I did a search and didn't find anything here so I'm asking - Has anyone gone to this huge market? I really want to go this time but I'm not sure about where it is or how to get there. I can do more research on my own but would love to hear from others who have gone. Can you get there on the metro? I'm staying in the Latin Quarter. Thanks!

Hah--I like your spelling .

It's marche aux puces, fwiw. If you do a search for that spelling, you'll probably turn up something.

There are several well-know flea markets on the outskirts of Paris. With your reference to a "huge market", I suspect you mean the one at Saint Ouen, which is just off the northern edge of the city. You can definitely get there by metro. I don't have a metro map here to give you the specifics, but I believe the stop is actually called Saint Ouen.

This market was not my favorite Paris flea market, however (I found it a bit overwhelming and hated trudging through the stalls of cheap stuff vendors before getting to the things that interested me).

I preferred the one at Vanves on the southern edge of Paris; also reachable by metro.

LOL, I thought you meant pooches! The market by the Seine where birds are sold is where I once bought a cute pooch.

They have their own website:
http://www.les-puces.com/

Thanks all! No I did not mean Pooches!
Yes, I was referring to the one at St. Ouen.

Anyone else with experiences or other market ideas as Elle gave me? I'm just looking for bric a brac, something fun to take back for my kitchen or whatever. Not the big expensive antiques.
Merci encore!
Sharon

Well, if you're in the market for a suitcase full of plastic monkey heads, I once saw a vendor at Vanves who had one!

There is a long thread with 40 responses under this heading:

Marche aux Puces de St Ouen-Cligancourt

For bric-à-brac to take home, you don't need to spend time in a flea market. Just head to one of the La Vessaillerie shops in Paris; I like the one on the rue St-Honoré. All sorts of kitchen and household things, many in white porcelain. For around $20 I picked up a set of six Limoges appetizer plates that Williams Sonoma was selling for $75.

Every time I stop at that shop I find something new that I like. There's a great selection of magnets, among all the other interesting things.

Thanks Lyn - I will check out that thread.

Elle - I can get monkey heads here. Unless they are really cool plastic monkey heads...;-}
Underhill...kinda wanted something old...

The Vannes market has things like canister sets labeled carafes that were used to fill with watr for one's pastis.
I once bought an old tin of "KUB."

There ya go...that's what I'm talkin about.....! I can't wait till we go!!!!!!!

This is a link to the earlier thread:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34536135

The Marche aux Puces is at the Porte Clignancourt Metro stop. Walk out of the station, cross under the Peripherique and walk a few blocks. PASS All the vendors selling T shirts and trash. The Marche is actually a rabbit warren of permanent shops--open only on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The prices are outrageous. I can buy the same things here (French enamelware, just for example) for half or less than what they try to charge. Ihave stopped going. I also like the Vanves market--Saturday and Sunday morning. Porte de Vanves Metro.

Well....maybe we will just go check it out for the entertainment value and just to see it all. Thanks everyone for the help!

Forget the "see it all". You can't!! Your best bang for the buck is to go to one of the "malls" with various booths. But the individual stores are interesting for their very (usually) specialized offerings--belle epoque mirrors/frames, art deco whatevers.

Can any one tell me if there are rest rooms for the public at any of these locations and if so ...... where? Thanks

If you want to start a real food-fight on this board, ask the Fodorites for a phonetic spelling for:

Marche...aux...puces...de...St.Ouen... Clignancourt

What a tongue twister for English speakers.

Actually, I'm a bit iffy about the diphthong in "St.Ouen" (seen it written, never heard it said).

Summerhome, there's no way I could describe WHERE the restrooms are, but there are a number of them, and I believe they are well marked -- or you can ask at any booth.

I just asked a vendor and he sent me to the toilets. You can also use the cafe bathrooms( if you go to the cafe)
We found it easy- the train goes straight there, it was never full because it was a weekend morning, very early. When you get off the train, you walk maybe 2 1/2 blocks and you are In the Market!
It is great for browsing all day. You can always find something. Our son ( and we) collect antique tins (among other things) and we were very lucky to find a few for gifts for him and of course, something for us.
You will find the range of furniture and mirrors for thousands of Euros and little thingees for the house for a few Euros. I say Go! you will love it