Nice, paradise for antique collectors

4 September 2023

Antique markets, flea markets, antique stores, boutiques and stalls with a thousand curiosities… Wander the alleys, push open the doors and discover worlds full of charm and stories to explore.

Do you like old objects and antique furniture? Do you like to snoop around to find surprising trinkets that will fit perfectly in your living room or bedside table? Maybe you are a collector? I’ll take you to unearth treasures that will make your head spin…

1 – The Quartier des Antiquaires and the Village Ségurane

At the foot of the Castle Hill, a stone’s throw from Old Nice, between the Port and Garibaldi Square, I will take you to visit the famous “Quartier des Antiquaires”. It is, indeed, one of the most important groups of antique dealers in France!

In the streets Antoine-Gautier, Emmanuel-Philibert, Catherine-Ségurane, Martin-Seytour, Foresta, about a hundred art galleries, antique dealers and antique stores offer us a very pleasant walk, conducive to discoveries and favorites. Imagine all these small retro or trendy boutiques, sometimes a little hidden, like the 36 stalls nestled on two levels in the “Village Ségurane”.

Dare to enter the gallery and let yourself be surprised by its triangular patio and its stores! Sometimes it feels like time has stood still here, but only sometimes… Because this district is very lively and dynamic! The old objects cohabit easily with more recent decorative pieces, designed by designers or creations of contemporary artists such as those of Patrick Moya that can be admired on the walls of the inner courtyard.

Furniture, paintings, light fixtures, carpets, earthenware and porcelain, silverware, jewelry do not leave us indifferent? There is something for all tastes and all budgets! Personally, I fell in love with a small iron box. I’m going to put away my little secrets…

Please note the stores are closed on Sundays.

2 – The Nice Flea Market

In the immediate vicinity of the Antiques Quarter, the Nice Flea Market exhibits, in a cheerful bric-a-brac, objects of yesteryear.

Installed in the old fishermen’s huts, on the Lunel Quay of the port of Nice, “les Puces de Nice” offers us a ride out of time. Witnesses of the last century, the piled up objects bring back memories of my childhood… From the time when my grandmother used to take out her beautiful dishes on Sundays to serve us her stew or her split pea soup. They were white and blue. Everything here reminds me of my grandmother. Also, it is with great pleasure that I dive back into this old-fashioned atmosphere.

I wander aimlessly through the alleys of this atypical little market and I notice a pretty shop with its many musical instruments perfectly preserved and well presented in their original cases. There are so many things to see, my eyes don’t know where to rest. On the floor, in the aisles, small furniture and paintings catch my eye. In the showcases, tools that I don’t even know what they are used for and pewter or porcelain statuettes. What a profusion of objects!

Like me, you will be pleasantly surprised to discover street-art on the walls. At the initiative of the City of Nice, ephemeral exhibitions regularly take possession of the premises. When art is invited to the Flea Market, personally, I love it!

Market open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm.

3 – The Cours Saleya flea market

In the heart of the picturesque and lively Vieux-Nice district, the fruit, vegetable and flower market gives way, every Monday, to the flea market. Under the colourful tarpaulins, more than 200 exhibitors set up their stands…

From 7am, except on the eve of public holidays, joyful unpacking takes place. Fine lace, crockery, glassware and all sorts of knick-knacks, small items of furniture are displayed side by side and are staged on the stalls. I can see funny hats, bags and branded clothes, bottles of perfumes, costume jewellery boxes, silverware and old paintings… Whether you’re just curious or a great lover of antiques and vintage objects, it’s a great pleasure to stroll through this vast market, which also has a wonderful setting: the colourful and typical façades of the Cours Saleya.

Also, as the people of Nice do, you are invited to stroll around and take your time, especially as the market only closes at 6pm. The place is simply perfect to enjoy the art of living “à la niçoise” and enjoy a moment of relaxation. The sunny terraces of the cafés and restaurants of the Cours allow you to make a pleasant stopover. For my part, I won’t deprive myself of them. Ah, I can see a free table…

Ambiance sur le marché à la brocante du Cours Saleya
instagram@Cate06Nice

4 – Les Artisanales de Garibaldi

One Sunday a month, from 9am to 7pm, the superb Garibaldi square attracts, in turn, those looking for finds and bargains.

