Top five brocantes in the world
From the country rounds of rural Alabama, to the bustle of the city streets of Turin, flea market insider’s Nicholas Martin, reveals five brocantes every collector should visit this summer.
BELGIUM
Ciney Expo Flea Market and Antique Fair
Where: Ciney
Frequency: Twice a year
Date: July 21- 23
When it comes to massive flea markets, the town of Ciney in the Province of Namur, is a must! Ciney hosts one of the largest flea market and antique fairs in Belgium with over 700 exhibitors from Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and even Italy, and more than 15,000 visitors. The fair takes place twice a year over three days, between March and October.
FRANCE
Isle-sur-la-sorgue International Fair For Art and Antiques
Where: Isle sur-la-Sorgue
Frequency: Twice a year
Date: August 11-14
Located 12 miles east of Avignon, between Carpentras and Cavaillon, what makes Isle-sur-la-Sorgue so special from a flea market standpoint, is its antique fair.
Twice a year, in spring and in summer, 450 exhibitors (in addition to the 300 permanent antique dealers and second hand shops) flock to Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, making this event one of the biggest antiques and secondhand fair in Europe.
ITALY
Fiera Antiquaria di Arezzo
Where: Florence
Frequency: Once a month
Date: July 1-2, August 5-6
The Fiera Antiquaria di Arezzo with its 500 exhibitors, has been for the past 40 years the monthly appointment of flea market enthusiasts in Italy and beyond the country’s borders.
From serious collectors to interiors specialists on the hunt for one-off pieces, the Fiera is a must.
UK
Ardingly International Antiques and Collectors Fair
Where: Ardingly, Haywards Heath, West Sussex
Frequency: Seven times a year
Date: June 20-21, July 18-19
With its convenient links to the capital, Ardingly International Antiques and Collectors Fair is a truly cosmopolitan antique event and a hot spot for local and national dealers and buyers. Its proximity to Gatwick (12 miles away) and from Dover (1 hour 30 minutes), means vendors come from continental Europe and further east to sell here, and some buyers even come as far as Asia and North America.
USA
127 Corridor Sale
Where: Addison, Michigan to Gadsden, Alabama (690 miles)
Frequency: Once a year
Date: August 3-6
Every year, thousands of individuals clean out their closets and stake out their front yards along the Highway 127 corridor stretching over 690 miles of scenic rural highway from Addison, Michigan to Gadsden, Alabama. The 127 Corridor Sale is America at its best, especially for the savvy collector and garage sales enthusiast.
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