The most famous flea market in France—and the largest in the world!–is open every weekend of the year from Friday-Monday, including public holidays. It’s a somewhat chaotic treasure trove on the outskirts of Paris that dates back to the 1870s, made up of a dozen or so mini markets; Marché Paul Bert-Serpette, where the design crowd heads first; Marché Dauphine, filled with a mix of vintage deals; and Marché Vernaison, the oldest part with lots of outdoor stalls, are three of our favorites.

Known simply as the Vanves market, this year-round flea in Paris is open every Saturday and Sunday, even on holidays. It’s smaller and more manageable than Saint-Ouen with around 300 vendors, and tends to attract more of a local crowd than tourists.

One of France’s oldest fairs, the Foire de Chatou dates back to the Middle Ages when it was a pig market called the Foire aux Jambons. Today, it draws both professionals and the public to the town of Chatou with hundreds of stalls selling everything from €1 bric-a-brac to priceless works of art. Held twice a year, it runs for one week each in March and September.

If you visit just one market, let it be Lille’s Braderie—the largest in France, with over 100km of stalls weaving throughout the city the first weekend in September. Braderie literally means “clearance sale,” and you can find tons of great deals at the thousands of stalls. And even if your suitcase is full, there’s one thing you can make room for: moules frites. Over 500 tons of mussels are eaten during Braderie weekend alone, and by the end of it, you might spot little mountains of shells pilin

One of the largest after Lille, this fair in Amiens has over 2,000 stalls and takes place on the second-to-last Sunday in April and the first Sunday in October. Exhibitors are a mix of professionals from across France, England, and Belgium, as well as locals selling for the love of it—meaning you’ll always discover some fascinating, one-of-a-kind finds dug out of someone’s attic.

Just outside of Lyon, this fair is open year round on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with over 200 permanent merchants, and 400 “unpackers” who come and go on any given week. There are seven restaurants right on site, so serious bargain hunters can refuel mid-search without having to leave the grounds.

Drawing over 10,000 visitors each year, this market—typically the first weekend in September—sprawls across five hectares of fields near Angoulême. It’s so huge that there’s a booth to store finds as you continue to browse, and a truck to help transport larger purchases back to your car. Most vendors are professional dealers, selling everything from heirloom-worthy antique paintings and vintage French linens, to perfectly patinated furniture, porcelainware, old cameras and other small treasures.

A personal favorite of ours, this brocante takes place in the center of Bordeaux each April and May, so it's easy to grab lunch just a block away when you’re done shopping. Expect an excellent curation of curiosities at very reasonable prices—just note that they’re not as well equipped for shipping as some of the larger markets.

On the second Sunday in March, this sleepy town of 1,000 springs to life as 20,000 visitors arrive for one of the first major flea markets of the season. Hundreds of stalls fill the village of Plessis-Brion’s exhibition space with the early-season buzz. The market opens at 6am promptly, and the keenest collectors arrive bright and early.

Held annually on Ascension Day (39 days after Easter), they claim to be the second largest in France after Lille, with over 2200 exhibitors and 40,000 buyers who flock to this fair from all over Europe.

On the third Sunday in July and the second Sunday in August each year, this massive flea market takes over Saint-Christophe-du-Ligneron with hundreds of stalls mapped out for easy browsing. Coffee stands and booths with fresh pastries will keep you going all day long, and don’t miss the “Arts & Terroir” section, where local artisans and makers sell their wares.