The Flea Markets Of France

"This guide describes more than thirty markets, along with their specialties and the regional items you're likely to come across, and offers practical advice on visiting the markets, tips on bargaining, and relevant French phrases"--book cover

Lists more than two hundred flea markets in France, rated according to price range and quality of merchandise, and includes descriptions of popular French collectibles

Shop and dream Paris style. If you love French interior design and bargain hunting, Paris is the place where your shopping daydreams come true. Claudia Strasser takes us on a winding tour through the Parisian flea markets finding decorative pieces all along the way. Strasser discusses ways to bring the look to your home by building collections and looking for furniture and accessories to reflect your individual style whether it's Napoleon III, Louis XV, Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Moderne or Belle Epoque. Whatever it is, you're sure to find rare pieces that will be treasured in your home. Shop and dream your way around the Paris flea markets with this deliciously colorful stroll through the city's best markets and take home special pieces that are destined to become heirlooms. A stylized map gives readers the lay of the land and Claudia shares her tips on where to find what, trade secrets, her favorite dealers and advice on shipping items home. So, now take a seat and take a trip to Paris! Claudia Strasser began her career in 1993 when she opened a boutique in New York City’s East Village and filled it with French boudoir furniture and accessories. She painted and repaired flea market finds, reincarnating them into the sparkling treasures. Now she travels to Paris throughout the year, taking small groups shopping and sharing resources. She works on books and articles while designing a furniture line and doing some decorating projects. Claudia’s style and business have been featured in scores of magazines. She is the author of The Paris Apartment: Romantic Décor on a Flea Market Budget (1997). Claudia splits her time between New York, Paris, and Miami.

The only complete guide to every street market and market district in Paris, with beautiful full color photographs throughout Perhaps the most pleasurable way for any visitor to feel at home in Paris–and one of the easiest ways to get to know the city–is to meander through any of its dozens of street markets. It's also the best way to find a wide variety of uniquely French gifts–from antique books and botanical prints to flea market finds and household goods–not to mention legendary cheeses, produce, and bounty of the French countryside. The authors have explored and described every market in every neighborhood. They also have included streets that are devoted to selling one type of thing–from the centuries-old booksellers along the Seine to those lined with stores selling items as varied as fabric and discounted designer clothing. And, for everyone who feels their time in the city is all too short, they have suggested itineraries based on the opening days of the markets with local restaurant recommendations. Also included are tips, translations of important phrases, and pointers on what to look for so that the visitor will be able to make the most of this exhilarating and fun French experience. All the market information is supplemented by sidebars that round out the experience, including a listing of favorite wine bars, a visit to the wood oven in the cellar of the famous bakery Poilane, and strolls down the best shopping streets in Paris.

Collecting antiques and collectables and in particular, hunting for them in France, has become extremely popular in recent years. This interest has been spurred on by the numerous television programmes such as Bargain Hunt. As these programmes testify, buying at a French flea market can be a daunting experience, and mistakes can easily be made. This book explores the scope and excitement of the French flea market, but its real asset, is its guide to the hazards of buying without a basic understanding; how to recognise age and value and how to avoid fakes and reproductions. It provides examples and advice on a wide variety of antiques and collectables from metalwork to pottery, porcelain and glass to furniture, woodcarvings and architectural antiques. It has useful information on silver and ceramic marks, age-related wear and patina and differences between good and ordinary examples. With twenty six illustrated chapters covering four hundred items bought personally on the Continent, Treasure Hunting the Flea Markets of France provides a brief history, in the French context, of each category of antique. Most chapters have useful tips on how to spot a reproduction and advice on what to look for and what to avoid.

Entertaining at home in gracious French style. Born from her experience of everyday living in France, Sharon Santoni reveals the gracious, easy French way of entertaining guests at her countryside home, year-round. Personal stories evoke the spirit of the French lifestyle, while gorgeous photos make us feel right at home. Santoni creates lush bouquets from her garden and utilizes resources from surrounding nature to lay gorgeous tables both indoors and outdoors. Venues range from a Sunday morning breakfast on the patio, to a ladies lunch in her lush garden, a formal dinner in her dining room, and a picnic by the river. Santoni also shares 15 favorite recipes utilizing seasonal foods. Find inspiration for your tables throughout the seasons, and discover the simple pleasure of entertaining friends and family. Sharon Santoni writes the popular blog My French Country Home. She is the author of My Stylish French Girlfriends (Gibbs Smith). She resides in Normandy, France.

Meet 20 beautiful, creative French women who live with passion; work every day; and love to take care ot their homes and families. Visit them in their grand chateaux or charming little country cottages or Parisian apartments. Learn where they shop, where they work, where they play, how they dress and, how they entertain. Absorb each girlfriend's style and joie de vivre. Santoni's affectionate writing, along with gorgeous photography, tells each woman's story with an intimacy usually reserved for the closest of girlfriends. SHARON SANTONI·SMITH grew up in England but married a Frenchman and has raised her family in Normandy, France. Her blog, My French Country Home, is read daily by thousands all over the world. She writes about life in rural France; the ups and downs of family life; her inspiring French girlfriends; the intricacies of village life; and her love of searching for brocante treasure in the flea markets of Paris and the countryside.

Provence, France, is justly famous for its dazzling light, vibrant colors, rich history, and flavorful foods and wines. And its markets have been the beating heart of Provençal life since the Middle Ages. In Markets of Provence, Marjorie R. Williams whisks you away to 30 of the best. This pocketable guide, complete with detailed maps and organized by days of the week, gives you all the information you need for your visit to this Mediterranean region. Included are: indispensable advice on timing, navigation, negotiation and payment; tips on etiquette while surveying vendors' produce; and even some French language lessons to help you brush up on your essential français. Complete with restaurant recommendations and other useful tips, this book will help you get the most out of the experience. Supplemented with beautiful full-color photographs and color-coded maps, Markets of Provence is a must-have for every traveler.