MFO Paris Series: Flea Market Finds Part 3 of 3

If you're just looking for unique, inexpensive pasalubong, there's plenty of that at the Porte de Vanves Flea Market too.

There's a stall that sells vintage paper bags and shop packaging for inspiration.

A stall that sells vintage toys. Those toy cars and soldiers are cast from metal, and not plastic. Plenty of old toiletries packaging behind too.

Pretty magnifying glasses.

Supposedly Wedgwood overruns. I compared it to Wedgwood pieces my Mom handed down to me, and these are less fine than what I have. So it's quite possible that these are the ones that did not make it to the stores.

Love these French terrariums. Makes me want to buy them all. I didn't though. I'm still sad about it.

That stall selling the toile bedcovers? They had these vintage dresses and nightgowns too. So pretty.

Sharing with you some of the items I brought home with me. Not a lot, but I am quite happy with my haul as they sure sparked joy at first sight!

My wish is that I get to visit Porte de Vanves at least twice a year, heehee. To be honest, despite the tragic incidents that have happened in Paris this year, I feel no qualms about going back. Paris will triumph over terror. We should think that way too.

How to get there: We took an Uber car both ways, but you may also take line 13 of the Paris Métro and alight at Porte de Vanves, or simply take the bus. 

Marche aux Puces Porte de Vanves 

14th arrondissement 

Ave Marc Sangnier & Ave Georges Lafenstre 

Saturdays & Sundays, 8 am to 1 pm

MFO Paris Series: Flea Market Finds Part 2 of 3

Wanting that mirror, while holding on to my precious finds

I love, love, home stores. I enjoy browsing inside home stores, that I have to do it alone, otherwise Dada will complain that I take up too much time. Especially since I don't really have anything in mind to buy. I just like looking and adding items to my wishlist for my future French inspired home.

So you can just imagine how I felt like I was in heaven, browsing at Porte de Vanves. Everything was authentically French (but of course, heehee) and everything I would need to outfit a home, be it actual pieces, or for inspiration, would be here.

Enameled iron pots by Nomar (a small pot manufacturing company owned by Staub) and Le Creuset

Gorgeous woven baskets that Jane Birkin would approve of

Limoges tea cups and saucers, gorgeous!

Sevres crystal goblets

French mirrors that I imagine, belonged to a French bistro. I want them! Why didn't I buy them again?

French abubuts, I ended up buying that silver Christofle bowl for 30 euros, heehee

More Christofle goodness

Be still my copper pots and pans loving heart!

There were some linens too!

Found thick linen dish towels, with those classic French stripes. I ended up buying a couple for 10 euros, about the same price I would pay for new ones at La Grande Epicerie, except these ones are thicker and have obviously been around for much longer. I bought some of these ones embroidered with "HC" because, Harvey and Christine, diba?

Toile print bed covers. Chica, chica, chica!

Next up: Part 3 of my Flea Market Finds

MFO Paris Series: Flea Market Finds Part 1 of 3

You know you've reached a certain age of maturity when shopping at malls and boutiques no longer give you that euphoric thrill. 

More so when you start doing the things your mom loves to do, and in my case, that would be thrifting. For this trip, I had deviated from my typical wish list. More than bags or shoes, I wanted an authentic French bistro table and mirrors. So crazy, in love. And so tita!

My friend Emee told me about her favorite place in Paris for flea market shopping, and no, its not in Clignancourt. It's at Porte de Vanves, in the 14th arrondissement, where most of the locals go.

Emee told us to go early in the morning, before 8 am, while the merchants were still unloading and setting up their wares. That way, we could get first dibs on everything. 

We were so excited, we were there by 7:30 am which was too early. We spent 30 minutes just waiting for most of the sellers to arrive. I'd say, come around 8:30 to 9 am, when everything is pretty much set up, and you still get choice pickings. 

I'm cutting up this post into three parts, because there were just too many great finds! Thank goodness they only took cash, because I would have gone over budget if they accepted credit cards. I wanted to bring everything home.

I can in fact easily furnish an apartment with this visit alone. Here are the furniture pieces that caught my eye. Huhuhu. So sad to leave them on the sidewalk. I felt like they were begging me to take them home.

That chica lady in the truck was refurbishing this secretary desk on the spot.

That bench would look great re-upholstered with Belgian linen.

I'd re-upholster this too with Belgian linen. Restoration Hardware ang peg!

I want that half-circle console table. Great for an entryway.

They also have rugs and mirrors, and I wish I took these hallway runners home. Old school donya.

These are pretty too! Sigh. Now I understand Lynn Yaeger's longing for Porte de Vanves, and how she'd willingly extend her stay in Paris for two weeks, just to browse and ogle the goods here. 

How to get there: We took an Uber car both ways, but you may also take line 13 of the Paris Métro and alight at Porte de Vanves, or simply take the bus.

Marche aux Puces Porte de Vanves

14th arrondissement
Ave Marc Sangnier & Ave Georges Lafenstre
Saturdays & Sundays, 8 am to 1 pm

Next up: Part 2 of my Flea Market Finds