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A visit to the Puces generally and outfits made of a thousand sequins...
starts from the Porte de Clignancourt, passing by the people offering an endless variety of objects, then taking
the rue des Rosiers. The central thoroughfare from which the various markets radiate out, it in itself crystallizes the day’s atmosphere and sees the mingling of second-hand dealers, bargain hunters and the curious. After an obligatory coffee, one ventures into the rue Paul Bert, a beautiful example of a flea market road where ivy extends the length of wonderful millstone grit houses. Asiatic treasures are there in heaps (furniture, objets d’art, books, curio cabinets, etc.) and pastoral gardens with a thousand sculptures. It is then by taking the rue Jules Vallès that you get to the heart of the matter, with its mad assembly of merchandise from all eras, valiantly presented by second-hand dealers with a jovial air and lots of expert advice. Time stands still at Lécuyer-Vallès. Sarah’s collection of vintage dresses, where creators and stylists come to gain inspiration, has a scintillating beauty: rare pieces, fashionable accessories
nothing is too beautiful for the windows of this boutique, lost in the heart of the flea market. At the end of the alley, a completely different atmosphere envelops the buyer: it must be said that in the rue Lécuyer the proudest treasures of those having a clear-out are to be found, waiting to be unearthed by tirelessly rummaging around in the displays. Not far from there, the biffins of Porte Montmartre busily sell their colorful merchandise. One then regains the melancholy calm of roads inhabited by the residents of Saint-Ouen, before entering the Jardin éphémère, a place of conviviality and art, which borders the Jules Vallès Market and its 20th century furniture, sculptures and ceramics. The elegant Impasse Simon displays the cream of contemporary design, while playing host to cozy restaurants and cafes. An ideal spot to dine after this poetic stroll and the astonishing succession of atmospheres provided by crossing through streets and markets. The return leg via the rue des Rosiers occurs with the discovery of traditional stalls where expertise is preserved and they are the pride of the flea market.
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