Paris flea markets are brimming with life and colour, Jane Paech reports.

The Paris flea markets originated in the 18th century when chiffoniers or rag-and-bone men resold goods and clothing found in aristocrats' rubbish bins, setting up just outside the gates of Paris to avoid fees and taxes incurred within city walls. Consequently, the main flea markets sit on the rim of the city close to the Boulevard Peripherique (ring road).

Most visitors make a beeline for Puces de St-Ouen (Clignancourt), the largest flea market in the capital. Yet the intricate labyrinth of 2500 stalls and 17 kilometres of alleyways and 70,000 bargain hunters can be overwhelming.

Scratch a flea and find a bargain, continued