for Antiques Le Perche

What to see and do This little-known area of Normandy is a favourite bolthole of well-heeled Parisians and lovers of antiques and unusual

objets. The highlight is the enchanting town of Bellême, where the boutiques (below) o≠er everything from mighty 18th-century armoires to delicate vintage crockery. Try Brocante MMXI, 41 Rue Ville Close; La Maison Fassier, lamaisonfassier.fr; and Chez les Voisins, chezlesvoisins.fr. In Montagne-au-perche, the shop of antiques dealer and photographer Sylvain Cheriau and Carol Descordes, sylvaincheriau.com, is a must visit, while nearby Stephanie Mayeux, stephaniemayeux.com, collects taxidermy, furniture and garden statuary. Every summer, the area’s villages give over their streets to flea markets known as vides-greniers

(empty attic sales), host to a treasure trove of vintage items. Meanwhile, the road between the villages of Nogent-le-rotrou and Mâle (the D923) is home to several large warehouses full of fascinating finds.

Where to eat The tables in La Maison d’horbe (above), lamaisondhorbe. com, in the tiny village of La Perrière, are mixed in with its beautifully curated antiques shop, with dishes cooked in the open kitchen in the centre.

Where to stay Château de Saint Paterne, chateau-saintpaterne.com, was once a favourite getaway for French King Henry IV and is now the family residence of chef Charles-henry de Valbray, whose candlelit soirées are magical. The opulent salons feature a mix of his family antiques and

objets d’art collected on travels.