One of things that I have had the most fun doing in France is searching for items to furnish this house on the cheap. I sent a shipment from America in July which arrived half broken in October. I would not recommend Transparent International as a moving company, though, I imagine all trans-Atlantic shipments are pretty rough and tumble. Luckily, I didn’t ship too much furniture and what was broken was mended by my friends. I had ordered a blue velvet couch online and Matthew and I did a preliminary Ikea shop to get the necessities.

I was left looking for pieces that would finish my house. Bedside tables, chairs, a buffet, and end tables were all still to be acquired. Stella, my French friend* and prior realtor, told me that the place to look for these pieces was the local brocante. A brocante is essentially a combination garage sale, antique shop and flea market. Items range from clothes to furniture to garden implements. In my area, Arielle Brocante operates two facilities. One is open in Teilleul in the afternoon each week and the other is only open every other weekend in Gorron. The Gorron market is my favorite and feels a bit more like the place you might find a rare treasure. I think its short opening hours give the feeling that the inventory in there is more often changing.

There are other brocantes in different towns as well. I visited one in Domfront this past weekend and purchased a dressing table, and some other bits. The quality of the items in these markets varies from junk to treasure. The fun is finding the things other people miss or perhaps view as junk. I have purchased lots of stuff that I see as treasure. Some might debate the value, however I believe treasure is in the eye of the beholder.

I look forward to continuing to find hidden gems and to visiting more brocantes. I’m getting a bit better about controlling my impulsivity and being a bit more discerning. Come visit me and join me on the hunt!