I take people on extravagant shopping trips in Paris. The kind of trips destined to furnish a Lake Tahoe country house or decorate a New York City flat. I’ve even helped native Parisians find that “perfect” piece. My clients may be book collectors or art collectors or fans of art deco.

I love the galleries along the rue de Seine, and the ones on the rue Ste.-Anne. A stroll around the Drouot auction house is always worth the energy, or perhaps even a visit inside for a sale. If auction fever strikes, we may proceed to Christie’s, Sotheby’s or my personal favorite, Artcurial. There are specialist galleries selling treasures for every collector out there, and the shopping list is what dictates the itinerary.
And then there are the puces, or flea markets. My two favorites are Vanves and St.-Ouen, which is better known as the Marché aux Puces de Clignancourt. Clignancourt is the largest flea market in Europe. In fact, it is a collection of maybe a dozen separate markets all in one place. This is not a fleabag experience; antiques dealers will often have a stall here, in addition to a chic boutique in the city center, but they use the market stand as a place to test new concepts and trends in home decor, which means you’ll find some great souvenirs (beaver-fur top hat, anyone?), genuine antiques and fantastic design.

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