BONNES BROCANTES

FRENCH FLEA MARKETS ARE ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL TO THE BRITISH BOOT SALE, UNITING FLEA FOSSICKERS WITH TREASURE TROVES OF FRENCH FINDS

Words: RUTH TIERNEY

If there’s one thing the French excel at, it’s flea markets. They’re big, they’re cheap, they’re chic, and they’re packed full of treasures like wine crates and linen sheets that you just don’t come across at your average UK car boot sale. And right now, it’s flea market central on the continent, as brocantes(also known as braderies and rederies) take over villages, towns and cities between April and October, ranging from 15 stalls to 15,000. Bargain-hunting is a weekend obsession, and the pickings are rich. “The French tend to hang onto stuff for years. They don’t move as often as us, and they have more storage space, with cellars, attics and outbuildings,” explains braderie expert Jane Gratton, who spends five months of the year bargain-hunting in Burgundy, selling her finds on…

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The Simple Things (Digital) - 1 Issue, 01-Jul-2015

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