Five of the best: antique shopping spots in Europe

There’s souvenir shopping and then there’s souvenir shopping. Why walk home with a gaudy plastic fridge magnet when you could be adorning your abode with artefacts that have travelled the globe, perhaps even as widely as you have. Pick up an African mask in Brussels, a Fifties dresser in Paris or an antique watch in Amsterdam to possess much more than just a frivolous reminder of the places you’ve been but, instead, a sentinel for the storied treasures that the world-over holds. We’ve made it effortlessly easy, with a round-up of Europe’s five best antique shopping spots.

Marche aux Puces de Clignancourt, Saint-Ouen, Paris

The “Puces” is considered the largest antiques market in the world and has been an institution in the area since 2001. So much so, in fact, that it’s been recognised as a ‘Zone for the Protection of Architectural, Urban and Landscape Heritage’ given its charming effect on the district. There are 14 markets here, all spread over a whopping seven hectares and each are either under-cover or open-air. You’ll find anything and everything across the 1,700 merchants, from beautiful bronzes and intricate tapestries, to specialist paraphernalia and vintage clothing. You’ll need a good chunk of time to make the most of it. Whether you’re buying or just looking, The “Puces” provides a seemingly endless array of artefacts, some of which would be worthy of a museum shelf or gallery wall. It’s an undeniable optical feast, and that’s just for starters.

Marche aux Puces de Clignancourt is open on Saturdays from 9am – 6pm, Sundays from 10am – 6pm and Mondays from 10am – 5pm. It’s accessible form the Porte de Clignancourt and Garibaldi Metro stations, as well as numerous bus routes. Car parking is available nearby. For more information on the Marche aux Puces de Clignancourt, visit their website.

Bermondsey (New Caledonian) Market, Long Lane and Bermondsey Street, London

Look a little further than London’s well-known Portobello and the intricately-packed stands of The Silver Vaults and discover the pleasant ambience of the centrally-placed Bermondsey Antique Market. Fittingly, this pint-sized affair occupies one of the oldest parts of the area, which dates back to Roman times and was the former home of Bermondsey Abbey which, when in its prime, rivalled the city’s Westminster Abbey as an economic authority. Set in an otherwise quiet square in Southwark, this bustling market sells an excellent range of antiques, from cutlery and china, to curiosities and furniture. Be sure to get here early to grab the best bargains and, don’t worry, there’s plenty of caffeine-fix-finds nearby.

Bermondsey Antiques Market runs on Fridays from 6am – 2pm and is accessible from Bermondsey tube station, London Bridge station and numerous bus routes. Street car parking is available nearby, although limited. For more information, visit the Bermondsey Antiques Market website.

Braderie de Lille Flea Market, France

The Braderie de Lille is Europe’s largest flea market, with over 100 kilometres of stands stretching through the streets over just two days in September. “Braderie” translates as “sell at a low price” and each of the 10,000 plus exhibitors are encouraged to adopt this ethos. The area is divided into the non-professional vendors, who occupy the smaller streets to sell their knick-knacks and hand-me downs, to the professional dealers, who set up on the larger streets. Head to Jean-Baptiste Lebas Boulevard for antiques and artefacts, or La Façade de l’Esplanade and Deule Canal for furniture finds. The whole event is imbued with a carnival-like ambience, with food vendors on hand with a “frites” or “moules” refuel, each competing to see who can amass the largest pile of mussel shells by the end of the day.

The Braderie de Lille Flea Market will run on the 5th and 6th September 2015. Window-shopping starts on Saturday morning and selling commences at 2pm on Saturday afternoon. The market comes to close around midnight on Sunday, when the street cleaners begin to move in.

Sablon Antiques Market, Brussels

The capital of both Belgium and Europe, Brussels is a city that, initially perhaps, conjures bureaucracy over the bourgeois. However, atop the once sandy hill of the Sablon district, you’ll find the Sablon Antiques Market, which pops up each weekend in the hilltop square. Over 100 dealers convene along the Place du Grand Sablon to sell their wares, which have been collected from the globe over – think European pottery and art, to African artefacts and sculpture. This hot-spot is a firm favourite of interior designer Olga Polizzi, who heads here for her twice-yearly antique buying trips and decks out her Rocce Forte family hotels with her finds. Whilst only a little cheaper than say, London, dealers are open to haggling. Whilst you’re here, head to Philippe Lange on Place de la Justice for designer furniture from the 1900s to the Sixties.

Sablon Antiques Market is open on Saturdays from 9am – 5pm and on Sundays from 9am – 2pm. It’s accessible from the Place Louise Metro stop, as well as by tram or bus. Parking is available nearby. For more information visit the Sablon Antiques Market website.

Antiekcentrum Amsterdam, the Netherlands

What started in a former Peugeot garage in 1978 has since been elevated to the Elandgracht, occupying what was once the residence of Jordan River’s tanners. Today, the Antiekcentrum Amsterdam expands over 1,750 square-metres, making it the largest indoor antique market in the Netherlands. It’s location at the Elandsgracht, near the Leidseplein and the nine streets, make it easy to get to by tram or bus. The antiques and curiosities you’ll find here date back to the 17th century, with plenty of Art Deco finds, as well as vintage pieces from the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies. Jewellery, lighting, silverware, ceramics, art and small furniture are also for sale over the 73 or so stands.

Antiekcentrum Amsterdam is open on Monday to Friday from 11am – 6pm, and on Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 5pm. It is closed on Tuesdays. During the week, you may find that not all stands are open, however there’s a reception service to assist you should you want any information on a closed stands wares. For more information, visit Antiekcentrum Amsterdam’s website.

Credits: Cover image of Marches aux Puces from Spring in Paris. Marches aux Puces image from Le Cent Deux. Bermondsey Antique Market image from Bermondsey Square. Braderie de Lille image from Resa Lille Tourism. Sablon Antiques Market image from Renaissance Hotels. Antiekcentrum Amsterdam image from Amsterdam.info.

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