Going to PARIS Next Week! Where to go for antiques?

Taking my daughter and 16 year old grand daughter to my home town of Vitry-Le-Francois to see family and then off to Paris for a week before returning to the States. Since they have never been there, most of the time in Paris is already filled with Notre Dame, Eiffel Towel, Louvre, and other essential first-timers touristy stuff.

I do have about two days for unplanned stuff. Anyone out there familiar with buying antiques in Paris? I am looking for good deals and stuff (small!) for resale. I realize early March isn't prime time for those wonderful outdoor antique markets but there has to be somewhere to go! Right?

 

I have heard that Paris is notorious for offering bad stuff at high prices.....

choose wisely..

 

I have heard that the flea market at Porte de Clignancourt is impressive, but not always cheap...

 

Clignancourt is worth a trip but is indeed not cheap. Do a day trip to London.

 

Sounds like a couple of Euros worth of street theatre.

It's the pickpockets that are the biggest plague. Keep anything you want to keep in a zipped inner pocket.

 

And SO we LOVE to travel abroad WHY???????

 

I got some terrific things in an outdoor flea market on a street kitty-corner from the Moulin Rouge. Unfortunately, it was drizzling and hubby wanted to move along or I probably would have bought more stuff!

 

It was either Rue Blanche or Rue Pierre Fontaine and it was about a block down from the big intersection at Place Blanche. I got the impression it was a regular thing, but can't recall what day it was. Saturday or Sunday.

 

We have been taking high school basketball teams to Europe for over 30 years and I can give you a hint about teenagers - they don't always appreciate what an adult does. When we were in Paris last May we only had two days. It's not nearly enough to see everything, but you can touch on the major items. Montmartre, Notre Dame, La Tour Eiffel, Pont Neuf. We managed to see quite a lot. If the weather permits, the boat ride down the Seine is a great way to see a lot and save walking. Beware of the scam artists around every site. The latest one are men who come up with multicolor strings and start to weave a bracelet around your wrist. It ends up costing about $7. Maybe your granddaughter would like it, but once you succumb to one, they don't leave you alone. If you don't make eye contact, they'll go away. We didn't go into the Louvre because it takes about an hour wait and then it's so huge, it's impossible unless you have a lot of time. Just visiting the plaza is an experience. You MUST go to the Eiffel Tower at dusk. I don't know if you've heard about the light show. It's amazing and worth the trip. Make sure you get into the front row of the plateau on the upper viewing level and don't let anyone push you out of the way. Then go down and ride the carousel underneath.

 

It DOES sound AMAZING.....but am married to one who will NOT travel out of New England!!!!!! "Too Much Hassle" says he............so I suffice with virtual tours!!!!!

 

And have a WONDERFUL trip!!!!!

 

I can give you a hint about teenagers - they don't always appreciate what an adult does

Find them an old fashioned Paris pissoir, they will still be talking about it when the Notre Dame is forgotten or gone back to being some kind of sports team.

 

This is where you want to stand when you are looking at the Eiffel Tower at night. I'm not sure when they light it, but someone will tell you. What hotel are you at?

 

Montmartre - this is where all the artists and cool cafes are at the top of the hill . You can climb the steps or for a few euro, take the funicular which is on the left in this photo.

 

Le Deux Magot (the Two Magistrates) is one of the most famous cafes in Paris and it's in the historic St. Germain de Pres district.

 

That's me with the white hair & sunglasses

 

Really, if you had time, you should take the train to Brussels. You might have to change trains in Lille, but it's worth a day trip. I've been there maybe twenty times and it's better than Paris because it's smaller.