Summer is in full swing throughout France! There are many large antique fairs to choose from, and nine of the twelve listed are free. One in the north on July 15 and one in the south on July 26 are perennial favorites. Check the weather advisory beforehand for temperature — these events are mostly outdoors and a hat and sunscreen are essential.

TFE Insiders Tip: The French Experience has created an informational page on how to read this monthly calendar.

Want to learn where to buy antiques in France? Buy a monthly or annual subscription now to find out!

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Welcome to our new monthly calender of antique fairs and rummage sales exclusively in Paris! You’ll find them arranged by date with the neighborhood (arrondisement) identified for each event, along with the corresponding Paris Metro stop.

July is a very full month in Paris for antique fairs and rummage sales with a total of thirteen. At the bottom of the article you’ll also find two antique fairs that occur weekly.

Happy hunting!

TFE Insiders Tips:

• The French Experience has created an informational page on how to read this monthly calendar.

• Discover the difference between an antique fair and a rummage sale

Want to learn where to buy antiques in Paris? Buy a monthly or annual subscription to find out!

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Every time I go to France, I seem to be stumped about when to switch from bonjour to bonsoir. Bonjour translates to “hello” or “good morning” but it is still used during the afternoon when greeting someone. Bonsoir translates to “good evening” and the beginning of evening can seem variable in the north versus the south of France. In Paris, 6 p.m. see…

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Summer begins in France, and the weather is just beautiful in the north and the south is becoming hot. There are many large antique fairs in France to choose from — we’ve listed 12! Much of the activity is in the south of France packed late June going into July. The fairs listed are mostly “professional,” meaning the vendors are dealers of antiques … versus garage sale finds.

TFE Insiders Tip: The French Experience has created an informational page on how to read this monthly calendar.

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Every month, The French Experience will publish a calendar of antique fairs that are “professional” markets, meaning the vendors are dealers of antiques — versus garage sale finds. Each listing is summarized with the following information:

• Entry cost and audience, along with the time the show is open:
  🔷 Free entry, open to the public
  🔶 Paid entry, open to the public
  🔴 Professionals only

• Number of vendors (the number of vendors may be less during holiday periods or inclement weather):
  ▪️ (Not identified)
  ✷ (50 or less vendors)
  ✷✷ (50 to 100 vendors)
  ✷✷✷ (100 to 250 vendors)
  ✷✷✷✷ (250 to 500 vendors)
  ✷✷✷✷✷ (500+ vendors)

• Location: 🌐 with clickable address to Google Maps, and the region of France the antique fair is located

• Website: 🔗 (if available)

TFE Insider Tip: While indoor events usually occur as planned, if there is inclement weather, outdoor events may be canceled with no notice. Dates are validated to the best of our ability: If a date should change after this calendar is published, we’ll send out an email to all subscribers of the change.

Once you leave a city or large organized event and head into the countryside in search of antiques, you’re pretty much on your own. We’ve spent hours in the car chasing leads only to find a brocante is closed for the season, has gone out of business or … my personal favorite … has mistakenly listed their home as the store address.

Are you looking for an alternative to the Paris flea markets but don’t know where to start? Discover this largely unadvertised, dealers-only antique route between Chartres and Le Mans where dozens of brocanteurs are selling their wares.

Be one of those in the know with our fully researched and personally shopped itinerary!

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All of France comes alive in May! Warmer weather and sunny days throughout the country bring a feeling of reawakening and celebration. Enjoy a terrasse, shop a glorious flower market, or simply walk around and take in all the emerging springtime beauty. The antiquing season is upon us!

There are many large antique fairs to choose from this month— we’ve listed 13! There are several fairs in Normandy, some with over 2,000 dealers, and one in Paris that is always lovely and easy to get to by the Metro. The fairs listed are mostly “professional,” meaning the vendors are dealers of antiques … versus garage sale finds — two of the larger fairs are a mix of individuals and professional dealers.

TFE Insiders Tip: The French Experience has created an informational page on how to read this monthly calendar.

