Shopping in Provence
-
A
Food Market
Pack a picnic basket from the 40-plus outlets filling Les Halles' food market.
reviewed
-
B
Roy René
Aix's sweetest treat since King René's wedding banquet in 1473 is the marzipan-like local speciality, calisson, a small, diamond-shaped chewy delicacy comprising 40% ground almonds and 60% fruit syrup, wrapped in a communion wafer and glazed with white icing sugar. When the Great Plague came into town in 1630, calissons supposedly staved off the disease. Traditional calissonniers still make the sweets, including Roy René, which also runs guided tours at its out-of-town factory/museum.
reviewed
-
C
Marché aux Puces
Marseille's premier market has to be seen to be believed. You can spend ages perusing the many indoor and outdoor stalls and if you start to get hungry, live chickens are killed to order, although there are less violent alternatives too. African carved animals and Marseille sweaters are among the colourful sights you can enjoy.
reviewed
-
D
Fresh Fish Market
The small but enthralling fish market is a daily fixture at the Vieux Port docks. Cours Julien hosts a Wednesday-morning organic fruit and vegetable market and an Aladdin's cave bric-a-brac market every second Sunday of the month (running from 08:00 to 19:00; metro Notre Dame du Mont-Cours Julien).
reviewed
-
Saturday morning market
Amble the Saturday morning market stretching the length of the main boulevard, selling strong cheese, Camargue salt, olive oil, and bull sausages. On Wednesday, market stalls set up along blvd Émile Combes.
reviewed
-
Les Olivades
Colour, texture, pattern, mood... Stock up - or just gaze longingly - at this supplier of beautiful fabric. It's available by the yard or you can buy such finery as ready-made clothes, coverings and napkins.
reviewed
-
E
Prado Market
This daily market stretches from the Castellane metro station along av du Prado to the Périer metro station, with a staggering array of clothes, fruit and speciality items. Flower market Friday morning.
reviewed
-
F
Le Magasin La Baguetterie des Batteurs
Music shops are massed around cours Julien, including the specialist drum shop, Le Magasin La Baguetterie des Batteurs, jam-packed with djembes (West African hand drums), kits, sticks and more.
reviewed
-
G
72% Pétanque
Olive soaps, olive oils and brilliantly named preserves (Gratte-Cul meaning ‘Scratchy Ass’ being just one of them; for the record, it’s dog-rose jam) fill 72% Pétanque
reviewed
-
Food Markets
Stretches the length of the main boulevard selling strong cheese, Camargue salt, olive oil and bull sausages. On Wednesday, market stalls set up along bd Émile Combes (east of Les Arènes).
reviewed
Advertisement
-
H
Librairie Van Gogh
Shopping wrapped around the courtyard Of the Espace Van Gogh Cultural Centre, with an extensive range of art and history books in French and English, and regional travel guides.
reviewed
-
I
Cours Julien
Cours Julien hosts various morning markets: fresh flowers on Wednesday and Saturday, antique books alternate Saturdays, and stamps or antique books on Sunday.
reviewed
-
J
Jacquèmes
Pick up gourmet goodies at Jacquèmes, a fantastic épicerie (grocery) that sells cheese, cold meats, sausages and 500 types of whisky.
reviewed
-
K
Virgin Megastore
The Virgin Megastore, serves as a billetterie (ticket office) as well as a shop - check out cultural events in Wednesday's L'Hebdo and buy tickets here.
reviewed
-
L
La Chocolatière du Panier
To fill your picnic basket, try La Chocolatière du Panier, with weird-and-wonderful flavours of handmade chocolates like onion and lavender.
reviewed
-
M
Le Goût de l'Enfance
At Le Goût de l'Enfance you can buy by Le Panier legend Mme Brigitte Garelli's homemade jam (it's also served by cafés in the quarter).
reviewed
-
Markets
Wednesday-morning organic fruit and vegetable market and an Aladdin’s cave bric-a-brac market every second Sunday of the month.
reviewed
-
N
Place aux Huiles
Provençal goodies like olive oils, chocolates and teas.
reviewed
-
O
Garlic Market
Follow your nose to the Marseille garlic market, where strings of Provence's favourite bulb hang in their thousands.
reviewed
-
P
La Farandole
Shops that specialise in saucissons d'Arles (local bull-meat sausages) include La Farandole.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
Q
Covered Mall
Find art and antique galleries on rue du Limas and inside the covered mall beneath Hôtel du Petit Louvre.
reviewed
-
R
La Maison du Pastis
Sample over 90 varieties of the region’s speciality, pastis (an aniseed-flavoured aperitif), or try absinthe.
reviewed
-
S
Atelier Buisson Kessler
Small poterie (pottery) workshop specialising in contemporary, big'n'bold bowls, plates and tiles.
reviewed
-
T
Faïences Atelier du Viel Apt
Earthenware featuring the gold and mud-coloured marbled finish that was all the rage in 18th-century Apt.
reviewed
-
U
Puyricard
Next door to Christian Lacroix is Puyricard, purveying exquisite handmade Provençal chocolates.
reviewed