Puces St. Ouen

This morning I went to the Puces St. Ouen, at Porte de Clignancourt to experience this enormous flea market.  Puce is French for "flea."  Flea Markets started in the Middle Ages when peasants purchased the old, flea-infested clothing and other discarded possessions of the wealthy.  The market space was created in the 1800's when the city wall was demolished. . Ouen is a suburb of Paris, but it is unlike the "burbs" we are accustomed to as this is where the poorer people leave, with the wealthy people living as close to the city center as possible.  Most of the 2,000 vendors sell antiques, but at high prices.  I ate at Chez Louisette, which is located in the heart of the market.  I had mussels in cream sauce for my lunch and creme burlee for desert, while listening to several different people sing along with the key board and accordion.  I did not take my camera along to the market, because of the tight spaces and prevalent pickpockets.

This afternoon I went over to river street vendors near Notre Dame Cathedral to buy a another painting from an artist who told me he is the best artist in France.  It was nice to find an artist who actually paints the art and is not simply selling prints of the original to unknowing tourists. Above is a picture taken earlier this week of one of the many bridges containing "love locks.", read the linked article for further information.