Fall Brocanting Tour To France: Part 2

The girls and I had so much fun on the 2014 Fall Brocanting Tour to France: From Paris to Normandy from September 26 – October 3.  We extended our stay in Paris at the end of the tour until October 6…why not stay longer?  You can read about the first part of the tour HERE.

Here is an overview of the last 5 days we were in France.

Day 6:  It was an early start for us today as we traveled to Caen to shop my favorite warehouses for French furniture and accessories.  I could stay in these places forever!  I think our tour host had to literally drag us out of here!

This is French antique heaven for me!

After we shopped ‘til we dropped, a casual delicious dinner helped finish our evening.

Day 7:  Another busy day of brocanting with lots of stops and getting to visit a French linen mill with to-die-for authentic French linen fabric.

A highlight of the trip was a visit to Cat’s home, Rabbit Hill.  She has done an amazing job of decorating and it’s truly a study in French Country décor.  She cooked dinner for us which was delicious slow-cooked duck and we ended the meal with a fantastic homemade pear tart as we ate by candlelight.

Day 8:  As we came to an end to the actual tour, it was a road trip back into Paris for the Marche aux Puces at St Ouen.  We added a couple more “bodies” to our stash!

We had a wonderful apartment in the St. Germain area on the Left Bank with a view of a beautiful cathedral right across the street.

Day 9:  I always look forward to the Porte de Vanves flea market and this  one didn’t disappoint.

The brocante only lasts until 1:00 so we headed to the right bank to check out the très chic store, Merci.

Day 10:  It’s always fun to find a brocante you’ve never been to and that’s exactly what we did on our last day.  It was an interesting mix of items set out on a long street in the 13th arrondissment.

Our last evening was spent strolling the cobblestone streets of St. Andre des Arts and Rue de Buci.  There was a magical glow in Paris this evening as dusk settled in and the business and street lights began to burn.

It’s always hard to say good-bye but we headed home very early the next morning.  The last 2 posts have been a general overview of our tour.  I’ll be posting more in-depth about the places we visited and the wonderful pieces we bought.

Au Revoir,

Kim

Fall Brocanting Tour To France: Part 1

The 2014 Fall Brocanting Tour to France: Paris to Normandy was a huge success.  The weather was unseasonably warm and we had abundant sunshine for most of the time.  The ladies and I had lots of fun shopping and we enjoyed our time with tour hosts, Cat and Alain from Sunday Brocantes.

Here is an overview of the first 5 days of the trip. 

Day 1:  We arrived in Paris and had a lovely driving tour of the city before stopping to eat at a quaint café near the Jardin du Luxembourg.

In the afternoon, on our way to Normandie, we were lucky enough to stop at Bord de Scène,  home and shop to the charming Christelle.

See some beautiful photos of her place in this article:

http://www.e-magdeco.com/2012/04/bord-de-scene.html

 

Day 2:  We enjoyed a beautiful morning at the brocante and market in Deauville then on to the picturesque town of Honfleur for an afternoon of shopping.

Three American gals living in Paris joined us for this fun-filled day.

Day 3:  An exciting morning was spent at an outdoor “vide grenier” in a neighboring town.  It basically ran through the whole town!  There were lots of hidden treasures here.

We spent the afternoon at a French auction house and participated in the exciting auction of some awesome French antiques.  It was a privilege indeed!

Day 4:  After the excitement of the previous days, this was our “free day” to do some relaxing.  A leisurely stroll through Honfleur was the perfect choice.

We pampered ourselves by ending the day in the spa at the manior!

Day 5:  Halfway through the tour we had a very informative day of sightseeing at a grand chateau where we studied French furniture styles and periods.

We ended every evening at our lovely home away from home….a majestic Norman manior overlooking the port at Le Havre.

Stay tuned for an overview of our last 5 days of the Fall Brocanting Tour to France!

Au Revoir,

Kim

Bon Voyage!

I’m headed to France tomorrow for our annual Brocanting Tour in Normandy and Paris.  Some lovely ladies will be joining me for a week long shopping spree for French antiques.  Cat, from Sunday Brocantes is a wonderful tour provider and I look forward to seeing her again and visiting her beautiful home, Rabbit Hill.  I’m especially excited to see her newly finished “barn room” this year.

Here is a photo of an upstairs hallway in the gorgeous manior that will become our home away from home for the week.

I can’t wait to stroll through the charming port town of Honfleur.

I will be posting pictures daily on Instagram so you can follow me there.

www.instagram.com/kimberlyhites

Some of you may know that I just joined the Thoroughbred Antique Gallery in Lexington and have a gallery space offering French Country antiques and décor.  I have been so busy that I haven’t had time to post the progress, but I will do better when I return!

