Saint-Ouen Flea Market

The market began with the chiffonniers, rag-pickers who sorted the city's refuse and were pushed outside the fortifications in the 1870s, selling what they salvaged on the ground beyond the gates. It formalised from 1885 and now runs to around seven hectares across fifteen named markets, each with its own character: Vernaison is the oldest and most tangled, Biron and Serpette deal in high-end furniture and art, Paul Bert Serpette is where dealers and stylists buy, and Malik sells clothing. Around two thousand traders work it, and it is generally described as the largest antiques market in the world.

What you actually see

• The named markets - fifteen distinct sections with different specialities.
• Vernaison - the oldest and most chaotic, with narrow lanes of stalls.
• Paul Bert Serpette - the high-end furniture and design section.
• The dealers - traders buying for shops and film sets on Friday mornings.

When to go

Saturday to Monday, when the market is fully open; Friday is a trade day with fewer stalls. Mornings are best. Many sections close entirely Tuesday to Thursday.

Honest expectations

The approach from Porte de Clignancourt runs through streets of cheap clothing stalls and is known for pickpockets and scams; the real market starts further in. Prices are high and bargaining expected. Much is closed midweek.

Nearby

Montmartre lies south; Saint-Ouen town is north.