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Spring is finally, slowly, taking hold in Chicago. As I write this article, having returned to a chilly zone 6A from a glorious 75 degree France, I’m reminded how Richard and I seem to always leave The States wearing winter coats, only to shed them upon arrival at the Charles DeGaulle Airport. I’m also reminded of the one Spring trip that changed it all.

Have you read our origin story? How we drove around France in the Spring of 2019 in a rental car packed to the roof with beautiful things, desperately searching for a way to get it all home? We eventually figured it out after a lucky break.

Consider the following article part one in a tutorial of how to “get it all home”, or how to simply navigate your way through an overwhelming first experience at the professionals-only deballages. When you finally get through the mystery of getting it all home, be ready for the thrill of the hunt!

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Salt

Not all salt is created equal! In France, there are 71 producers of salt, most located on the Atlantic Ocean in Brittany and the Pays de la Loire, producing two distinct products.

• Fleur de sel: a beautifully white, large flake salt favored by chefs as a finishing touch for meals, salads, and desserts

• Gros sel gris: a …

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For my 50th birthday, Richard took me to France and signed us both up for a week of cooking classes at the Kerrouet House, located in a very small village in the Brittany countryside. During the week we were there, in a 16th-century house we learned how to cook 37 dishes “a la francaise” — and for any t…

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Last fall on a shopping trip, I came across a Charlotte mold. The minute I picked it up, I noticed it was special — and different from those we’ve purchased in the past. It was heavier than usual, and the details more refined, so I looked a little closer.

This particular Charlotte mold had two distinctive stamps. First was the stamp of the maker: LeFevre…

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Lyon, the second-largest city in France, is a true haven for antique enthusiasts. Nestled along the banks of the Rhône and Saône rivers, this charming city boasts a thriving antique scene that will transport you back in time.

In the city, there’s a neighborhood where many antique shops are grouped, conducive for an afternoon stroll. In addition, just outside of Lyon, there’s a large flea market that stretches along the banks of the Saône River, a must-visit for serious collectors and casual browsers alike. We come back to Lyon several times each year to shop this flea market — and are never disappointed!

It’s easy to combine these two itineraries into a day of antiquing in Lyon. And because no day in Lyon is complete without good food — after all, this is France’s culinary capital — we’ve included a few restaurant recommendations along with our favorite hotel — all walkable within central Lyon!

Want the full itinerary? Subscribe now to find the details!

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The primary airport of France, Charles de Gaulle (CDG), is truly a spaghetti-like sprawling thing. Rambling across nine terminals (Terminal 2 is really seven terminals, 2A through 2G), finding your way from plane to train is a test of patience after a long flight and in a country where English is not the primary language. We’ll walk you through how to…

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Every morning, 365 days a year, fishermen bring their fresh catch to the Fish Market in the Port of Marseilles! The vibrant atmosphere includes the smells of the sea and the chatter of vendors and shoppers. The market offers a wide variety of seafood, essential for local dishes like bouillabaisse and grilled sardines.

The Vieux Port of Marseille is a hi…

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Ever wonder what those distinctive cups are called?

In 1840, a small skirmish in the 17-year long French conquest of Algeria became memorialized as The Battle of Mazagran.

The story goes a French contingent of 132 soldiers, holed up in a fortification at the town of Mazagran and facing a siege by several thousand Algerians, was running out of gunpowder an…

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In the mid- to late 1800s the first restaurants in Paris were born. Much like the large department stores that were coming into fashion at the time, bouillons were large spaces where hundreds of the Parisian bourgeoise could order a meal.

These bouillon employed a unique system of service: One was handed a…

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The fastest way to get from Paris to Lyon is by the TGV train, departing from the Gare de Lyon station many times a day.

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I’m probably not the only home cook that’s a little pastry curious: Fascinated by the process and the results of a perfect puff pastry but thoroughly apprehensive at the thought of making it (all those episodes of British Baking notwithstanding). Bravo to those who march gallantly into their k…

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How to withdraw Euros at Fre…

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Stopping in a small town to shop. Discovering a charming off-the-map brasserie. Exploring acres of sunflower or lavender fields at your own pace. Getting that perfect shot of Chartres cathedral. How to do it? Drive!

Driving through France allows one to experience the countryside and culture in a way like no other. If your French experience begins …

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