 

Hopefully, I’ll find a lot more treasures in France to bring home for clients like these Empire sconces.

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram for some French inspiration.

www.instagram.com/kimberlyhites

Au Revoir,

Kim

How Adventurous Are YOU?

Where will your next journey take you?  Do you dare to dream with your eyes open?  Follow your heart and see where it leads you.  NOW is the time to do something you’ve always wanted to do.

It’s 4 weeks until the Brocanting Tour to France: Normandie & Paris and there’s still time if you want to join our group for an exciting week of brocanting for French treasures!  With one spot still left, be daring and snatch it up for yourself!

Normandie is one of my favorite destinations in France with it’s quaint seaside villages and beautiful countryside.

Centuries old buildings and cobblestoned streets offer lots of inspiration for those of us who love all things French.

Stopping for a crêpe is always a must-do for me.

Leisurely strolls in lovely towns will awaken all your senses.

So much beautiful architecture to study.  We will spend lots of time discussing decorating tips, identifying French furniture styles,  and how to achieve the French Country look in your own home.

 

Market days are always fun.  The sights and sounds are amazing.

Do you love the many different shades of French blue as much as I do?

Hidden treasures await us every day…searching is half the fun!

 

 

 

 

And let’s not forget about our special hosted dinner at Rabbit Hill, the beautiful home of our tour hosts, Cat and Alain from Sunday Brocantes.

 

Can you picture yourself with us?

Drop me an email to request a contract and let me know you want to go!

kimhites@gmail.com or give me a call (606)-424-8402.

Blessings,

Kim

A French Guest Post from Sunday Brocantes: Extreme Eye Candy Warning! LOL

More than just a French vintage shopping trip!

How is your summer going mes amis?  I am so happy to be doing this post for my dear friend Kim Hites about our up-coming tour in the fall.  I remember how I felt at this time last year-- it was a melange of excitement and anticipation and a tiny, tiny bit of nervousness....  I was excited to be seeing Kim again and so thrilled to be working with her to provide our first annual French Vintage Shopping Tour.

 

Now we are quickly moving towards the next tour which is coming up in September.... and again-- I cannot wait!  We have so many flea markets and brocantes on the schedule to explore and a packed schedule of stops to our favorite shops and villages all around Normandie.

What treasures will we find?!

 

I have to tell you -- the other part of Kim's tour with us that I truly love is the visit to our private home and farm, Rabbit Hill.  We have lived in this 17th century farmhouse in a pretty little town for just a year this April ... a year filled with projects and settling in and it is our 'maison de rêve'....

This was a photo of our home this summer... We raised our American flag to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Normandie D-Day invasions.

 

Last year the gals came over for a very French lunch that took most of the day.... and this year in addition to a traditional (read long and relaxed!) French lunch there will be a private barn sale full of vintage items, furnishings and decor elements at barn-sale prices!

Not certain yet what will be on the menu-- Maybe I will let Kim chose her favorite French dish!  I cannot wait to have Kim's group at my home and in my kitchen this September!

Here is another fun addition for this year.  We have just finished a barn room 'renovation'... and we hope to have our lunch in this charming and glorious space that is currently serving as a harvest and drying room for 'Rabbit Hill Lavande'  my new farming endeavor this summer!

My long solid piece table (a French work table that is about 15 feet long and seats up to 16) has finally found a place (where it fits!) at Rabbit Hill.  Perfect for meals with family and friends!

 

Besides lunch and the barn sale there will be a chance to meet a few of the .... a-hem... "family members" of Rabbit Hill.  

The timing is tricky to meet 'the ladies' who are the tenant cows on the farm and by September they are all (all 12 of them) in their last month of pregnancy.  The field is just one BIG maternity ward!

 

So many wonderful things in the works... non?!?  So happy to share a little sneak peek with you! Interested in being a part of Kim's tour?  Drop her an email:  

 

kimhites@gmail.com

Hope you are having a lovely summer friends!  

 

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All I can say is WOW!  Thanks Cat, for giving us this amazing upcoming tour/Normandie sneak peek.  The barn room is absolutely "swoon" worthy and I can hardly wait to see what treasures we bring home this year!

If your heart is beating fast after reading Cat's post and you're interested in joining our group this fall, drop me an email and I'll send you all the details for our tour on September 26 - October 3.  There is one available spot (potentially 2 if you want to bring a friend!) waiting for YOU!

À bientôt,

Kim