Hi my name is Deb Zaharchuk. I am dreamer. I am mom, a teacher, a bibliophile, a collector, an artist? Art connoisseur, art enthusiast? All of the above. Definitely a Francophile, and now I can safely add flaneur to the list, flaneur extraordinaire. What is a flaneur? A flaneur is a person who strolls, or wanders idly, observing people and life.

My favorite thing to do is to stroll through a flea market. I love digging through dusty boxes, looking at old photos and postcards, and browsing the stalls and tables in search of treasure. I love vintage jewelry and art and clothing. And smalls- all those beautiful, tiny things like Limoges boxes and memento pins, velvet ribbons, mother of pearl buttons and Parisian postcards… I love them all.

I have always dreamed of having a shop of my own and visiting the markets of France, especially Paris. In 2020, my life took a turn—as everyone’s did, and I found myself taking care of family and a friend who was ill. I was unable to return to my beloved job as a reading teacher, so I instead used my time to start an Etsy shop. I practiced my French and continued to dream of someday getting to Europe.

In 2023, my daughter and I took the leap and planned our own trip to Paris. We thought it would be a once in a lifetime kind of thing— but we were hooked. Fast forward several trips and a lot of markets later, and I am ready to host a group trip of my own! I would love to share my enthusiasm and knowledge and take you to the ten day antique fair or to St. Ouen, the original market of the fleas. I can help you find what you are looking for and negotiate with the friendly vendors- you might even learn a little French of your own along the way!

I am busy curating trip itineraries, sourcing vintage, crafting my Etsy listings, and creating art classes to teach in person!

A bateau is a boat. My shop is named Blue Bateau because I was inspired by the boats that I watched bobbing in the Seine on my dream trip of a lifetime. Live your dream and go seek out your own little blue boat!