history. Your directions to the flea market will be MOST handy! Thank you. I don't know how I missed it before, your notable quote from John Keats, but those words have been with me for many, many, years so it's really cool to 'hear' you share them. Soon it will be a new year and I wish you all the best.
Posted by: Barbara | 30 December 2008 at 00:55
Love,love the graffiti, especially the tiles. The rest was wonderful too but those really caught my eye. Have a little "somethin'somethin" for you over at my blog. Looking forward to the New Year. Ya never know what's coming...smooches
Posted by: Leau | 30 December 2008 at 00:55
Eclectic and wonderful. It truly must be overwhelming to try to take it all in. The stencil project is interesting to me as I have been seeing stencils in New Haven lately. Hot tea on a cold day in Paris, colorful tiles, what a great post!
Posted by: Helen | 30 December 2008 at 00:55
I love your setting, the red and white is so pretty. Not too cold here today. But who knows what tomorrow will bring!
Posted by: Rosa | 30 December 2008 at 00:55
I thought the wine bottles were ornaments when I first scrolled down. How wonderful, if going to Paris, to have this 'insiders info' to find the very best stuff in this HUGE market.
Love LOVE the tiles.
x..x
Posted by: stephanie | 29 December 2008 at 22:51
Mary, thank you so much! I agree there's something weird about taxidermy. That being said, in the colonial days of the great explorers, the specimens they had preserved were the window to the world for most Westerners. Deyrolle in Paris has some amazing specimens and there's a great museum in Brussels, Belgium that has the diaries and knapsack, etc. of some of the famous British explorers - along with lots of "stuffed" animals and insect and bird specimens. They are fascinating, but odd.
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 29 December 2008 at 22:28
It is overwhelming; best to take in small doses. I'll go back with my camera when it's not so cold! :) xoxox
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 29 December 2008 at 22:26
What a rich post. I think you've covered ten to 12 subjects in that one. There is something totally weird in taxidermy. It is so odd to see animals in an action that isn't happening, and maybe never would. The only people I've seen do a good job are some museums.
Posted by: Mary T. | 29 December 2008 at 22:20
That place overwhelmed me so much. I think I walked around in a daze (when I wasn't lost). But promise you'll please go back with your camera. We need photos!
xoxo
Posted by: tangobaby | 29 December 2008 at 22:20
Come over and we'll go shopping!
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 29 December 2008 at 21:46
Carla, I'll be happy to pass the info along, or even accompany you if you want a "guide."
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 29 December 2008 at 21:46
How fun! Chocolate moulds! That would be divine to discover!
Posted by: jeanie | 29 December 2008 at 21:32
If I make it back to Paris, I will definitely be asking you where all these flea markets are. I would like nothing better than to wander through some of them.
Posted by: Carla | 29 December 2008 at 20:31