Provence Flea Market Shopping Trip 2010 Day 1

Well, we made it to Provence! Wait a minute, 1,2,3,4,5 plus Jill, our guide and Val taking the picture. We're missing 5 people! OK we didn't all make it to Provence safe and sound. Michele and her group who went to Paris a couple of days early got stuck at the Orly Airport in the midst of a massive French strike. All the flights were canceled, all the trains were canceled and they were having problems getting fuel. Sooooo....last time I heard from her she was negotiating with a Man from Cameroon with a van, to pay $2000 to drive the 5 ladies 8 hours from Paris to Provence......as of this writing....have not heard from them. ...Should I be worried?
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 Oh well...life...and our tour goes on!  We checked into our cute little hotel and headed to the streets for a quick walking tour of Aix en Provence.What a darling city ! We saw lots of cute little shops....

 Fabulous buildings & architechture.....

 Lots of gorgeous fountains....

 As the sun sets, we are already falling in Love....

Stay tuned.....

Aix en Provence Flea Market Trip Day 2

First of all...Michele and group are FOUND! They pulled into the hotel, totally exausted, about 1am from their harrowing journey from Paris (see previous post).

The next morning we were up early for a VERY busy day, made in Antiquer/Junker/Artist/Provencal HEAVEN! We started with our cute matching market bags for the Aix En Provence market.
Here is Karen working the soaps and fragrance man..
Kathy has the vintage market under control....
Unbelievably beautiful fruits and vegatables.......
And spices..............
After the market our guide Jill took us to her top secret consignment store. Locals live in Aix for years without knowing about this bargain basement. Take a look at each of these babies, all around 30e.

We got lots of treasures at the Market and the secret store, that will wait for another post. The internet hear is HORRIBLE and it is taking like 3 hours to do a post...gotta sleep sometime!

Then it was onto our lux bus , finally the whole group together and off to THREE more destinations!
First Jill's friend Agnes's shop....

Then to the 'bunkers' with the chickens and the goats (photo to come later)
we LOVE this place and the French men love it when we come and give us GREAT DEALS!
Our last TREAT of the day was to be welcomed into the Provencal home of fabulous Cezanne artist Jill Steenhuis

I MUST do a whole post about beautiful Jill S. but you must follow the link to her web site as she is about to have shows in Dallas, Houston, & Austin. I can't put in words what a kind, welcoming, talented and kind hearted person Jill is. The visit to her home and her heart was like something out of a dream. We were so privlidged to spend the afternoon with her, thanks to dear Jill M at LeTrip

A few treasures that we will be bringing back for our Oct. 30th sale...

France Vintage Flea Market Shopping Trip Day 3

Another day, another three flea markets to visit in Provence!

The first was a little known Vide Grenier or Garage Sale, that was held under this ancient bridge...

Would it be possible to find treasures amid the old clothes and broken toys?

But of course! Case in point, these wonder religious plaques with French writing on the back. Hundreds of years old, they were the vendor's grandmothers. I asked why she was selling them and she said "Oh she had SO MANY" Mind you, this conversation is completed with me speaking no French and her speaking no English.

Then onto another darling small village that was having a parking lot sale...Thank goodness for our guide, Jill, we would NEVER have found these on our own...

Our next stop was the Flea Market of L'Isle sur la Sorgue, one of the most beautiful cites and Provence. The city is surrounded by lovely waterways and greenery.

The streets are lined with darling shops and a flower and food market...

Michele is carrying bunches of Lavender that we are bringing home for our sale on Oct. 30th

Then there is the avenue with the vintage vendors....Here is my new favorite picture that depicts French Flea Markets....A wonderful crusty and chipped Christus statue next a used tennis racket...

Here are a few more things that caught our eye....

Then at the very end of the avenue, we found this wonderful store!!

Full of custom linens and authentic French decor, we were immediately enamored....

We ooo'd and aaah'd so much over all of their wares made mostly of vintage linens, that the owners took us back into their work room to show us that they were making most of the wonderful things that we loved (look at the bed that would soon be on display!)You can view their beautiful wares online at www.mp-deco.com

Our wonderful day came to an end with the only sprinkles that we experienced the entire trip. We still managed to get a quick photo with the group in one of the most beautiful cities in France!

A few treasures from today that will be available at our Oct 30th sale

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