Drue Bohrer grew up in Birmingham, Ala., surrounded by antiques and fell in love with French style while living in New Orleans. Now a Charlotte mom of three, she travels to the South of France four times a year to source European antiques for Drue Bohrer Antiques. The setting sounds glamorous but navigating five markets in eight days is, as Bohrer puts it, "a hustle."
6-7 A.M. FAIRYTALE BEFORE DAWN
We stay at four- and five-star resorts throughout the South of France—essential with as many moving parts as our trips require. The hotels are glamorous, though dinner is usually all we experience before another early morning. We're often in chateaus where waking up feels like a fairy tale—birds chirping, but it’s the calm before the storm.
7-8 A.M. COFFEE, CROISSANTS & THE CHASE
We pack the night before so everything’s ready for an early shower, quick change. Most hotels hand us a to-go breakfast—usually a croissant—before our driver, who we hire for the week, picks us up by 7 a.m. We’re at the market by 7:30, before it opens at 8. Every day is about making it work.
8 A.M. WHEN THE GATES OPEN
A sea of people lines up outside until a buzzer or air horn signals the rush—a calmer version of Black Friday in the '90s. We try British accents to blend in, but every strategy falls apart the second you walk in. The best pieces go fast, and if you hesitate, someone else's sticker is already on them. It's an adrenaline rush every morning for five days.
9:30 A.M.-1:15 P.M. THE SECOND PASS
After the first hour and a half, we strategize around what we've bought. I circle back to negotiate lower prices on unsold pieces, then shift into hunting mode for smaller finds—artwork, architectural elements, garden statues. A shipper follows us with a large truck, and each day ends with me confirming every purchase made it on board.
1:15 P.M.-5 P.M. FUEL STOPS & FINANCIAL FIRES
The markets move daily, so we drive two hours to the next city—grabbing sandwiches and coffee from surprisingly nice French gas stations. Cash is king, and managing large withdrawals became its own challenge. My business cards were shut down overseas, dealers laughed at my checkbook, and I ended up wiring money.
5-9 P.M. THE WIND-DOWN
We arrive, check in, and spend an hour exploring hotel grounds—once walking straight into a wedding. Dinner is at 7 p.m., often at the hotel, with Michelin-starred restaurants. We strategize, go to bed and do it all over again.
Find Drue's treasures at Slate Interiors, 2025 Thrift Road, Unit 100. Follow @druebohrerantiques.