Our French Trip: Hunting for Antique Treasures in Amiens

A Spring Adventure from Devon to France

This spring, we decided to do something a little different. After years of seeing beautiful French pieces turn up at UK fairs—and occasionally bringing the odd find back in the car after a holiday—we started to wonder what it would be like to go directly to the source.

So, we did exactly that.

We planned our first proper buying trip to France, this time taking the van with us. It wasn’t just a case of packing a suitcase anymore—this needed thought, preparation, and a bit of commitment. But the idea of sourcing pieces ourselves, rather than buying second-hand in the UK, was too tempting to ignore.

Why Amiens?

For our first trip, we wanted somewhere manageable but still worthwhile. We settled on Amiens, home to one of the largest flea markets in France.

Covering a huge portion of the city and attracting tens of thousands of visitors, it’s not exactly “small”—but it felt like a good starting point. Big enough to find some incredible pieces, but not so far from Calais that the journey became overwhelming.

An Early Start and a New Way to Travel

After weeks of planning, we set off from our Devon home at 4:45 AM. We knew the next few days would be long, physically demanding, and probably exhausting—but that only added to the excitement.

For the outbound journey, we chose the Eurotunnel Le Shuttle from Folkestone. It made sense practically, being a slightly shorter drive than Dover, but it was also something new for both of us.

The whole process was surprisingly smooth. Within half an hour, we were in Calais, driving straight off the train and onto the French autoroute. No waiting around, no complications—just like that, we were in France and on our way.

With a couple of antique stops planned en route, the journey down felt like part of the adventure rather than just a means to an end.

Arriving in Amiens and Getting Set Up

We arrived in Amiens around 5 PM on the Friday. The market officially starts at 5 AM on Sunday—or at least, that’s what we had been told.

Following advice we’d picked up beforehand, we made it a priority to secure a good parking space early. We managed to park right next to the colosseum, which is widely considered one of the best spots. Safe to say, we were very pleased with that.

Our hotel was about 2km away, and to hold onto our spot for the market, the van had to stay where it was for the duration of the trip. Thankfully, parking was free, so that wasn’t an issue.

After being up since the early hours, we kept things simple—pizza, a drink, and an early night.

A “Quiet” Saturday That Didn’t Stay Quiet

Saturday was supposed to be our recovery day. We’d heard just how vast the market was, so the plan was to take it easy, explore the city, and save our energy for Sunday. But in reality, that didn’t last long.

Before we knew it, we were searching for local Brocantes and antique spots. Bags in hand, we jumped on a bus and spent the day exploring. While many of the places leaned more towards bric-a-brac than high-quality antiques, we still managed to pick up a few rustic ceramics and some artwork.

It wasn’t the restful day we had planned—but it was still productive.

By late afternoon, we headed back, intending to get some sleep before an early start…

When the Market Really Begins

At around 5 PM on Saturday, everything changed. As we arrived back in the city, it became clear that people were already setting up. Stalls were going out, traders were arriving, and the atmosphere was building fast. 

That’s when we realised - The market builds steadily from the evening before if the weather is a fine as it was. So instead of resting, we grabbed our trolley and sack truck and got straight to work hunting for beautiful French antiques

What followed was intense.

Over the next 24 hours, we:

• Walked roughly 23 miles
• Slept for around 3 hours
• Moved close to half a ton of stock back and forth

It was full-on from start to finish.

The Hunt for Stock

Our first purchase set the tone—classic French galvanised gardenware planters, conveniently located right near our parking spot. A small win early on, but it made a big difference.

From there, it was constant movement. Back and forth between stalls and the van, loading up furniture, rustic pottery, mirrors, art and all things French chic - heading back out again, always wondering what might be around the next corner.

We shopped from around 5 PM Saturday until 11 PM, grabbed a few hours of sleep & big bowls of pasta, and were back out again at 4 AM on Sunday.

This trip was a big investment for us, and there was definitely a sense of pressure to make it worthwhile. But as it turned out, we didn’t need to worry.

We found some fantastic pieces:

• Classic drawers, cupboards, workbenches
• French antique mirrors
• Original oil on canvas artwork
• Rustic stoneware ceramics
• Reclaimed gardenware
• Decorative signs

The variety was incredible, and while prices were not cheap but often comparable to the UK, there was something different about sourcing directly. It felt more personal—more connected to the pieces and their origin.

At the same time, there was a constant mental balancing act. Exchange rates, duty, VAT—it all had to be considered while making quick decisions in a busy, fast-moving environment.

Hitting the Wall (and Changing Plans)

By late Sunday morning, the exhaustion really started to catch up with us.

We checked out of our hotel around midday, with an initial plan to leave around 1 PM, drive to Calais, catch the ferry, and head straight back to Devon. But neither of us were safe to drive! Looking back, that was wildly optimistic. Instead, we made the sensible decision to stay another night, enjoy the atmosphere and it gave us the chance to reset a little—to sleep, to properly organise our customs paperwork, and to deal with duty and VAT without rushing. It also meant we could approach the journey home in a much better state.

After a few hours of rest, we headed out for food and, almost inevitably, ended up making one final purchase—a solid cork screw oak side table. With all our equipment back in the van, we carried it across the city by hand. Not our best decision, but one of those moments you just have to laugh about and a buy not to be left behind!

The Journey Back to Devon

Monday didn’t quite go to plan either. We had hoped to stop at a few more places on the way back to Calais, but most were closed, so we headed straight for the ferry instead.

The crossing was smooth, and because we had completed all of our customs paperwork in advance, getting back into the UK was straightforward.

After a quick fuel stop, we made the final leg of the journey home, arriving back in Devon at around 1 AM. Completely exhausted—but very happy with what we had achieved.

Looking Back

For a first proper French buying trip, it was everything we expected—and more.

Challenging, tiring, and at times a bit chaotic, but also incredibly rewarding. There’s something very different about sourcing pieces from their origin, seeing them where they are found, and bringing them back with a story attached.

Would we do it again? Absolutely.

The only real change we’d make is booking a hotel closer to where we park. After walking that kind of distance, it would make a huge difference.

We’re already planning to return to Amiens for the October fair—and realistically, it probably won’t be that long before we feel the urge to head back to France again.

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