French markets

A VISIT TO THE LOCAL BROCANTE

Whenever we come down to the South of France one of my favourite pastimes is to plan a visit to the local brocante. These are normally held on a Sunday however there are often mid-week ones in the local village on a Wednesday or Thursday. Over the years I have picked up many lovely pieces of furniture such as desks, tables, bedside cabinets and mirrors. They often need some care and attention such as repairing and repainting. If buying wood you also need to check for woodworm and if necessary treat it with specialised products.

Other items I have bought over the years have been plates, and dishes. I particularly like the lovely decorated glass dishes.

I have bedside tables very similar to the ones above. These ones look as though they are in good condition and have recently been painted.

I always like to rummage through the scarf stalls. Many of them are vintage. Again you need to inspect them carefully and check that there are no stains or holes..

There is usually a stall selling vintage handbags and scarves. I have a friend who has a wonderful collection of designer bags all bought from the brocantes over the years. Etsy has a good selection. Etsy also sells vintage scarves.

1960s/1970s airline travel bags. Those were the days when you travelled in style.

Finally some gorgeous colourful cushions.

Decorative cushions and bowls:

You might like to check out a couple of my previous visits to the local brocantes here and here.

MOVING HOUSE SCARF SALE AT CHICATANYAGE SCARF SHOP

As we will be moving house in just over a week’s time I have reduced the remaining stock in our scarf shop. Our 100% cashmere scarf/shawls and our 100% wool scarves are great bargains and as the weather is still cold they will be a useful addition to your wardrobe.

Chicatanyage

I write a fashion and beauty blog for women over 50 with the aim of inspiring mature women to continue to enjoy and have fun with their fashion choices. I have spent most of my working life in some way connected to fashion. I started my career in Fashion PR and then trained as an Image Consultant when my children were young. I subsequently worked in the corporate world running seminars, doing private coaching and speaking at conferences. I started my blog in 2009 as I wanted to share my years of experience working in the world of fashion. I truly believe we can continue to have confidence in the way we present ourselves. Our style may evolve with time and changing lifestyles, yet with a little knowledge and inspiration, we can all continue to have fun with fashion. As women of a certain age we are a growing demographic let us prove that we can also be a chic one.

View Comments

  • Hi Josephine where is this brocante? I have a house near you in Grimaud and would love to visit.

    • I will get back to you on this. A friend drove me there and all I can remember is that you drive through Cogolin and it is near a tennis club. I will see if I can get more precise directions from her.

  • I hope this means you found the perfect house to buy? Moving is always so much work. I hope it goes smoothly for you. My husband and I just purchased an apartment in Aix en Provence (we're from the U.S.) It has been a lot to figure out just to get to the closing!

    • Hello Linda
      Yes we have found an ideal penthouse apartment with lovely views of the river Thames near to Hampton Court. Buying in France is even more complicated than in the UK as there is so much paperwork.

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