• Eleven covered markets, so much of the browsing stays dry on a rainy weekend
• Bus 85 to the door, stopping at Marché aux Puces, or metro line 4 to Porte de Clignancourt and a short walk under the ring road
• Each market has its own identity, so pick two or three rather than trying to cover all seven hectares with kids

The Puces de Saint-Ouen is the world's largest cluster of antique and secondhand dealers, spread over seven hectares just past the northern edge of Paris. Eleven covered markets, among them Vernaison, Paul Bert Serpette and Dauphine, sit alongside five shopping streets and sidewalk stalls. Kids who like a treasure hunt can wander narrow alleys packed with old furniture, paintings, crystal and vintage clothes.