The Paris Saint-Ouen Flea Market, Episode 332

Join Us in France Travel Podcast

Today Annie Sargent brings you a conversation with Eva Jorgensen about the Paris Saint-Ouen flea market. It is one of the biggest, most famous flea market in the world. This flea market gets almost 5 million visitors a year which is impressive because it’s only open 3 days a week!

In this episode of the podcast, we talk about vintage clothes shopping, antiques, and wonderful old items you could bring back in your suitcase. It's really about the thrill of the hunt, and the wonderful surprises you might find at the Marché aux puces de Saint-Ouen.

Eva is the author of Paris by Design

10 Pro Tips About the Paris Saint-Ouen Flea Market

1. Go on a Monday if you'd like to see it on a quiet day.
2. Fridays: Supposedly the flea market is ONLY open on Friday mornings for dealers. Eva went on a Friday morning and nobody asked if she was a dealer (she's not). So, if you can only go on a Friday, it's also a possibility, but only in the morning.
3. It's best to AVOID the Porte de Clignancourt metro stop, even though that's the way Google Maps will tell you to go. If you go that way you'll run into the giant highway and all the people who setup on the sidewalk and sell junk and trinkets. Generally, Annie avoids any metro stations called "porte de" around Paris as explained in Episode 194 about Dicey Paris neighborhoods.
4. You'll have a better experience going to the Garibaldi metro station on line 13. You cross the street and go through the garden on the side of the church (called Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire-Saint-Ouen, it's big, you can't miss it) and you'll exit the garden at rue des Rosiers (93400) turn right and walk 1 kilometer. You'll enter at the back of the Paris Saint-Ouen Flea Market.
5. Part of Saint-Ouen is definitely sketchy, but if you take this way to the market, you'll walk through a quiet residential neighborhood. Eva walked there by herself and felt totally safe going that way, whereas she didn't enjoy going via the Porte de Clignancourt station. See map below.
6. If you arrive at the Paris Saint-Ouen Flea Market via the Garibaldi metro station, you'll get to the Marché Paul Bert first. One way to make sure you don't miss it is to tell your favorite map app on your phone to take you to a restaurant called Ma Cocotte.
7. Stick to the market itself, it is completely safe.
8. At lunch time notice how several vendors will eat together around a folding table and maybe play some cards or something. It adds to the friendly atmosphere.
9. At the Paul Bert café don't miss the chocolat chaud à l'ancienne (hot chocolate), Eva also likes the classic bistro lunch like croque-madame with a side salad.
10. Le Comptoir des Puces is a little hideaway place inside of Marché Serpette, a great place for a break.

The official page for the Paris Saint-Ouen flea market in English.

The episode page for this episode is here: https://joinusinfrance.com/332

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