Antiquaires: Flea Markets of Paris

Paris insiders know the best place to go for inspiration is not the Louvre, and the best place to go to buy something fabuleux is not the Boulevard St. Germain: it is the famous antiques markets of St. Ouen. Christian Dior, Coco Chanel, Andre Breton, and today's leading artists and designers have all had their appetites whet by unique discoveries... Many of the most influential artists, designers, stylists, and decorators-Christian Dior, Coco Chanel, Andre Breton, Rudolf Nureyev, Madeleine Castaing-had their appetites whetted by their early finds at the Marche Serpette, Biron, Paul Bert, or any of the 16 clusters of dealers that today make up the largest marketplace of secondhand furniture, clothing, books, housewares, and art objects in the world. Where farmers and ragpickers once plied their finds, today the highly curated stalls outside the Porte de Clignancourt attract up to 150,000 visitors each weekend. Paris is a city that richly rewards its wanderers and seekers, and in Antiquaires, author Laure Verchere and photographer Laziz Hamani play flaneurs to capture the treasures of St. Ouen's appealing melange of furniture, books, decorative objects, and curiosities-and the dedicated sellers who endow them with life. 180 illustrations