Dreaming of the {Paris} Flea Market

I'm at the point in my life where the destinations I've yearned to reach need to happen soon. I'm not getting any younger (darn!), the kids are grown and all but one have careers. My youngest daughter has traveled more than I have in her twenty-something years. She finds a way... using study abroad, bus or road trips across the country, youth hostels and internships to follow her heart across the globe.

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She inspires me to follow my own dreams of visiting Paris. I want to see the Eiffel Tower light up at night, capture the beauty of European architecture through my lens and of course, visit the flea markets.

I have learned over the years to appreciate the fun of the flea market without coming home with too many treasures. The large ones are easy to leave behind. The only things I really consider myself a collector of would be vintage greeting cards and postcards. They are easy to tote, inexpensive to collect and don't take up hardly any space in my home. I also enjoy taking pictures of items I know I would have no place for or those that are beyond my means; it's my way of holding the memory of a treasure without the burden of ownership.

Maybe I will need to think small, as in paper and tiny trinkets, like these beautiful keys. They are more intricate than those I have seen in the States.

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What would be on my larger item shopping list? Perhaps a beautiful chandelier like this one, a pretty reminder of the trip each time the lights were aglow. I would never tire of it's beauty.

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There are even travel agencies that cater to a woman's desire to shop the flea markets of Paris... A quick search noted two I've added to my Pinboard. Perhaps this is the way to go... traveling with like-minded women under the guidance of an experienced tour group.

Have you been? Do share your tips and treasures with a comment below.

The Paris travel book is ordered, it's time to plan!