OK, I know there are lots of markets in Paris; bird markets, flower markets, produce markets, antique markets. I want a nice little flea type market, I guess you call it, that sells "stuff", you know, little treasures, boxes, bags, doo dads and knick knacks, at hopefully not obscene prices. Is there such a market? Thanks again.

The flea market at Porte de Vanves on Saturday and Sunday comes close to what you're describing, but it is not "little". Smaller brocante markets appear throughout the city on an occasional basis.

What Nikki said--Vanves. And look in Pariscope for any other brocantes. For new "stuff", the daily markets throughout the city sometimes have interesting things.

Vanves isn't particularly cheap, especially if you don't speak French well enough to bargain. But there is a LOT to look at and you might get lucky.

For cheap, you might try the flea at Marche d'Aligre (12th), where it is more like 'junk' than 'brocante'.

This sounds like junk to me, and I don't like you are going to get boxes and bags at Vanves. Well, I never noticed any. Missed the treasures also, I must say. The only knickknacks I remember much of are the ubiquitous old post cards (in every open market) and old perfume bottles (also very common).

I think Aligre is perhaps a good idea, or just about any weekly market in Paris, but most of them sell new (cheap) stuff -- clothes, scarves, some jewelry, shoes, watches, etc. But I think you usually find some vendor with those old postcards at almost all of them. You wil really get a lot of junk a Aligre, but even then, it's mostly new cheap junk, not old stuff.

Oh, c'mon. It depends on what you are looking for as to whether there are "treasures". and if you look perplexed by the price, they sometimes come down. All that said, I found GREAT looking purses for my DILs at a weekly market. They were "ahead" of us in the US--came into style the following year. You never know where treasures may be so just be ready. Watch your pockets at Algire.
And Christina, we KNOW you have been to Paris a LOT but why put everyone down when they suggest something THEY have done if it is their experience. It just might work for someone else even if you look down your nose at it.

I know what Heavens means by "treasures" - she doesn't mean truly valuable items, but just small items that might have a function or might just be pretty that can be easily carted home. I bought a patterned dinner plate at Vanves (10€, see what I mean) b/c I have a collection of plates on my kitchen wall. I bought a silver-plated letter opener in Chinon for 6€ and use it every day to open my junk mail and bills. Also at Vanves, I bought a Faience bowl (tiny chip on the edge) for my coworker for about 35€, and she had it appraised at +100€. I bought the old sheet music at Aligre and used it for scrapbook paper.

Little treasures I found at Vanves: Old laces and a vintage cotton and lace apron. The laces I will sew into a pillow except for one spectacular piece that I will have framed. Old bronze curtain tie-backs that are just gorgeous. An old metal Metro sign--who knows if it's repro or not, but it's darn cute. Also an old adverising fan for a dress shop in Paris. All those things were 15 euro or less--and look darn cute in my apartment now.

Major treasure: A silver gravy ladle with gilt bowl. I purchased it for 60 euro (that included a pair of silver sugar tongs too). My mother and her fiance (who is an antiques dealer) helped me identify it and he asked around amongst other dealers. $275 resale value seemed to be the general consensus.

If you know what you're looking for and are willing to dig you can find treasures.