Marchés aux Puces

In my last documentary cinema class, I learned a new word : chiffonier.  After class I learned its scrumptuous English translation "rag and bone man." A rag and bone man is a scavenger that finds cast-off things, remakes them and sells them second hand. 
At the beginning of the twentieth century, the chiffoniers sold their goods all around the outskirts of Paris.  These markets around the périphérique have been reincarnated into the marchés aux puces or flea markets of today.

I've been to the markets at Porte de Vanves and St. Ouen (which is nearly impossible for me to pronounce correctly - my host family told me to give up on it...) and they are overstimulating and overwhelming, at times delightfully magical and at others a little shabby, dirty sometimes.

At Porte de Vanves I tried on hats with friends, dug through trays of trinkets and jewels, talked myself out of buying a handsome leather overnight bag for no less than 100€, according to the vendor, and flipping through hilariously unconventional comic books.

At les puces de St. Ouen, I found a part of the market that is in permanent buildings, every store a cubby-like stall in the winding narrow corridors of the labyrinthine structure.  There was a store full of only Burberry raincoats; one with a button store that had miniature stuffed vegetables; several outstanding vintage places, including one where the sellers were wearing various fantastical get-ups, filled with fur coats and incredible dresses; a place where I had my choice from an array of vintage dental instruments; a tempting place with shelves and shelves of leather bound books; and more than I have the power to recall or describe.

Baubles and trifles and tchotchkes, oh my!
Maria