Val de Briey. Flea market: Do you regret buying this item on your stand?

We think of that pedal exerciser that we put under our desk to work our calves while sitting or that yogurt maker, which, after the first use, ends up in a cupboard... We've all fallen for an object, which turned out to be useless. At the Briey flea market, we asked exhibitors if they take responsibility for everything on their stand.

The exhibitors at the Val de Briey flea market on Sunday, September 7, were all smiles. Photo by Fred Lecocq

The 125 exhibitors who bought their linear meters for the Val de Briey flea market, this Sunday, September 7, are smiling. The sun is out and, by extension, so are the visitors. Whether on Avenue du Roi-de-Rome , Rue de la Kaukenne or Rue Alice-Lavallée, deals are plentiful at low prices. But we know that amidst a coffee set we're selling to buy a more modern one or children's games we've abandoned because they've grown up, there's an unusual object that our hearts have been beating for... but that we regret buying.

Thomas presents it open, offered to the curiosity of passersby. Inside the lid of the wooden box are a corkscrew bottle opener, a thermometer, a metal stopper, and a drip-proof Bacchus necklace. But that's not all! It's also equipped with pieces for a game of chess! "Look, the board is on the other side, on top of the closed box." For the exhibitor, who came from Valleroy, this isn't a regret purchase, since it's a gift! "It's what Sovab offered as a Christmas package a few years ago. There were two bottles of wine and a terrine." Did he like the gift? "Yes! There's nothing left in it," Thomas smiles. "But I've never played chess with it..." He hopes to get €5 for it.

The object, still in its cardboard box, is installed a little behind Sylviane's stand. Made of white plastic, it contains a metal basket. "This allows you to avoid putting the asparagus directly into the water," explains the Mousterian. And isn't that good, with a good old saucepan? "Let's say that if the asparagus is overcooked, it will soften and no longer stand up straight. Here, we don't have that problem. They stay put." Has this object been used a lot in her home? "Quite a bit, yes! I don't regret buying it. But now, I steam a lot of things. So, I'm getting rid of it." Its price: €2.

This one catches the eye with its vintage design, round with two small handles at the end and its rather heavy appearance, since it's made of cast iron. Besides, its current owner is mistaken about its function. "No, no, it's not for making crepes. It allows you to make wafers that you put with scoops of ice cream!" replies his flea market teammate. He sells it for €10. After some research, they even talk about a bricelet iron with its delicate patterns reproduced on biscuits. "I clear out houses. I give to associations, notably Secours Catholique, all the clothes and small everyday things. I resell the rest," shares Jean-Marc Genet. "Objects take people on a journey through space and time."