Under the albizia trees, 50 exhibitors offer their merchandise of all kinds: old books, toys, ceramics but also works of art. Here, as elsewhere, you can try your hand at haggling.

I find a superb black leather jacke that suits me perfectly. It is in great condition. I don’t hesitate for a second, especially as it only costs a few euros. I realise how lucky I am to have found it, so I hand my modest note to the friendly saleswoman and leave with a smile on my face and my jacket on my back. I’ll let you in on it… This is by far the best deal I’ve ever made in my life…

As on the Cours Saleya, there are terraces of cafés and restaurants just waiting to welcome you. So let yourself be tempted, this time again. After all, it is the weekend!

To find out the date of the next market, go to Les-artisanales-de-Garibaldi

5 – The markets of the Palais de Justice

Every Saturday in the Place du Palais something exciting happens for readers and collectors.

Every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month, the pretty square of the Palais de Justice du Vieux-Nice is transformed into a vast open-air bookshop! Many amateurs or simply curious people flock to the stalls because there are real treasures here: old books, rare editions, original works and second-hand books at low prices, paperbacks, bound art books, specialised books, detective books, novels, poetry collections… Arranged in boxes, comic books and books for young people awaken my child’s soul. Just behind Tarzan, I find an old Bécassine which appeals to me. I can’t resist offering it a place in my bookcase. The “Dingodossiers” of Goscinny and Gotlib are, for their part, hidden behind Mickey… “Madame, how much do I owe you for the two comics”?

I also like to hunt among postcards, old records and old papers that take up space on the 4th Saturday of the month. Cartophiles are delighted to find, in particular, black and white views of Nice from the beginning of the 20th century: the Casino Promenade, the beautiful ladies in frilly dresses sheltering from the sun under a lace umbrella, the first sea baths, the old Casino Ruhl which has disappeared… Naturally, we are struck by these little pieces of paper, charming testimonies of a bygone era. Not far away, I discover deliciously vintage advertising posters. I look through them with amusement and I am moved by these vestiges of the past. In this digital age, paper retains all its charm. Obviously, there are real fans here! The same goes for vinyl records, which find favour with a public that had, for a time, neglected them. For oneself or as a gift, it is a pleasure to give a second life to these marvels!

Markets open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. in winter and until 7 p.m. in summer.
• OLD AND SECOND HAND BOOKS: 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month
• POST CARDS, OLD DISKS AND OLD PAPERS: The 4th Saturday of the month.
• ARTISTIC OR ARTISANAL PRODUCTS: The 2nd Saturday of the month.

6 – The auction rooms

Public auctions also have their share of nice surprises in store for you.

Do you like to elbow your way through the competition? Perhaps you are an experienced bidder? Win the highest bidder’s bid!

Before each sale, an indoor exhibition allows you to examine and select objects that might be of interest to you. Don’t forget to inquire! I list below a few places dedicated to auctions.

Hôtel des Ventes Nice Riviera
Sales of Furniture, Paintings, Carpets: every other Wednesday from 9.30 am.
Exhibitions according to the sales: Tuesday from 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm and Wednesday from 8.45 am to 9.30 am.

Jewellery sales: one Wednesday per month at 3.30 pm.
Exhibition according to sales: Wednesdays from 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm.

50 rue Gioffredo – 06000 NICE – https://www.hdvnice.com

Sales of Crédit Municipal de Nice
Monthly jewellery sales: Thursdays at 1.30pm
43 rue Gioffredo – 06OOO NICE – http://www.credit-municipal-nice.fr/fr/vente-aux-enchere.html

Nice Enchères
Sales on Tuesday afternoons
15 Rue Dante – 06000 NICE – https://www.niceencheres.com/venteavenir

Million Riviera – 3 Place Franklin – 06000 NICE – https://www.millon.com/calendrier-nice