2 Euro entertainment

If my first day in Argelès was the vide grenier, it was appropriate that the last before returning home to Geneva, a brocante at the Château Valmy. I never really appreciated antiques that much until a woman I knew showed me some of the more interesting things. She could have had a bumper sticker that said, I break for antique stores.

I should have walked to the Château instead of spewing more pollutants into the environment. It is only about 20 minutes on foot and I would have been able to appreciate the flowers and vineyards on route, but I hadn’t realised that there were sidewalks all the way. Next time.

Those who know my anti-shopping stance may wonder, why I did this…

Well having trailed my friend through fairs, shops and auction rooms, I had learned a lot. Combine that with several BBC programs on antiques, I have learned a bit. So each time I go, I “buy” stuff for my imaginary farm house.

My purchases this time included

• A wooden trunk with all edges covered in iron to hold linens
• A Napoleon daybed for my office in case I have an overflow of guests
• A Scandinavian style pitcher and glasses in a triangle shape coloured chocolate and mint
• A five toothpick thick silver stick with a retractable ball and little silver threads to debubble champagne (the woman explained for people who can’t take the bubbles)
• A geometric paining of lavender in a style that could have been done by an offsping of Gauguin if his genes were mixed with Van Gogh
• A red corner cabinet painted with half moon laughing faces perfect for storing CDs
• Three book cases with light green and stencilled painted cabinets under the shelves for my library

As I left the brocante, a man with a hooded falcon on his leather-gloved wrist, talked to one of the ticket takers. Below the Mediterranean was grey against the grey sky.

For 2 Euros I had two hours of entertainment. No worry about deliveries. No worry about rearranging anything. No worry about credit card bills coming in. One of the great advantages of furnishing my imaginary house.