Why you should never skip a flea market while on vacation

We walk through the picturesque village of Breil-sur-Roya, which has only two small cafes, a bakery, and a butcher, and we stroll through one of the few streets that this small village has. Suddenly, my eye catches a poster and my heart starts racing. ‘OMG, Jon, there's a vide-grenier here tomorrow!’ Jon, still fully in chill mode from three seconds ago, looks at me shocked by all the tumult he hears in my voice. He knows this can only mean one thing: tomorrow morning at eight o'clock sharp, we will be in the car on our way to a mini flea market in this small village.

For years, I have been addicted to markets: I think it comes from my father, who, as an antique dealer, scoured the antique market on Noordeinde with me in search of new finds. Now, an antique market is of course not comparable to a flea market, but the search for such a hidden treasure is the same. In the meantime, I have already gathered quite a few treasures: a crocodile doctor bag, vintage clothing from beautiful brands, and in Los Angeles, I even stumbled upon a pair of vintage Chanel shoes for 70 dollars.

Especially after reading the story of a girl who unknowingly scored a real Hermès bag at a flea market in France, I no longer skip any brocante market or vide-grenier while on vacation.

The difference between the two is that at a brocante market, there are professional traders, and the chance of finding something beautiful is a bit greater. A vide-grenier is somewhat comparable to King's Day in the Jordaan; most blankets are filled with figurines, incomplete games, fishing rods, and boxes full of indefinable coins.

But it is precisely at this version that the chance of finding an undiscovered treasure is greatest: traders at a brocante market usually know the value of their items, but private sellers sometimes have no idea what the things on their blanket are really worth.

At nine o'clock sharp, we stood in the market square and stared at the handful of stalls that had just finished displaying their goods. Jon looked at me somewhat pityingly: it indeed did not look promising. Full of good cheer, I walked past the tables where mostly trinkets lay, until my eye fell on a table somewhere halfway: in the middle lay a pair of slippers, upside down, with a note stuck on it that said ‘Chanel, size 39, €20,-‘. As if I felt ten other pirates on the coast, I rushed to the stall and immediately grabbed the slippers from the table: they were indeed beautiful Chanel slippers, which I had once admired in the store! Jon looked at me somewhat shocked when I took off my shoes and tried on the slippers. Mr. is quite particular about hygiene, so second-hand slippers sounded to him like a source of, as he likes to call it in the local language: ‘di funghi magnifici’. However, they fit perfectly and still looked beautiful. Now, this amount is of course a pittance, but I have learned that you should always ask for the best price. And so, a minute later, I walked towards the car with my vintage Chanel sandals for €18,- perfectly happy, with the promise to my husband that I would take them to the cobbler at home for a thorough funghi-proof cleaning...

Tips for finding your flea market treasure:

• Search online for brocante markets/vide-greniers near your vacation spot. Undoubtedly, there are a few to be found in your area.
• Scan the market stalls for ‘showpieces’. Usually, the beautiful items are prominently displayed on the rack or laid out at the front of the table. Those are the stalls where you often have a chance of a good find.
• Always try to negotiate. Often, the items are already well-priced, but always try to haggle a few euros off or make a total price for multiple items.
• If you really see something beautiful, don't leave it behind. There's a good chance that the item will be sold by the time you make your next round, which I have experienced more than once... And otherwise, you have a unique souvenir for home.