I read that the St. Queen flea market is another must-go place in Paris. Known as Les Puces de Saint Queen ('the Fleas of Saint Queen'), you can reach this place by going on Metro line 4 to the Porte de Clignancourt station. For us, we had to hop on Metro line 1 from La Defense to Chatelet, then hop on to Metro line 4 from there, so it took us maybe one hour to get there, or almost.
Once you reach Porte de Clignancourt station, there won't be any clear indication on how exactly to get to the flea market. If there is, well, we didn't find it. We had to rely on someone's tip that we found online, which goes something like this: "Follow the crowd".
Only we looked to the right and there was a crowd of people pulling their market trolleys going straight ahead, and on our left, same thing was happening. But then Shah said, "We should follow these three girls from our train. I'm sure they're going to the flea market." The girls happen to be joining the crowd on the left, so that was what we did. All the while i was going, "Shaaaaaaahhh, we don't know where they're going! Kalau salah cemanaaa."
But OK. As it turned out, Shah's instincts were spot on.
I wish we remember exactly what road we were on, but we don't. We didn't bother, since Shah couldn't even find a map online that could lead us to the market. So we just "followed the crowd". If it helps, i do remember passing by stores that sell seemingly fake shoes on my left side. And before we pass by those stores, we saw a closed Subway on our left too (first Subway i saw here!).
The most important thing is, if you see a grey concrete flyover type of thing, head towards that direction. You'll definitely reach the flea market that way.
The thing is, i wasn't impressed by what i first saw. I was instantly reminded of Uptown in Malaysia, except it's dingier here in St. Queen, and the things sold aren't as cool as in Uptown. But the thing is, St. Queen flea market is supposed to the biggest antique flea market in the world, so i knew we haven't reached the place where all the fantastic finds are at.
Obviously we didn't know our way, so we simply walked. There were stalls left and right, but we didn't really stop, as there was nothing interesting enough.
We just walked straight on to a different part of the flea market. We passed shop selling fake handbags and shoes and stuff still. Then somehow, somehowww, we ended up in this - i don't know any other word to describe this area - ghetto-like area.
Rap and hip hop music blaring from speakers, loads of rough and dodgy-looking men in big sweats and jackets walking around carrying humongous shopping plastic bags. Definitely not Uptown anymore. It's like a whole different realm. I actually got nervous and walked closer to Shah. Of course, i was just being incredibly babyish, as i'm sure these men are perfectly safe, and they just like to appear intimidating. At one point, i asked Shah, "Should we turn around?", but he said it's OK, let's just keep on walking and maybe we'll get to the other side of some other part.
Again, Shah's instincts were kicking ass that day. Usually mine are better, but i think they went into hiding the moment we stepped out of Porte de Clignancourt station. Because we found this big door that were partly opened that led into a quieter and less hectic space. And there it was. The hidden gem of St. Queen Flea Market.
Vintage furnitures, brilliant antiques just lying around waiting for someone to take them home. This was what i came here for!
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| I wanted that small white chair with the red stripes for my house in PJ. And the little wooden boxes on top too. And about a gazillion other things in this above photo |
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| Vintage jewelleries are there too. How Paris is that? |
Then there were these shops that sell furnitures and accessories that Shah and i could never afford, i'm sure.
OK, so here Louis Vuitton trunks are just casually showcased in the window. I remembered that time The Gardens had an exhibition of LV trunks and they had securitites all around. I laughed out loud just thinking about that.
And LV travel bags and loads of other trunks in this particular store.
I want one. Or maybe three of those. If only.
More expensive-looking furnitures.
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| I have no idea what that thing on the tripod is, but how cool would look in my living room, right? |
There's a small courtyard in the middle and stairs all around for you to go to the second floor.
If you're an (extremely) old-school music lover, this place would be haven for you. They have vinyl records there. I've never seen those in real-life, so i was totally jakun.
And you can find shops that sell old movie posters and old comic strips. I guess they're vintage comics then. How cute is that?
The view from the second floor.
OK, so, i don't know how this happened. But i have a theory. This place sells vintage clothings and accessories. Quite a number of this kind of shops, but neither Shah nor i has a single photo of these shops. So my theory is, i got so excited at seeing this shop that i rushed to them and perused through their things that i forgot to take photos. And Shah was alarmed at that, so he quickly ran away to the other side so he won't have me asking for him to buy me things. And by the way, i found some cute clothes that i would never wear (thus did not buy) and some incredible vintage silver rings that Shah said are too expensive. At 50 EUR apiece, OK, i had to agree with him. I tried on the sweetest silver ring that was made in 1900 or something. Lusttt.
And yes, i chose to believe the saleslady's words. If she said it was made in a whole different century, so, OK, it was.
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| OK, at least you can see one shop downstairs selling old clothes. That's one photo i guess! |
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| Vintage cameras and accessories |
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| Perfect for comic lovers, i think |
We didn't know, but i guess Marche Dauphine is the name of the place?
But we emerged on the other side - thankfully a perfectly non-dodgy entrance, the other side - and we saw this next door.
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| So you can see 'Dauphine' and 'Malassis' side by side here. And Shah looking gorgeous in a cream sweater given by Bapak |
By then we had to rush home for prayers. All in all, very interesting day! And yes, we didn't walk away with anything. Too bad eh.
I think it's also good to note that most French who works here can speak English, so not to worry if you speak abysmal French!
Until next xxoo