Did You Know? Shop Talk
Learn the nuances of different antique venues in France
Did you know there are five main types of venues for bargain hunting in France? They range from simple garage sales to massive, city-wide events. Although there is much overlap between them, learning their names and subtle nuances in meaning will help you navigate like a local.
We’ve listed them below in order by size, smallest to largest.
Happy hunting!
Vide-grenier (garage sale). The smallest of all the venues, vide-greniers can be the most risky for antique shoppers, as they (in our experience) tend to be uncurated, one-time-only events, where second-hand baby clothes and outdated electronics mingle with the chance treasure. If you’re attending a vide-grenier, be realistic in your expectations and be prepared to dig.
Brocante (antique shop) or Marche aux puces (flea markets). Probably the most popular and well known of all the venues. While a brocante is typically a single, bricks-and-mortar antique shop, a “Puce” is usually an outdoor collection of brocantes. The most famous are just north of the Paris city limits in Saint-Ouen, however one can find Brocantes and Marche aux puces in just about every major city in France.
Grand deballage (a “big unpacking”). Taken from the French word to unpack, a deballage is typically a curated, antiques-only event that occurs in just about every city in France, on specific days between 8:00 am and noon. Vendors literally drive up, unpack their vans or trucks, and sell. These are events where you can do some serious buying … and you’ll only have four hours to do it … so come with plenty of cash, a wagon cart (here’s our recommendation), and razor sharp focus!
Grand braderie (“big clearance sale”) Not for the faint of heart, these massive sales are multi day, city-wide events. There’s something for everyone: antiques, vintage clothes and toys, housewares, garden … even places to grab a bite to eat or listen to live music. Local business get in on the fun as well: most will offer their own sales on new merchandise and epicurian items.
Attending a grand braderie is a test of stamina, so be prepared to spend most of the day picking through the offerings of hundreds of local vendors. In our experience prices are the best at these giant party-like events … so be sure to bring plenty of Euros, your most comfortable shoes, and our favorite wagon cart to hold all your finds!
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