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Antiquing in France

6/28/2014

6 Comments

 
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     + Brocante in Malaucène, France

     It seems as though trips to Provence always center around antiquing... or visiting "La Brocante" -- a shop or outdoor market dealing in second-hand goods.  It probably has something to do with the fact that my sister is the designated driver when we travel... and her passion is antiquing.  When she hears about a brocante that, "you will always find good stuff" at, it becomes our destination, and there is nothing I can do about it.  I cannot lie... I also love scouring second-hand stores and brocante markets almost as much as Susan does, but there is a huge difference between my sister's purchases and mine.  Susan is a serious "collector" and always in search of specific items (Antique-of-the-Week).  I, on the other hand, am a collector of nothing in particular.  I am open to anything and everything.  An eclectic piece that I find fascinating usually ends up going home with me -- if it's cheap. 

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+ Brocante market on the edge of the Ramparts... the walled, medieval city of Avignon
    
     And sometimes, when going to a weekly brocante market such as this one in Avignon, it means that we cannot have breakfast at our B&B since we need to get there, "before everything is gone!", as Susan would say.  I really look forward to my café crème with a croissant and brioche in the morning.  And did I mention the French lavender honey???  Going without my Petit Déjeuner puts me in a foul mood.  But if you arrive at La Brocante hungry, this is what you can purchase for breakfast!

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+ A Brocanteur's means of travel

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     I don't know what I was thinking when I bought this white French ironstone bowl, especially when I kept preaching to Susan and friend Renate about the risks of traveling with breakables.  The knives, however, didn't pose a problem for my luggage.  And how could I not bring them home with me?  They have "Paris" stamped on the blades.

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+  In search of antiques in Bonnieux, France

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+  Sunday brocante in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
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     The L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue Sunday brocante market and shops are where you go to view the really beautiful stuff, but not necessarily buy.  It's a huge tourist destination; second only to Paris for antiques.  And hugely expensive.  This was also our first day with heat of 98 degrees +.

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     I could easily find a place for this iron chair with striped fabric at my house... if I could only fit it into my luggage.

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     Monday, 9 June, was "Fête de la transhumance" in St. Rémy-de-Provence; a festival that celebrates moving the sheep to higher grounds and pasture lands.  In the morning 3000 sheep are paraded through the town.  We missed that yearly tradition, but did stroll the holiday's brocante market later in the day.  A carousel is set up near the brocanteurs to entertain the children.

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     Somehow, these old, French café au laits bols made it back home with me...
I'm sure that sister Susan will soon have a post or two on her brocante purchases, too.  I'll let her tell you about the tin sconces off a French chateau that dominated space in her luggage...



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6 Comments
Merisi link
6/28/2014 04:10:43 am

French café au laits bowls are such beautiful and also useful souvenirs.

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Eileen
6/28/2014 05:40:32 am

I know that I'll find many uses for my French café au laits bowls, but as of now, I've just been enjoying looking at them on my kitchen shelves.

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Kate
6/28/2014 10:37:00 am

What a special find! Great little bowls for so many different uses. I think I'd be content to enjoy them displayed on my kitchen shelves too. Don't you just love old pottery designs and colors? I used to find blue/green glass and china and pottery shards while working in the vegetable garden. The brightly colored glass, cobalt blue patterns or cream ceramic, dirt stained raised patterns were brought into the kitchen with the day's produce. I'd wash them off with hot, soapy water and display them above the kitchen sink on the window ledge. Most of them eventually ended up in the trash, but some were kept and admired in a mason jar.
I think half the fun of antiquing for tableware is artfully displaying them and wondering about the hands that passed them around the table.
It sounds like yet another outing to treasure from your trip!
Love the photo vignettes... and the ironstone and Paris knives. At least you have a photo of the bowl if it was rendered unusable after the flight :\
Thanks for the field trip ;)

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Kate
6/29/2014 03:25:57 am

John assembled your chocolate ginger scones that I had pulsed together for a outstanding "Sunday mornings at our house" today. They are so tender and delicious. The lemon zest really adds a lovely background to dark chocolate and candied ginger. Now... if only they were paired with café au laits from your beautiful bowls ;)

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Eileen
6/29/2014 03:31:30 am

Wish I would have had chocolate and ginger scones this morning!

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Tom | Tall Clover Farm link
7/2/2014 01:49:18 am

Eileen, as enticing as the antique market is, I think I'd be delaying my start time with a plateful of those fine looking bagel treats. I love what you purchased; now each morning you will be transported back to Provence for a cafe au lait and quiet reflection. Welcome home.

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