Searching for treasures in the City of Light

- Mehk Chakraborty

Vast rows of colourful shiny objects - chandeliers hanging everywhere; loud voices of vendors; old maps; books; leather sofas; absurd porcelain figurines and hidden treasures greet a visitor to a typical flea market in Paris. Home to the largest flea market in the world, Les Puces,along with many others in the city, Paris satisfies the needs of every consumer and more. Quaint markets in the city present alternatives to the people who are shy of large crowds and spaces giving shoppers a variety of spaces to choose from.

Flea markets in Paris have become destinations of their own with an entire segment of dedicated tours and packages cropping up. Complete with French-speaking guides who are experts at making deals, bargaining and navigating through the large markets, the flea market tourism scene in Paris is catering to the people who hold great curiosity for these markets but find comfort in being steered through the experience. Situated near the ring road or the Periphérique that encircles Paris, these flea markets are a paradise for the bourgeois and bohemian alike.

Les Puces

Puces, in French, means fleas and the term Les Puces has become synonymous with the largest flea market in the city and the largest for antiques in the world, the one at Porte de Clignancourt, officially called Les Puces de Saint-Ouen.

Saint-Ouen , a locality in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, a little towards the northern outer side of the city. The market is a world unto itself, with over 3,000 traders in an area of close to seven hectares and it dates back to over two centuries.