We’ve been doing a bit of work on the house again, and this time the shower-room is taking shape. There just the physical water connection, a shower screen and a mirror left to do, and when it comes to mirrors, there’s nothing better than trying to pick up an antique one, especially when the antiques faire at Chatou is on.
We’d never been to this particular fair before and so didn’t know what to expect. The brocante is laid out on a small island in the middle of the river Seine, just outside of Paris. It was mid-week so not too many people were there, but it was huge and fabulous, and there were plenty of makeshift restaurants to choose from in the middle of the day.
What I liked best was the artistry of some of the stands, and there was plenty that I would have loved to buy, though the mirror remained elusive!
There were so many amazing urns and cloches, but our bartering didn’t manage to get us any bargains!
I so nearly went for the pineapple, but “husband chez nous” didn’t look away for long enough.. it was after all “mission mirror”!
I loved this one, a grey and gilt trumeau mirror….the price was to die for too!
And after all, why have one when you can have three!
So many lovely things that it was hard to head home.
But since the great mirror hunt continues, there’s still the excuse to come back for more. The basin is very lonely all by itself.
My Husband Drives A Lemon 
Looks wonderful Miranda. Can’t wait to see the finished shower room 😊
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Neither can I Jan, It’s been a long time in the making. I have a feeling the shower screen may give us as much of a headache as the mirror. But at least looking for a mirror is much more fun!
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I’d love to know what sort of prices the brocanteurs were quoting. Happy that you had a lovely day out, even if mission was not accomplished. Next time!
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Hi Catherine, the first trumeau mirror was about 800€, and we saw one that needed work for 380€. There were a few in the 280€ region but they were small gilt mirrors, and there was one beautiful trumeau in grey with a small detail of gilt for 1200€. The pineapple was 150€, and the cast iron “vases” were ranging from 130-300€ depending on the size. It was fun chine’ing and it was such a lovely sunny day so I enjoyed every minute! Have a great day.
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I would have spent a small Fortune and my Wife, a Large one…What a Lovely place.
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Believe me, it was really hard to come home without a hundred things under my arms. If it wasn’t for the fact thst french shower screens cost a small fortune,(and that’s another story), I would probably have gone wild! Have a great day
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