Around France

What’s So Special About French Brocantes?

If I start off another blog post with “one of my favorite things,” please excuse me but one of my favorite things is French brocantes. There are brocante shops, special events called “brocantes” and brocantes that happen every weekend where you can find antiques, collectibles, vintage items, and, as some say: “crip-crap.”

Tell me there’s a brocante nearby and I’m there! 

Favorite French brocantes 

Isle Sur la Sorgue is well known for its Sunday market and brocante.

There are two annual antique events in Isle Sur la Sorgue that are among the most popular in the world.

Uzes Brocantes

In Uzes, there are annual brocantes, and on Sundays, the arena parking lot becomes a giant marketplace.

Barjac Antique Sale

Recently I discovered Barjac and experienced the annual antique and collectibles sale that lasts several days.

 

Saturdays at Villeneuve-les-Avignon

Yesterday my friend Petra Carter took me on a Saturday outing to Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. A Barefoot Blogger friend had written to me saying that I should go to the weekend brocante. It’s less than an hour’s drive from Uzes. What a fabulous place!

Even on a damp, misty day, the vendors and customers were out by the hundreds.

 

Exploring French Brocantes

villeneuve-les-avignon

So what makes brocantes in France so special?

Exploring French Brocantes

Friends, food and camaraderie

Exploring French Brocantes

Popular collectibles

Exploring French Brocantes

Exploring French Brocantes

Exploring French Brocantes

Exploring French Brocantes

Exploring French Brocantes

Exploring French Brocantes

Unusual finds  

Exploring French Brocantes

 

Exploring French Brocantes

Something for everyone

Something just for me

Exploring French Brocantes

Stuff you leave behind

iExploring French Brocantes

There’s always next week!

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16 replies »

  1. Be still my heart! I want to move to an empty living space in France and start filling it up from brocantes! I know who to call when the time comes … *wink, wink*

    Bises!

    • I wish I had more space! Everything I ever dreamed about finding in a brocante is here. You’ll have to plan a few days’ visit next time so we can make the rounds. I’m making a list! Keep writing so you can get back soon!

  2. The shops in Pezenas are a bit disappointing, especially if you’re used to the prices at Vides and brocantes. But, a lunch at the cave restaurant in Florensac would round out the journey, especially if you sample their “Mademoiselle Florensac” white…yummy. I predict you’ll bring some home.

    (Pezenas has a charming Toy Museum in centre of town. Great to see all kinds of toys from childhood)

    If you liked Villeneuve, make the trip to Carpentras! *Its HUGE* Love it!

    Been an antique addict forever, had a shop as a teenager as my part-time job. My parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles were all in biz. Now I’m back into it, buying and selling, trolling brocantes – been to them all – during winters spent in Gard/Vaucluse/Hérault and dragging it all home to Canada to my etsy shop.
    SO much fun!
    I should be running tours….
    Enjoy your blog, Deborah, thanks for writing.

    • I think that once you have brocante shopping in your life, it’s hard to break the habit. I went hand-in-hand with my mother as a child to antique stores. I dragged my two boys with me, too. They each had items they learned to scout for while I was shopping. Now one loves the stuff, the other is a minimalist! Thanks for your suggestions. I’m on it!

  3. I would have been really interested in the chairs. It’s about the worst thing one can have a craving for, old chairs, I have plenty, our house is overflowing, I don’t need any more, and yet they fascinate me, why oh why can’t I have a love for something the size of an egg or an orange instead of chairs!!

  4. Be still my heart! That light fixture is fabulous! I read somewhere that Pezanas had a large number of brocante shops per capita – I started to say “largest in France” but it’s been awhile since I read that.

  5. Deborah great pictures and great description of the Brocante experience. But the real question is what did you buy?

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