The fashion capital is renowned for luxury brands, but it also has great second-hand shops. TONY CLAYTON-LEApicks five favourites and HUGH LINEHANvisits a huge flea market
Retail therapy without the friction
PARIS IN THE springtime, most of us tend to agree, can be rather wonderful. But what if you’ve been a few times already and want to experience something a little different? Here’s a suggestion: jump on a Metro and take the 15-minute journey northeast to Porte de Clignancourt, a hop from the usual tourist haunts but a world away from them in spirit, texture and tone.
This area, Saint-Ouen, in the 18th arrondissement, is a different sort of Paris: grittier, more multicultural, a bit edgy (and perfectly safe during the day, though keep your wallet away from pickpocketing fingers). It’s also home to one of the city’s great institutions, the Puces, or flea market.
Leaving the metro station, just follow the crowds towards the large concrete overpass. Most of the stuff here is unexceptional, so unless you have a passion for cheap T-shirts or cut-price kitchenware press on into the market proper. Rue des Rosiers is the main street you walk down to go into the individual markets, which have vaguely separate identities but tend to run into each other. Some are quite elegant, arcaded affairs; others are winding warrens. Each has its own specialities. The Michelet and Malik markets are all about clothes, for example, while the Dauphine is the place for objets d’art.
Taken together, there are 16 of these, providing 11km of stalls over 20 hectares. The Puces (the Fleas) is the world’s largest antiques market, visited by up to 150,000 people each weekend. From art-deco furniture to 1970s couture, mint-condition magazines to box-fresh 1930s train sets, the place is a trove of the arcane, the beautiful and the plain odd.
The origins of the Puces lie more than two centuries ago, when crocheteurs (rag-and- bone men) scoured the garbage of Paris at night for valuable junk to sell on. These pêcheursde lune, or moon fishermen, were evicted from the city proper in the second half of the 19th century; they laid out their goods on the ground outside the city gates of Clignancourt, Montreuil and Vanves. Eventually, the pêcheursformed groups of stalls to attract customers; slowly, it became popular for collectors and antique dealers to shop there for bargains.
Going by my own wanders down alleys and through little courtyards, there seems to be a thriving trade in early-20th- century smut. My eye was unavoidably drawn to a line drawing of two moustachioed chaps in fishnet tights giving each other a good whipping. "Ah, le vice anglais," said the stallholder with a smile, thinking he'd spotted a sales opportunity. Quickly moving on to the next vendor, I was confronted by row upon row of die-cast metal phalluses.
Whatever your vice, there’s plenty of stuff for the serious collector and the uncommitted browser alike. And, despite the fact that everything is quite tightly licensed and controlled by the state (which is, after all, the French way), there’s still a charming sense of the slightly disreputable. You see faces you could imagine appearing in a Zola novel – vinous noses, cracked teeth.
The Gypsy heritage of the market is celebrated in places like La Chope des Puces (122 Rue des Rosiers, 00-33-1- 40110249, lachopedespuces. com), where you can hear musicians influenced by Django Reinhardt. And you can enjoy Edith Piaf numbers while feasting on tripe at the fantastically kitschy Chez Louisette (130 Avenue Michelet, 00-33-1-40121014).
The great thing about the Puces is that it’s a place the shopaholic and the shopophobe alike can appreciate: just agree to rendezvous later at a given point, then head off in separate directions into the warren. Even if you buy nothing you’re bound to be entertained and intrigued. It’s retail therapy without the friction. In the City of Love, who could ask for more?
*Les Puces de Paris Saint-Ouen, 00-33-1-40123258, parispuces.com/en
Chocolate heaven
For a taste of upmarket Paris, go to Saint-Germain- des-Prés, where you’ll find a cluster of some of the world’s finest chocolatiers. Admittedly, you’ll pay the same price for a few pieces of chocolatey brilliance as you might for a piece of furniture at the Puces.
But these are not for scoffing in front of the TV. Take one, let it roll around the mouth, savour the flavour, then wash it down with a glass of water. Expect to pay about €3 for a single ganache (a chocolate with a rich, creamy centre) at emporiums such as
Le Maison du Chocolat (19 Rue de Sèvres, 00-33-1- 45442040, lamaisondu chocolat.com) and Patrick Roger (108 Boulevard Saint- Germain, 00-33-1-43293842, patrickroger.com).
Around the corner is Pierre Hermé (72 Rue Bonaparte, 00-33-1- 43544777, pierreherme. com), king of the macaroon, who is also famed for imaginative concoctions such as pralines with caramelised sesame seeds or ganache with orange and balsamic vinegar. Heaven.
Coiffeur Vintage
32 Rue des Rosiers, 00-33-1- 40270498
What it's likeThis tiny vintage clothes shop was packed to the gills every time we passed. Unlike other shops we visited, male and female clothes have devoted sections. The shop receives new stock at least once a week, so although a lot of clothes always seem to be on display, it's rare that you'll spot the same article of clothing twice. It is noted for having the most on-trend second-hand clothes in the city.
What to buyThe clothes are complemented by a wide range of belts, bags, boots and shoes.
