outdoor markets in paris or french riviera?

You may have given us too much to go on ;-)) Are you looking for food, doilies, an antique armoire, a vintage corkscrew, old postcards, or...food?
Here's a nice food market video from David Lebovitz to enjoy in the meantime, complete with Tarte Tatin:
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2011/12/visit-to-a-paris-bastille-market-video/

i was thinking of french linens,lavender gifts, souveniers, nick nacks?

Hi,

I just returned from the RS Loire/So France tour. There is a food and flower market in Nice from Tuesdays - Sunday. ( I believe those days are correct). It's right near the waterfront (basically one block back) in the Old Town area. On Mondays, it is an antiques market. I wasn't there at that time, so I can't comment on the quality. Have fun.

In RS France it lists markets for a given town, and often what the specialties are. For example it lists tablecloths for one of the markets in Arles, but don't know as far as Riviera. That book would be useful to you, library will probably have it if you don't.

Nice for linens, spices, and lavender..

Ths stuff you're looking for you should get in the south. It's too expensive in Paris. Those things are sold everywhere on the Riviera, not just markets.

Check your library (or Amazon) for a book called "Paris in a Basket". Every Paris market will be listed, with day of the week it occurs, goods described, address of each market, etc., etc.

I was going to suggest AbeBooks too, and interestingly, I don't see the book on Amazon. I like Abebooks, it's all smaller booksellers. Right now the book is there from $1 and up (free shipping sometimes), check the age of whichever version you find, plus it's a Canadian company, Norma ;-) though I normally buy from US shops due to shipping cost:

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&tn=Paris+in+a+Basket

Every city, town, village, and hamlet in southern France has a weekly market and you are bound to be in the right place at the right time for many of them. If you google the town name, "France", and "weekly market" you'll easily find which day each week local markets are held.
For example Pezenas google inquiry
The regular weekly markets carry all of the sorts of things you are looking for in abundance!

We love the markets in Paris. As someone said the book Paris in a Basket is a great coffee table book, but you can also look up the days and times on the Internet. Our favorites are the RueMouffetard market, the Saxe-Breteuill market, and the President Wilson market.Although these are mostly food..a great place to get lunch to have on a bench....they also have scarves and often small household things.If you need the times and best days send me a PM. Also on Saturday and Sunday we go to the Porte de Vanves flea market.....we go early... get there by 8 or 9. Many people go in the afternoon but most of the vendors are gone by then. They have wonderful old French things...I collect old hand-colored french postcards and my husband collects old French viewers and glass slides....they have old pastis pitchers old silver, jewelry , paintings, vintage clothing , books etc.Metro is Porte de Vanves.

Also if you are driving south on the way to the Riviera and happen to stop in L'isle sur la Sorgue they have a wonderful Sunday market....everything from trinkets to food to antiques. It is on Sunday.....amazing.Again go early...we stay there over the weekend in the Hotel Nevons and walk to the market.