French word of the day: Chiné

#PARISFOMO and other stories from France

Well the sun is shining in Paris, and wouldn't you know it, the temperature is expected to get into the +80°F (+30°C) this weekend. Time to bring the shorts out from storage, and put a bottle of rosé in the fridge!

And with all the good weather, it is also time for my favorite springtime hobby: "chiné-ing"! (Ok, this may not be a real word in English, but I do think this is maybe one we anglophones should adopt.)

The actual verb in French is chiner, pronounced "shinay". And it means to bargain hunt for those so-called treasures while perusing through various flea-markets, brocantes, charity shops, antique dealers, etc. Not to mention the many street vide-greniers (attic-clearing sales) that many towns and villages hold in May and June to take advantage of the good weather.

Painted wardrobe for €250, anyone?

And it is not just me, going "brocante-ing", i.e. shopping for deals is a big business in France. Yes, maybe it is stuff that we never knew we needed, but it is a bargain!

The biggest street brocante in France is in the northern city of Lille, called the Braderie de Lille. It is held annually in September, with over 5000 stalls. With thousands of people descending upon the city during the braderie, it becomes a party all weekend long, with animations for kids, etc.

In the Parisian region, the biggest one is the Foire de Chatou just outside Paris at the end of September, which isn't quite as much of a fête, but still pretty big. (Yes, it is held just after the Lille braderie to allow the antique dealers to show their wares in both places.)

And there are of course all the permanent 2nd-hand markets like the famous Marché des Puces in the north of Paris.

You can see why chiné-ing would be much more interesting in Paris, than for example in Toronto. Centuries of history means centuries of furniture, knick-knacks, jewellery, decorations, etc.

Ikea is nice and all, but maybe you want a solid wood dresser from 1650 to store your underwear. (Maybe with a pot of chalk paint? Or is painting antiques sacrilege?)

When I first moved to Paris (and didn't have the space to collect items) I used to make fun of a popular TV show called Maison France 5, where the host would visit various people who had renovated their homes.

Every single homeowner would vaguely declare that they had chiné-d all the items of decoration from "here and there" instead of just declaring that they had ordered it from Wayfair or a shop catalogue.

Unfortunately for my wallet, after our move to the burbs 2 years ago and some newfound space, I found that there is a popular 2nd-hand charity shop called Emmaus just a petit hop, skip and a jump away. Oh dear.

Emmaus is a large association all across France, created in 1985 by a well-known anti-poverty advocate, a monk named Abbé Pierre. (Abbé Pierre has since been discredited for his sexual proclivities that were kept hidden by the Catholic church, but I digress. Emmaus is trying to shake off his legacy.)

The thing that was most astonishing to me about chiné-ing at Emmaus is how crowded it is. On turn-over day Thursday and Saturday mornings, the parking is a complete nightmare, with hordes of well-dressed crowds browsing through the aisles of furniture, dishes, artwork and cutlery.

Solid wood display cabinet for €150, or would you prefer the piano with red chair?

And yes, they even have random stuff like the tennis racket I bought myself last week (I don't play tennis. Yet.) and a punching bag that my kids were very sad to miss out on. (It was already sold by the time we spotted it.)

Yes, my children are being initiated into the French chiné-ing culture as well, and they actually seem to quite enjoy it. For the moment, I have set them on a mission to find me a “decorative” salt and pepper shaker set that is a bit “unusual”. (They may interpret this as they like.)

And with that, it is thursday, so maybe I should head over there now…? I do happen to have handy a bag of books to donate. We have to keep the circle going after all!

In other news:

• The Opera Bastille in Paris, a modern building which was built a mere 36 years ago, apparently needs a 10-year renovation cosing €400m. No word on the who/what/why this was so poorly built in the first place.

• Nestlé, the company that makes Perrier, is in hot water (pun intended). A French Senate report found that the government colluded with the company to allow prohibited treatments to produce its natural mineral water.

• A 500-year-old shipwreck has been found off the coast of the Var region in France, at a depth of 2300 meters below sea level. Filled with a cargo of ancient ceramics that are still visible, it is likely coming to a nearby museum after the researchers get a better look at it.

And in the blog:

---

July in France: Weather, travel, and events

Planning to visit France in July? Get travel tips, from the weather, average temperatures, where to go, top events and festivals, and more.

Chicken Chickpea salad with Feta

Light and healthy, this delicious chicken chickpea salad with greens and feta cheese is tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette

Beef Daube stew with black olives and carrots

An easy dinner recipe, this beef stew with black olives and carrots is a French classic that is sure to please the whole family.