Paris is a vibrant modern city with a historic heart and many gracious old buildings. The French capital is also a fantastic place for antique hunters, with some world-renowned flea markets such as the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen and the Puces de Vanves. But Paris is also famous for its antique shops, which are bursting at the seams with old collectibles.
The most famous of these is Le Village Saint-Paul, with its covered passageways and connecting courtyards that run parallel to Rue Saint-Paul in the Marais district. A haven of antique shops, art galleries and craft boutiques, the Village Saint-Paul is home to some 200 antique dealers selling everything from medieval pieces to 1960s and 1970s retro gear and pop memorabilia.
As with all antique dealers, bargaining is generally recommended at Le Village Saint-Paul. If you see something you like, feel free to negotiate the price and strike up a conversation with the dealers, who are usually happy to tell you more about their treasures. Other opportunities to find something intriguing and valuable, such as 17th-century jewelry, include the neighborhood's weekend flea markets.
Le Village Saint-Paul is charmingly removed from the local hustle and bustle, yet resolutely in the center of it all, with its succession of narrow cobblestone streets, large old trees, and abundant vines providing plenty of greenery. Soak up the beauty of the old buildings with their wooden shutters, iron balcony railings and green shrubs creeping up their facades.
Because Le Village Saint-Paul is a self-contained area with an old-world charm, it is enjoyed whether or not you are there to pick up antiques at bargain prices.
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