France

According to the official information this market was founded in the late 17th century and this is probably where the actual term “flea market” has originated. Right now it’s the largest flea market in the world with the highest concentration of antique traders. I didn’t plan to go there before I came to Paris, but saw a brochure in the hotel and decided to look for myself. I was looking for some interesting tableware for my food photos, and in the end after 4 hours of walking bought some really great stuff.

It’s a huge market that covers seven hectares on the weekend, and you can find pretty much anything there – old plates and photographs, coins and pins, lamps and curtains, tableware left by restaurants that don’t exist anymore, pictures in thick golden frames and old dusty images, antique tables and books, vintage Chanel jewelry and more.

I bought quiet some things there – few plates, a wine glass, tea cup with a matching plate, some forks and spoons and interesting old bottles. On the border control in the airport they kinda made my unwrap every each of them and asked about the price, so if you decide to visit Les Puces de Saint-Ouen – be prepared )

Even though I am really glad I visited it I have mixed feelings about the market. It was so interesting to dig through the piles of things to find something interesting underneath, to see the things that people used decades and even centuries ago, to feel that atmosphere of old times. But on the other hand I had a feeling that I’m spying on other people’s life, that these things don’t belong there, that there is a story behind each of them and sometimes not a happy one.

Posting more photos than usually this time , please see the full post for more pictures.

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We saw the fire dancers when Charles was driving us around showing us the night Paris. They were performing near the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, which is a beautiful white church, actually it looks more like a cathedral. It has a great lighting at night, but it’s so huge, that it was really hard to take a decent photo of it )

On the steps near the church there was some kind of a gathering place for the young people, who spent the evening smoking and drinking and having fun while watching the fire dancers performance. You could see a whole Paris underneath, the view was breathtaking and I am so glad that we had a chance to see it!

I will continue posting my photos from France, cause it’s been ages since I took photos in Ireland. I’ve been pretty shaken up lately, but it’s about time to pull myself together and do some exciting photo stuff! I have a lot of plans, I launched my portfolio site at mariannadeyneko.com, bought some new lighting equipment and got some new contacts that might transform into a new photo experience for me.

But let’s get back to the photos )
On one of the days Charles was so nice that he picked us up in Paris and showed us some countryside. We stopped by a farm shop and had a great breakfast, then drove to a Buc lake where Charles tried to scare the ducks away from me (but I got a photo of one anyway!).
It was a great day, took these photos on a lake – the weather was pretty gloomy but it gave the lake a very interesting “Twin Peaks” charm )