Avenues de la Porte de Vanves and Georges Lafenestre, Rue Marc Sangnier. 75014 Paris. Metro: Porte de Vanves. Saturdays and Sundays: 2pm-7:30pm (New goods sector). 7am-7:30pm (Second-hands goods sector).

Apart from one or two other things, Paris is famous for its weekend fleamarkets. The market at Porte de Vanves in the South of the City has around 200 stalls selling bric-a-brac, antiques and collectibles, and has something for just about everyone. Most of the stallholders have a general collection of this and that, but there are quite a few specialists - antique soda siphon bottles, original photographs, toys, art, aviation, clothing and furniture to name but a few. This our favourite market in paris - we go three or four times a year, whenever we visit Paris, and there is always something to delight. They have a Puces de Vanves blog which gives lots of detail (in French of course) about the market, its stallholders and a thorough history of the whole concept of fleamarkets. A big warning - despite the fair being advertised as lasting all day, most of the stallholders start to pack up by about 1pm, so don't leave your visit till after lunch! Halfway down the stalls is a small square with a selection of artists selling their own work, of varying quality. There is also a crepe van and refreshments available here. There is also a patisserie just by the Metro station, and if you take a break to go to the main street nearby, Boulevard Brune, there are cafes and shops for snacks as well as a general Sunday market.

Shame you can't buy this metro entrance at a fleamarket!

Most stallholders will drop their advertised price by 10-20% quite readily, and determined hagglers may do even better. This is not a market selling fine antiques, rather it is ideal for general collectibles, decorative items and interesting items, all with a certain age, but most having been quite clearly owned and enjoyed by previous generations. Lots of unusual items here, many advertising items - bottles, tin signs, posters, ashtrays, merchandising and display pieces. This is such a great way to spend half a day, and you are bound to find something that you want to take home with you. We paid £15 or a bundle of over 50 vintage postcards from before the First World War. £20 bought an old shop advertising display card from the 1920s, and a few pounds secured old press agency photographs of Marlon brando and Yul Brunner, as well as some 1930s ladies fashion magazines, destined for mounting and framing. And we resolved to revisit with a car! So much great small furniture, so little time...

Some of our trophies (click on the images for a larger version):

[1] A shop display card for healthy products, about 18" tall (£20); [2] an illuminated perspex Guinness advertising sign, again about 18" tall, in working order (£20); [3] A delightful set of miniature stationery boxes in the shape of books, allegedly previously owned by the secretary to the IS ambassador in Paris (the stallholder had signed photographs and other memorabilia owned by the secretary (£15); [4] a few postcards, so much better than my blurred photographs of the same scenes; [5] two press agency photographs from 1965 showing Marlon Brando and Yul Brunner on visits to Paris (£10 each).

Les Bouquinistes

Left bank: Quai Malaquais, Quai de Conti, Quai de Montebello, Quai, de la Tournelle.

Right bank: Quai du Louvre, Quai de la Mégisserie, Quai de Gesvres, Quai de l'Hôtel de Ville. Metro: Pont-Neuf, Cité, Saint-Michel, Hôtel de Ville, Maubert-Mutualité, Pont Marie, Sully Morland.

These little second hand book stalls - so typical of Paris - sell old books, engravings, postcards, posters. Rather too many clearly get their stock from the same wholesaler of reproduction adverts, postcards and posters, but there are many more selling old postcards, newspapers, magazines, books, prints and maps. In the summer they are open until 7.30, and some a bit later, and it makes a perfect backdrop to a riverside stroll before you eat, or on the way to your evening boat trip at the Pont Neuf.

Click on map for larger version

Porte de Saint Ouen, Paris. Metro: Clignancourt. Saturday, Sunday, Monday 10am-6pm.

A fantastic variety of items, from enormously expensive 'proper' fine antiques to piles of junk that require some serious sifting before the gems appear. Some newer market buildings - Malassis, Dauphine (180 shops in here alone) - are pleasant browsing and shopping environments, whilst some are quite frankly a mess - Le Passage is one example of this - simple heaps of what looks like broken junk - you need to be an interior designer or obsessive tinkerer to turn some of this in to a bargain - but it can be done... It's not hard to spend a day or two in this area, although the walk from the Metro station (only 400-500 metres) is a bit intimidating, under the peripherique and past hordes of people shopping in the street market nearby. Legendary for its pickpockets, a bit of common sense goes a long way. Only bring what you need for the day, keep money tucked away safely, and make sure you have a map of the market to hand - the alleyways and crowds can be a little disorienting, although that is part of the experience. There are worse places to get lost than in a giant fleamarket!