Paul Bert Serpette, Exploring Paris Puces de St-Ouen Fleamarkets (Part 3)

Visiting the Marchés aux Puces de Saint Ouen is a feast for the soul, I'm inspired by every visit. But it can be overwhelming. This series of blogs is designed to help you when planning your visit.

A trove of antique treasures at Serpette Market, Puces de Saint Ouen

I'm Helen, founder of Quintessentially French and I visit the fleamarkets of Paris (and beyond) regularly to source treasures for my online brocante, and I take you with me on my social media channels.

I enjoy visiting the Puces de Saint Ouen to marvel at so many beautiful French antiques, all in one place. Furthermore, I am inspired by connecting with other dealers who also love one of a kind patinated antiques and the stories they tell.

Sometimes, it feels like visiting a museum and indeed, it is a popular Parisian tourist destination.

Paul Bert & Serpette Fleamarkets

These two markets are side by side, you can wander easily from one to the other, to me they are very different in character, but I enjoy visiting them both.

As you can see, there is parking, how easy it is to get a space I don't know because I take the metro across town to Porte de Clignancourt and walk the short distance to Rue des Rosieres where the markets are situated.

The underground parking at the fleamarket at Saint Ouen near Paris

Serpette Fleamarket

Serpette fleamarket is mainly indoors - although as you turn in you are greeted with the sight of a very impressive stall, Sophie's, which sparkles with chandeliers. It's just outside the doors to the main market and is well worth the stop.

It's run by a lovely lady who is happy for you to take photographs, but as with all the sellers' stalls photographed here, I always ask first and avoid close ups of the merchants without their express permission.

There are over 200 stalls and being mainly an indoor market, the quality of furniture is high as it is well protected from the elements by the modern building, built in 1970 on the site of some old garages.

Much is mid century modern, not my preferred style, but definitely very stylish. I can appreciate the aesthetic, but I didn't linger here for long, as the 19th century beckoned from around the corner!

One of the Mid Century Modern boutiques in Serpette

All the Puces de Saint Ouen fleamarkets reflect their vendors enthusiasm for antiques, and therefore present an eclectic mix of styles and eras.

In Serpette, as well as MCM vintage, there are also some beautiful antique stalls. The sellers were welcoming and proud of their merchandise. As you can see from the pictures below, the booths are enticing!

Paul Bert Fleamarket

Created in 1946, Paul Bert is like an antique village, with its open alleys to stroll around.

I usually start at its famous main alley (pedestrian of course). The antique treasures spill out into the road, you cannot but stop and rummage, and of course are invited to enter the stores, many of which go back a long way.

Beautifully curated and often specialising in a particular type of antiques with a narrative, many vendors have amassed large collections e.g. copper, kitchenware or chandeliers.

Paul Bert's main alley is the market immortalised in Midnight in Paris, and if you visit, you can stand in the very place where Gil meets Gabrielle!

This is the boutique on the corner, where Gil and Gabrielle met, look down the alley to the right towards the ochre tower for a view you'll remember.

Off this main alley are a network of small alleyways to happily wander through. I particularly enjoy the buildings entwined with climbing foliage; wisteria, ivy and I particularly loved the large and fragrant fig tree!

These 'stalls' or booths have a wide variety of antiques and vintage from monumental châteaux salvage and statues to small suitcase size pieces.

However, ensure you always use a critical eye when buying, everything is not top quality. Look discerningly and you will notice many everyday pieces amongst the Puces de Saint Ouen's fabulous finds, but the price does not always refelct their lower quality.

I found most sellers approachable and knowledgeable, there was, at times, a small range to negotiate the price, for cash. As with all antiquists selling in their field of expertise, you pay the premium for buying from someone who has spent time curating a collection and who knows the history of what they are selling.

This is a step up from some Paris fleamarkets with sellers who have cleared houses having less knowledge beyond a Google search, or a reseller just buying what's trending without feel for the treasure's place in history.

However, this does not replace doing your due dilligence.

This is the other main entrance to the market, you will notice the cash mashine (Crédit Mutuel)

FAQs:

If you've read part 1 & 2 of this series, you'll have the need-to-know practical information about visiting the Marché aux Puces de St Ouen, and you'll know that each market has its own character. Here's my response to the questions you have asked me:

1. Do I buy much there for Quintessentially French?

   No, I don't as the prices are retail and therefore not good for resale, I usually source my items I sell in Quintessentially French Brocante from similar places to these sellers, and often see them out and about! But I will go there to find something specific, or occasionally find a gem a non-specialist seller is selling for a good price.

2. Can I negotiate the price?

   You can ask but there is usually not much flexibility unless you pay cash or are buying several items from the same seller. Despite being a market in name, it is more akin to buying in an antique shop.

3. Do they take cards?

   Most sellers do, but always love cash for smaller purchases. There are bank cash machines on site.

4. What else is at Puces de Saint Ouen?

   There are a lot of other markets and shops, please see my other blogs, and of course cafes and restaurants to stop and refuel ready for more antiquing.

5. Can I see it all in one day?

   Maybe if you have great stamina! I find it all runs into one after a while, I would suggest picking a few markets and taking your time, I like to arrive about 11am, have lunch and leave about 3 or 4 pm

   Not all stalls will be your 'thing' so you can focus your search more easily, though I always get distracted! Wear good walking shoes.

6. It says it's open Mondays, is it worth visiting then?

   To be honest not really, little is open Friday and Monday - better to go Saturday and Sunday

7. Is it safe?

   Everyone has heard the pickpocket stories. The area surrounding the Puces de Saint Ouen is rough, don't wander down the back roads away from the markets and stay alert.

8. Even in the markets, take sensible precautions and keep your money / phone safely zipped and close.

   The markets have security.

Enjoying a stroll after a leisurely lunch at the Paul Bert restaurant

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