French Flea Markets (Part II): A Social Affair

So French vide-greniers aren't just about a village's annual purging of (common household but often very beautiful) unwanted wares and collectibles, creating a buying and selling bonanza where almost anything can be bought and sold,... no. Like every good market, the atmosphere is also filled with tasty food and rekindled friendships. Stands in the middle of parking lots are set up like zinc bars, where you can step up to the counter and request un café or an Orangina, for example. Cotton candy machines are strewn about advertising the sinewy pink gold in bold letters: Barbe à Papa! Tables are loaded with batter and jams serving up warm Nutella crêpes. And last summer, my husband's family friends (who rented a table for about 10 euros to sell their children's old toys), served up chips and Kir (crème de cassis with white wine) for a surprisingly early aperitif cocktail - it was around 9:30am when we showed up!

At the end of the day shoppers and vendors alike, along with their bundle of new treasures and a bit of extra cash, reacquaint themselves with old friends, share a drink and some laughs - which maybe what some were actually seeking after all...