What Go boughtA black Belgian army shirt with handy zipped and buttoned pockets, and a zipped and buttoned front. We've seen similar designs in high-street stores, but this is the origin of the species – and looks way cool. A snip at €10.
Where to eatPeople queue to get into Chez Marianne (2 Rue des Hospitalières Saint- Gervais, 00-33-1-42721886), which is always a good sign. You can choose from excellent hummus, kofta, tapenade, falafel and baba ganoush.
MetroSaint-Paul.
Le Verger du Prince
33 Rue du Roi de Sicile, 00-33- 1-42783372.
What it's likeA short walk from Coiffeur Vintage, this far larger shop is also known as King of Frip (for friperies, or second-hand shops). It's as busy as Connolly Station at rush hour, and at first sight the volume of clothes on display is off-putting. Patience is a necessity in thrift shops, however, and if you stick at sifting through the stock you should come up with a treasure.
What to buyLoads of leather jackets for the men, and surely too many 1960s and 70s dresses and accessories for the women.
What Go boughtA grandad patterned silk scarf, of which there were plenty. A steal at €8.
Where to eatLa Mosaïque. Rue du Roi de Sicile. A perfect place for a sit-down Americano and a wide range of tasty, filling sandwiches.
MetroSaint-Paul.
Free’P’Star
8 Rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie, 00-33-1-42760372
What it’s like Although tiny, oven-hot and not very brightly lit, this place is wall-to-wall vintage. Apparently, it once had a reputation for being the most disorganised thrift shop in the city, but recent years have seen a return to order. Be prepared to lose your arms as you dig deep in the €3 and €5 bargain bins. And if you suffer from vertigo you might want to avoid the tight corkscrew staircase down to a basement of incredibly inexpensive leather jackets. Said to be a favourite haunt of Sofia Coppola and Kirsten Dunst.
What to buyAnything from the bargain bins. There are also mounds of leather bags and belts, racks of retro T-shirts and more dresses than a woman could wear in a lifetime. (This is possibly a very silly thing for a man to say.)
What Go boughtA smart 'n' sharp punk-thin tie not seen since The Adverts played Top of the Pops in the late 1970s. A giveaway at €5.
Where to eatand drink Lizard Lounge (18 Rue du Bourg- Tibourg, 00-33-1-42728134) is perfect for a pre-shopping brunch or a post-shopping beer. This three-level bar also has a more than generous 180-minute happy hour from 5pm to 8pm.
MetroHôtel de Ville.
Au Comptoir du Chineur
49 Rue Saint-Paul, 00-33-1- 42724739.
What it’s like What’s the difference between a jumble sale and a bargain basement? My French is virtually nonexistent, but if this place isn’t what they term un joyeux bazar (a real mess), then I’m un oncle de singe (a monkey’s uncle). That said, you get a strong sense that the owner, Laurent, is very careful about what he chooses to stock.
What to buyThis is home to more than just clothes; its commercial remit also embraces old toys, comics, Bakelite telephones, runners and magazines. There's a decidedly retro 1970s feel to everything, and, despite the fact that its stock of second-hand clothes was nowhere near as extensive as other stores', it was probably my favourite place of all.
What Go boughtA French edition of the Walter Carlos soundtrack to Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange (although in the Clayton-Lea household it shall be forever known as Orange Mécanique). A bargain at €7.
Where to eatLe Petit Dragon (32 Rue Saint-Paul 00-33-1- 42785273) is a small, efficient bistro several steps from Au Comptoir du Chineur – ideal for a pick-me-up or sit-you-down 20 minutes before entering the world once more.
MetroSaint-Paul.
Mamz’Elle Swing
35 bis Rue du Roi de Sicile, 00-33-1-48870406, mamzelleswing.fr
What it’s like With a suitably evocative soundtrack of early blues music, Mamz’Elle Swing is easily the classiest and airiest of the vintage shops we encountered. While not overstuffed with items, the women-only stock is obviously selected for its niche style than for casual-shopper appeal. There’s no obvious signage outside this shop, but keep an ear out for Bessie Smith or Billie Holiday and you won’t go too wrong.
What to buyIf you're keen on fashion from 1900 to 1960, or want to match a rare enough jacket with shoes (as well as accessorising it with bracelets, bangles, gloves, belts and bags), then this is the place to come to. Most items are reasonably priced, with many well below €100. Unusually for a shop of this kind (but in keeping with its chutzpah), you can order online.
What Go boughtA bangle. (Hey, it was for the wife!) A gift at €12.
Where to eatIf you want to spend some of the money that you've saved by being très thrifty, then try lunch or dinner at Le Dôme du Marais (53 bis Rue des Francs Bourgeois, 00-33-1-42745417, ledomedu marais.fr), which is in a great location and has a stupendous octagonal dining room.
MetroHôtel de Ville.
Go there
Aer Lingus (aerlingus.com) flies to Paris Charles de Gaulle from Dublin and Cork. Air France (airfrance.ie) flies from Dublin. EasyJet (easyjet.com) flies from Belfast. Ryanair (ryanair. com) flies to Paris Beauvais from Dublin and Shannon.
