The Marin French Antique Market
Whether you’re a local or a visitor to the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the most entertaining things to do the second Sunday of each month is to visit the French Antique Market in Marin, located in San Rafael. Unlike the Alameda Antique Fair, which is the first Sunday of each month and is GI-normous, this fair is well-edited and relatively small. You’ll find six rows of wonderful dealers, with a total of about 140 vendors in all. In fact, some of my favorite people who show in Alameda also show here.
The show runs from 9am-3pm, but I typically arrive around 11 am, as it’s an hour drive from my flat, and I am definitely not an early morning gal. This gives me 4 hours to see and eat everything I desire, which is plenty of time. I usually visit the first three rows, and then I take a much-needed food break. Though there are quite a few culinary options, nothing will steer me away from the crepes, which are made to order.
Whether you’re a local or a visitor to the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the most entertaining things to do the second Sunday of each month is to visit the French Antique Market in Marin, located in San Rafael.
A few notes about the crepes…if there is a line, then you can count on about ½ hour or more to get your order. Plan accordingly. Personally, I love getting both a savory and a sweet crepe. I learned the hard way (oy, the stomachache!), that I cannot eat both in their entirety. I’ve since brought a couple Ziploc bags with me each time. When I sit down, I immediately cut each crepe in half and store those parts away for breakfast the next morning. I even bring a little cooler in my car for the ride home. I can’t tell you how many, “Oh…what a smart idea!” comments I’ve gotten. #crepeexpert
Now let’s get down to what you’ll find here. The market completely runs the gamut. Many vendors are regulars, but each month there are certainly some new people to see. My first stop is typically this one guy on the corner of the first row on the right (His spot is in the photo at the beginning of this article). He has incredibly unique items, many from Asia. My last purchase from him was a hand-carved piece of antler in a petite frame with the original bubble glass. He said, “You buy such strange items from me. What do you do with them??” I explained how my walls are like a museum. I just keep adding to them. One day, I’m sure there will be no actual wall space left!
Other favorite scores have been some ancient beads from the Ming Dynasty, an oil painting of Paris from an unknown artist, and a precious beaded French bag from around 1910. No matter what you’re in search of—fine jewelry, original art, books, native arts, etc., you’re sure to find options here! Oh, and adding to the ambience is a live band playing French music. What more could you ask for? Please let me know if you have the chance to visit. I’d love to see your treasures!
If you’d like more information on cool places and boutiques to visit, I’d love to have you as a subscriber on The Curated Shopper!
