Vide Grenier and Brocante Heaven with a side of Asuna at the Beach

Also, make me your buyer!

First, check out this painting. It just pops up on the side a building in the middle of town. I have no idea what its history is; just something charming to look at. Nothing to sell you anything, as far as I know. Just a little eye candy as you go about your day. I’ll take it.

I’m packing for Great Writing in London this weekend as I write this, so I’m going to keep it short, talk about a few recent vide grenier finds and a great beach day.

If you had told me when we bought this house that it was going to be literally around the corner from a huge Sunday flea market/vide grenier space set against the backdrop of a cascade of mountains, I would have said, “aw go on with ya,” as my Irish grandmother used to say. Right. That is way too good to be true.

But unbeliveably, it is true. Also, the first Sunday of the month is “brocante” day in Limoux, a thirty minute drive up the road, where vintage wares are spread out all along the Avenue Fabre d’Eglantine. So that’s where I went right after I perused the vide grenier that occurs on the regular in the Espace d’Cathare right here in Quillan (above photo).

Here are a few finds.

Ironstone Mixing Bowl 2 euros

Architectural piece with beveled mirror. I’m collecting beveled mirrors to do part of a wall, with 3 so far. Marked 12 but the guy gave it to me for 10 and I didn’t even ask.

Ironstone jug/pitcher 2 euros

You all know what I love about antiquing is the history of the pieces and the thrill of the hunt. This is a good time to tell you, dear readers, that if there is anything vintage and French you are looking for, I will happily add it to my search list, bringing it home if I find it and shipping it to you in the US, all at cost. I am already on the lookout for a certain porcelain rolling pin for a dear friend, and while I haven’t found it yet, nothing makes me more content than having something to look for. If I find it, I will be over the moon. So go ahead, make my day.

Finally, Monday, we did something I’d been dreaming of: we brought Asuna to the beach. For years, I’d seen so many photos of dogs cavorting at the beach that I felt our two—Mario and Asuna—needed to experience it. However, transporting two dogs from land-locked Arkansas to a coast when American hotels are not so dog friendly was a challenge we were never able to overcome.

Unfortunately, Mario never made it, so I was even more determined that if we got Asuna to France we would try her out on the beach. It’s only about a 1.5 hour drive on the D117 to the beaches around Perpignan, and a beautiful one at that: more mountains, vineyards, Cathar ruins. Beautiful even with a dog who doesn’t like car rides whining in your ear both ways.

And it was worth it because even if Asuna does not like the car, she did like the beach, despite jumping back a bit whenever the waves went over her feet. Apparently, she is only part Lab or she would have been swimming in the ocean. But otherwise she did seem to like it and we were glad.