Sourcing in France: Behind the Scenes of Our First Trip Abroad

This spring marked a big milestone for Alban Rae Home, our first ever sourcing trip abroad. We headed to Amiens in northern France for La Grande réderie d’Amiens, one of the largest and most-loved antiques markets in the country.

It was also my first time driving abroad, so I deliberately kept things simple: Amiens was about 1hr40mins drive from Calais, all on one toll road, making it easy and less overwhelming. I’d seen enough YouTube videos and blog posts to know it was well-organised, friendly, and held in a beautiful historic town. I’m happy to say it completely lived up to expectations.

We arrived the day before, cart in tow…

Although the market officially starts on Sunday, some stalls start setting up the night before. We got to Amiens on Friday, giving us a chance to settle in and explore before the sourcing madness began. Parking early was key - we found a free open-air spot just minutes from the edge of the market, which meant we could drop off our finds in between stretches of hunting.

April gifted us a bit of everything: sunshine and April showers. We came prepared; rain, wind, cold, sun, dark… you must be ready for it all because nothing stops the market. Not the weather, or the early starts. If you pause, you’ll likely miss something.

The energy was like a festival

It felt like the difference between watching a local gig and going to a full-blown music festival. Thousands of stalls spilling across road after road. A mix of locals and professionals, with cafés tucked in between. I had to dust off my GCSE French, but was always greeted with a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

With my best friend by my side, even the soggy, sleep-deprived moments became part of the joy. We both love a good treasure hunt, patisserie and meal out, and soaking up the atmosphere, it really was the perfect girls’ trip.

The collection itself

I didn’t go with a trendy shopping list. The French Drop, like all of our collections, was curated in the same timeless, considered style that defines Alban Rae Home. That doesn’t change with geography.  

Each piece had to earn its place - by instinct, tone, condition, and whether I could imagine it in my own home. If something didn’t feel quite right, I left it behind. I had to love it. That was the bar.

What we brought back is a collection of rooted in quality and feeling, not quantity. 21 one-of-a-kind pieces I simply couldn’t leave behind.

A new chapter for Alban Rae Home

This was our first sourcing trip abroad, and it won’t be the last. There’s something special about stepping into the world of French antiques firsthand. It felt like a natural evolution for the brand, not a shift in style, but an expansion of our heritage.

We’ll be returning to Amiens again this October (prepared with warmer layers!). But this first trip will always hold a special place.

I can't wait to share this collection with you.

Fiona

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The French Drop Launches on Sunday 17th August at 8pm.

For 24 hour early access to shop the collection you can join the waitlist here. For 10% off your first order, and more behind the scenes access to this collection, as well as all future collections, you can subscribe and become and ARH Insider here.