The Diary of a Brocanteuse

My musings, my photos, my adventures buying antiques in France and my love for brocante and antiques. The story recounts each trip to France since the very beginning (in reverse chronological order).

But not for sale....

But not for sale….

With armoires and buffets stowed with the shipper, and the contents of Sylvie rearranged, we left Avignon and drove up ...
Les feuilles mortes....

Les feuilles mortes….

We arrived in good time for the Avignon fair next day.  As soon as the gates opened at 8h on ...
Late.....

Late…..

Southern France had been on Orange Alert with “temps chaotique,” chaotic weather. People watched in disbelief as cars were swept ...
Provencal colours

Provencal colours

The professional markets in the south of France start with a surge of people through the gates at 8h on ...
Random finds

Random finds

Driving towards Bordeaux with sun flickering through allées of trees along the road, we were due to meet Steve, a ...
Bastides

Bastides

A September trip took Graham and I down through France for a scout around the area south of the Dordogne ...
A slice of shade

A slice of shade

Le Mans yielded an armful of good oil paintings (along with the not unfamiliar poignancy of finding the entire contents ...
Hot day on the road

Hot day on the road

Early that July morning I drove to a vide-grenier on the other side of Nogent. Parking outside the Boulangerie was ...
"La Connection Humaine"

“La Connection Humaine”

Back in Belleme, a town of noble houses and winding streets - and many new antiques shops.  I turned to ...
A quiet morning in the Perche

A quiet morning in the Perche

Sunday morning, along deep green lanes, just after sunrise. A curve in the road opened onto views of wooded hills ...
Remember

Remember

In the pitch black 5am frosty morning I scraped my windscreen and drove to a Marché aux Puces further round the ...
En Mediterranée

En Mediterranée

The café terraces in Place Jean Jaures in Castres were busy.  As we sat in the bright winter sunlight I ...
Winter grazing in the Tarn

Winter grazing in the Tarn

The Marché a la Brocante in Albi is held on Saturdays beneath the large covered market in the Place du ...
Perfect day for brocante

Perfect day for brocante

Savigny en Veron held its annual vide-grenier on July 14th. La rue Basse, fringed with trees and dappled clearings, lead ...
Brocante by the water

Brocante by the water

In the damp greenish light, stalls were being set up on the stone quay and along the picturesque river at ...
Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty

We drove on to a Groupement d’Antiquaires near Nogent, to see Olivier, Laurent, and Julie the dog. Olivier came round ...
The Gods of Happiness.....

The Gods of Happiness…..

A slate sign poked out from an old watering can, indicating the little brocante boutique at the chambre d’hote. I ...
Le quatorze juillet

Le quatorze juillet

The weekend of 14th July normally offers rich pickings at vide greniers in towns and villages across France. Tricolour flags ...
Le Mans with Lesley

Le Mans with Lesley

The Deballage began at 8h and, as always, amongst clouds of bubble wrap and old newspaper were the stallholders unpacking ...
The soul of things

The soul of things

What should have been a three minute hop to the Chartres deballage next morning was a choked up traffic jam.  ...
Down to Chartres in good company

Down to Chartres in good company

A trip was planned with Lesley, who had made me so welcome in the stunning shop in Tetbury after the ...

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