FRENCH ANTIQUE HUNTING
BROCANTE IS BIG IN FRANCE! ABOVE YOU CAN GLIMPSE THE SCENE IN THE PRETTY TOWN OF AIGRE IN THE CHARENTE, A POPULAR PLACE OF RESIDENCE FOR BRIT EXPATS. THIS IS THE TOWN SQUARE WHERE THERE`S A RESTAURANT "LE SQUARE" THAT TEEMS WITH THEM AT LUNCHTIME!
ABOVE IS SHOWN A MONTHLY FRENCH ANTIQUES MAGAZINE THAT SPECIALIZES IN LISTING ALL OF THE EVENTS THAT NORMALLY TAKE PLACE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY DURING THE WEEK. IN THE FRENCH LANGUAGE, THE ACT OF GOING AROUND THESE EVENTS IS CALLED "A CHINER". IN THE CHARENTE THERE ARE QUITE A FEW HELD EVERY WEEKEND AND THESE ARE USUALLY ANNUAL EVENTS CALLED "VIDE GRENIERS" (EMPTY YOUR ATTICS) FOR SMALL VILLAGES AND TOWNS ALIKE WHERE THE LOCALS AND DEALERS COME TO DISPLAY THEIR WARES TO ALL AND SUNDRY.
UNFORTUNATELY OVER THE YEARS THE STANDARD OF THE WARES IS FALLING JUST LIKE IT HAS IN THE UK AND NOW PLASTIC RUBBISH IS REPLACING THOSE DUSTY OLD ANTIQUES THAT WERE THERE BEFORE!
HOWEVER, THERE IS NEARLY ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT THE EARLY BIRD DEALERS MISS IN THEIR HASTE THAT CAN BE HAD FOR A SONG AND TAKEN HOME IN TRIUMPH. YOU SHOULD SEE MY TRIUMPHS CLUTTERING UP THE HOUSE!
THERE ARE SPECIAL ANTIQUE FAIRS AND MONTHLY SERIOUS EVENTS SUCH AS IN POITIERS, ANGOULEME AND LIMOGES WHERE DEALERS ARE PREDOMINANT AND QUALITY APPARENT.
THE CHARENTE IS RINGED BY OTHER DEPARTMENTS (COUNTIES) SUCH AS THE CHARENTE MARITIME,THE DORDOGNE LIMOUSIN,VIENNE etc. THIS IS A LARGE AREA TO COVER SO CAREFUL STUDY OF THE MAGAZINE AND PREPARATION OF AN ITINERARY IS NECESSARY FOR THE DEDICATED CHINEUR.TO COVER THE MOST GROUND.
UNFORTUNATELY OVER THE YEARS THE STANDARD OF THE WARES IS FALLING JUST LIKE IT HAS IN THE UK AND NOW PLASTIC RUBBISH IS REPLACING THOSE DUSTY OLD ANTIQUES THAT WERE THERE BEFORE!
HOWEVER, THERE IS NEARLY ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT THE EARLY BIRD DEALERS MISS IN THEIR HASTE THAT CAN BE HAD FOR A SONG AND TAKEN HOME IN TRIUMPH. YOU SHOULD SEE MY TRIUMPHS CLUTTERING UP THE HOUSE!
THERE ARE SPECIAL ANTIQUE FAIRS AND MONTHLY SERIOUS EVENTS SUCH AS IN POITIERS, ANGOULEME AND LIMOGES WHERE DEALERS ARE PREDOMINANT AND QUALITY APPARENT.
THE CHARENTE IS RINGED BY OTHER DEPARTMENTS (COUNTIES) SUCH AS THE CHARENTE MARITIME,THE DORDOGNE LIMOUSIN,VIENNE etc. THIS IS A LARGE AREA TO COVER SO CAREFUL STUDY OF THE MAGAZINE AND PREPARATION OF AN ITINERARY IS NECESSARY FOR THE DEDICATED CHINEUR.TO COVER THE MOST GROUND.
JUST A TIP FOR HAGGLING AT THESE EVENTS.OVER THE YEARS I`VE FOUND THAT THE PROFESSIONAL SELLERS PITCH THEIR PRICES QUITE HIGH, ESPECIALLY IF IT`S A FOREIGNER THAT`S ASKING! BRITS ARE THE FAVOURED BUYERS AS THEY WILL PAY MORE THAN OTHER NATIONALITIES! I ALWAYS OFFER HALF THE ASKING PRICE OR LOWER IF I`M INTERESTED AND OFTEN THIS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
MONTBRON 2017
ABOVE ARE SOME PICTURES TAKEN DURING THE VIDE GRENIERS AT MONTBRON NEAR THE CHARENTE DORDOGNE BORDER IT`S ALWAYS GOOD THERE AND CAN BE EXHAUSTING IF WANDERING AROUND THE NARROW STREETS ON A HOT DAY. THERE IS A GOOD BROCANTE YARD ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE TOWN WHICH SHOULD NOT BE MISSED
WHILE WANDERING AROUND I DISCOVERED THIS ANCIENT DELI, I SPOKE TO THE OWNER AND SHE TOLD ME THAT IT HAD BEEN OWNED BY THE SAME FAMILY SINCE 1935
SOME OF MY PRIZED PURCHASES
JUST FOR FUN HERE ARE SOME OF THE "COUPS" THAT I`VE MADE OVER THE YEARS
ABOVE LEFT, AN INCREDIBLE PAINTING THAT BOUGHT IN 2019 AT THE ANGOULEME MONTHLY ANTIQUE OPEN AIR BROCANTE. PHOTOS CENTRE AND RIGHT SHOW ONE OF THE PAIR OF THEATER SPOT LAMPS WITH ROTATING MULTI COLOURED DISCS THAT I BOUGHT AT THE 2017 BROCANTE IN CIVRAY. THEY ARE BASIC QUALITY BUT A LOT OF FUN. THEY WILL EVENTUALLY BE REWIRED WITH MODERN LED BULBS AND HUNG FROM THE OAK BEAMS IN THE LIVING ROOM
2021, I REWIRED THE LAMPS AND CONVERTED THEM TO TAKE MODERN BULBS AND HUNG THEM UNDER THE BEAMS IN THE LIVING ROOM