Paris Shopping Tips by Dabs

Marche aux Puces de St-Ouen de Clignancourt: Weekend flea and antique market Les Puces (Flea Markets) Review

Last visit September 2011

The last time we visited the Marche aux Puces, located near the Porte de Clingancourt metro station, it was rainy and cold, we ended up only staying a short period of time so somehow I had it in my mind that it wasn't a very big market. That opinion changed when we visited in September 2011 on a sunny warm day when all the open air dealers were out in addition to the streets filled with indoor antique shops. It's actually a collection of markets, you can see the markets listed here. According to the website, it's not only the world's largest flea market, it's the place where they coined the term flea market.

We didn't find a lot of tourist souvenirs, the best place we found for that on this trip was near Notre-Dame. But there certainly is plenty of everything else-clothes, both new and old; books, lots and lots of books; junk, food. Then there is the more serious part of the market, the antique stores, we didn't stop at any because we didn't have a lot of time but I suspect most of it wouldn't have been affordable.

The market is open on Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 9.30 am to 6.00 pm

Directions: Closest metro: Porte de Clignancourt

Theme: Other

Website: http://www.marchesauxpuces.fr/

Jeff de Bruges: Decadent Belgian chocolates

I confess, I have a weakness for Belgian chocolates, more specifically white chocolate filled with fresh cream. I sometimes buy them from Neuhaus but on this trip I couldn't leave the Neuhaus chocolates from Brugge in the car and remembered that there was a Jeff de Bruges right up the street from our hotel on the rue Mouffetard. They have multiple locations in Paris, from their website it looks like they have shops in all but the 2nd and 3rd arrondisements.

What to buy: Jeff de Bruges is less expensive than Neuhaus and I think of equal quality, if you don't have a specific chocolate that you are addicted to they have prepackaged boxes so that you can try a variety of different kinds.

Address: 112-114 rue Mouffetard 75005

Directions: Many other locations in Paris, see the website below

Theme: Food and Drink

Website: http://www.jeff-de-bruges.com/store.html

Monoprix, G20, Le Marche Franprix: Grocery stores

My favorite place to shop while abroad is the grocery store. From picking up bottled water, to snacks and local foods and drinks, we always find something to buy at the local grocer.

Theme: Food and Drink