Antique Hunting in Angoulême

There is a brocante coming up this weekend just 3 kilometers from our home so we have decided to reserve a pitch.  Having decided not to attend a brocante we had booked for a few weeks back this will be our first of the season so with this in mind last Sunday I went out on the hunt for a few more interesting trucs to add to my stock.  It was a bit of an overcast day but ideal for shopping as there is nothing worse than getting hot and bothered when your trying to sift through all the goodies on offer.  

Because my Mum and her husband were over from England for a visit we thought that the most picturesque and interesting brocante to visit would be one held in the supremely elegant Place New York in Angoulême. Luckily there was also a vide grenier which is a kind of car boot sale in a suburb of Angoulême called St. Cybard so I had hopes that one of the two markets would come good.

The Market at the Place New York, Angoulême

Even if your not into antiques the architecture is stunning

The amazing Hôtel de Ville (it's good to be Mayor!)

A view from the Hôtel de Ville to the covered market

The labyrinth of cobbled medieval streets

As it turned out the little flea market in St. Cybard was much more suited to my budget and I managed to buy some really interesting little trucs.  Unfortunately the wonderful and genuine antiques on offer at the Place New York market were well out of my league.  

In my innocence I picked up an elegant vintage car mascot and thought that aside from the obvious use it would make a super paperweight so with that in mind I casually asked the dealer the price.  I put it down pretty quickly when he said 400€.  It might well have been worth that and more but I must confess that mascots are not my area of expertise (unless they are of the doughnut variety -mmmmm..... mascotte aux pommes)

Anyway, it was well worth seeing a proper antique market in such a charming setting and admiring all their lovely wares.  You never know one day I may have the money to match my obviously exceptional taste but for the time being, sadly, I must cut my coat according to my cloth.