Paris is an expensive city, but it doesn’t mean that you cannot decorate your home on a budget. If you’ve just moved to Paris or you’re looking for unique furniture to spice up your apartment, look no further than second-hand furniture shops in Paris.

Both second-hand stores and Parisian flea markets are places where you can find true gems with low prices and excellent taste. And there's something for everyone: whether you’re a student on a budget or someone looking for designer items and antiques.

Ready to start your vintage hunt? Let’s dive in!

Get an unfurnished apartment and decorate it with second-hand furniture

At first glance, you might think renting a furnished apartment will be cheaper and easier because you’ll spend less time settling in. But furnished apartments tend to have high rental prices and if you damage anything, you’ll lose your deposit.

Renting unfurnished (vide) apartments in Paris is a better choice because they offer better tenant rights, are more common, and can be decorated any way you want! And with the ruthless rental market due to high demand for housing, you’ll benefit from an unfurnished rental as the contracts are minimum 3 years long.

So if you want to enjoy living in your own space without extending your budget, here’re some places you should consider to furnish your apartment in Paris.

Find long-term rentals in Paris to decorate it for your own taste.

Top 5 vintage shops for second-hand furniture in Paris

The Marché Dauphine

• Address: 18th arrondissement, 132-140 rue des Rosiers
• Public transport: Metro lines 4 and 13
• Opening hours: Saturday to Monday: 9.30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Marché Dauphine is part of the Saint-Ouen flea market (one of the largest flea markets in France), located in a building with an industrial look under a glass roof. Its more than 150 stands sell everything from high-quality vintage furniture to bargain items, classical antiquities, books, vinyl, and art pieces. The prices also vary; you might have to splash out big bucks for some items.

Paul Bert Serpette

• Address: 18th arrondissement, 110 Rue des Rosiers
• Public transport: Metro line 4
• Opening hours: Saturday: from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m, Sunday: from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday: from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Paul Bert Serpette is the world’s largest antique and second-hand furniture market. Paul Bert Serpette consists of 10 tents with 400 shops spread over 7 narrow Parisian alleys. There, you’ll find well-preserved, individual second-hand furniture, art, and decorative objects from the 17th century to the late 1900s. Because there’re so many things to choose from, expect to spend 2-3 hours finding something you need. But trust us, you won’t be disappointed. Sundays are pretty busy, while Mondays are quieter; note that not all stands would be open then.

Carouche

• Address: 11th arrondissement, 18 Rue Jean-Macé
• Public transport: Metro line 9
• Opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday: from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Carouche is a second-hand furniture store with a mix of furniture and decorative items. Because the owner Caroline Giraud is an artist herself, she almost handpicks everything sold in the store. From vintage mirrors to unique-looking chairs, this shop has a lot of variety. Plus, you’ll see that prices are very affordable. You can find a dining table for €60 in excellent condition.

Robert M. Smith

• Address: 10th arrondissement, 25 rue de Sambre-et-Meuse
• Public transport: Metro line 2
• Opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday: from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

From the outside, this vintage shop doesn’t look like a big place. But once you go inside, you’ll see how spacious this shop is. It has everything you can wish for. Sofas, chairs, dining tables, lights, mirrors — you name it, they have it. The inside is a bit disorganized, but it shouldn’t discourage you from digging deep. It’s also a great place to bargain: you can find well-preserved cute kitchen chairs for €10.

Bric-à-Brac Riquet

• Address: 19th arrondissement, 6 Rue Archereau
• Public transport: Metro line 7
• Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday: from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Bric-à-Brac Riquet is heaven for bargain lovers and students. It’s part of Emmaus, which is a donation-based second-hand organization.

You’ll find many vintage items, clothes, and furniture there. The shop has its own charm, even though the items may not be as polished looking as in the other second-hand furniture shops mentioned on this list. Each day the shop organizes giveaway rates and new discounts, so the earlier you come, the better your chances are of finding something.

The number of people speaking English in Paris isn’t very high, especially in second-hand furniture shops. So to get the best deals, we recommend you go with someone who speaks French. Also, make sure you have cash or a local bank account on you since Parisian second-hand shops usually accept local exchange.

Get your second-hand furniture online in Paris

If you don’t want to wander around in the furniture shops, you can also buy your furniture online.

1. Le Bon Coin is an online second-hand market that sells various items, including furniture.
2. Chercheminippes is both an online and brick-and-mortar store located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. It doesn’t sell big furniture pieces, but you’ll find kitchen accessories, watches, and small appliances.
3. Troc has a unique format: you can either pay or exchange items. For instance, you trade your old lamp for a microwave from the website. It’s also a great way to declutter your space and get rid of the things you don’t use anymore. The website has a great selection of furniture, decorations, and kitchen appliances.

Apart from these websites, you can also check Facebook groups as lots of people leaving their current homes want to sell their old furniture for low prices.

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