Vue de Vanves Market - Paris

I LOOOVE markets! The trash and treasure kind. Well, any kind really. So I thought I'd share some of the wonderful markets I've been to on my travels. The first thing I do when I get to a new city is to find out from the locals where the best night market or trash and treasure market is. There are some markets that feel like my regular stomping ground. I have my favourite vendors. For instance in China, I visit the city of Yiwu on a regular basis. The night market there is very local. The best treat is to get your nails done for around $5. Then stock up on journal notebooks. You find the strangest things in the strangest places!

However, I digress. I want to share my favourite market with you first. One of the most exciting markets I've ever visited. It's in Paris. Way down at the bottom end of the city. Almost the last train stop! A bit of a mission to get to, but so worth it. It's at this market that I learned to drink expresso coffee. The bitter drop was a perfect foil for the crepe covered in lashings of chocolate spread!

Coffee and crepe!

The market entrance. Doesn't look like much, but it goes for a good km, tables lined up along each side of a tree lined street.

I loved the fact that you could purchase a chandelier at the market, then continue on browsing for the next bargain!

Picture frames galore. Pity they're too big to put in a suitcase!

I bought a pile of little baking tins from this stall. I gave some to my foodie friends as souvenir from Paris. Much nicer than a fridge magnet! Most of the tins have pretty beaten patterns on the bases that transfer to the baked pastry. I made the most delicious little marmalade tarts using these tins.

I was in heaven at this large stall. Vintage and new French linen. Tea towels, table cloths, sheets, pillow cases. However, they were not cheap.

Here I am fossicking in a box of antique lace. I gathered quite a large pile, only to return it when I found out the total cost. It was the equivalent of around $10 per meter. I think not..

There are more markets like this one in Paris, however, I was told by a number of locals that this one is by far the most interesting. So if you're visiting the City of Love and Lights, then don't miss this one!