6 Best Shopping in Toulouse and the Languedoc, France

Pastel (also known as woad) has been part of Occitanie's regional heritage since medieval times. Farmers from around Albi and merchants from Toulouse grew wealthy from trading this natural blue pigment until it was supplanted by indigo from Asia. Today, it's having a comeback, not just as a pigment but as a wonderful natural skin care product. Carole Garcia and Natalie Juin purvey a range of pastel-based products from their Albi store.

The finest foie gras in town is found at Alby Foie Gras.

A Saturday-morning flea and antiques market is held in the Halle du Castelviel.

Hélene Vié's unique floating boutique, La Maison de la Violette, celebrates the flower that has been emblematic of Toulouse since Napoleon's time. A box of crystallized violets or a bottle of violet liqueur makes a suitably imperial souvenir.

Michel Belin's chocolate delights are deservedly famous.

Excellent local ceramics can be found at this picturesque crafts center. Crowds flock here over Christmas to see the tiny—and extremely detailed—Nativity scenes made with ceramic figurines called santons.