Last week I received a special treat. Husband Michael had been working in France and Holland and I flew over to meet him in Paris for a long weekend. We stayed at a wonderful small hotel in the Rue Cler area. I could tell you the name of the hotel, but then I'd have to kill you - it's that special. Needless to say, hopefully I'll be back.
On our first day, I was pretty jet lagged from the overnight flight, and we hung out within a few blocks of our hotel.
Of course, those few blocks included some amazing places.
Michael and I spent most of the following day at Montmartre, walking the hill (or, actually, a butte, according to geologists). It was amazingly uncrowded and we quickly ditched the few tourists that we found there, seeking out the homes and studios of artists including Picasso, Van Gogh, Modigliani, Erik Satie, and others. Prior to the Moulin Rouge and Pigalle, one of our first stops was the Basilica Sacre-Coeur. Here is a part of the view from the front steps:
Montmartre was wonderful. But some of our best times on this trip (besides toasting Jim Morrison at his grave site - another story for perhaps another blog) were at the Paris flea markets - the marche au puces. We started at the biggest flea market - the Marche aux Puces de Saint-Ouen - best known as Clignancourt (pronounced “Clee-nyahn-cour”). We like to use the metro in Paris and it was a long way to the 18th arrondissement from Rue Cler with two train changes. Along the way we discovered that Clignancourt station was closed and we had to transfer to a bus the final mile or so.... which took up valuable time and even more on the way back. Here is my partner in crime, who valiantly trained, bussed, and walked miles with me that day:
Here I am striking a pose after scoring some great vintage textiles at Clignancourt.
The following day, because too much is never enough, we followed up with a visit to the market at Port de Vanves.
This market was not only closer but also a fraction of the size of Clignancourt - perhaps a good thing. Overall, it was much more manageable and the vendors seemed more friendly and ready to deal. I was able to find a number of beautiful French linen sheets, in addition to more tea towels.
Once again, Michael valiantly walked the aisles at Vanves and held my bags. He was looking hard for an antique lever corkscrew but wasn't able to find exactly what he was looking for.
Now back in the States with my finds, some of these linens will find their way into the shop at Stone House Antiques within the next week or so. These red and green towels will look wonderful for the holidays. I can't wait to share them with you!
