I found a wonderful little shop in Lyon that sold handmade dolls. The doll faces were pre-made, but the woman who owns the shop was in the back sewing the beautiful clothing that was on them. All shapes and sizes, mine is a musical one with a beautiful lace headpiece and top part of a dress. Reasonable prices, and quite the souvenir. I can't remember the name or address right now, but it was near the opera house, down the block from Restaurant Anticipation. When I get home I'll check my records.

I just received my new book "New French Country" in the mail. There is a page or two on santons, with a picture. Surprisingly, my husband liked them. There were also some neat fabric shots. Apparently Provence has beautiful fabrics other than the Souleaido ones which don't fit my decor. There was also a page a faience from Moustiers. I loved the 18th century blue and white 'grotesques'. Wonder if they still make them. Underhill, if you haven't seen the book, I think you'd like it. I don't normally buy books because my library system is good, but I'm glad I bought this one.

Justretired,

We have visited St. Remy in Provence for many years.In my opinion, it has the best outdoor market for general merchandise ibn Provence. (Il sur Sorgue on Sundays for antiques.)

My wife is a shopper and often buys fabrics, children's clothes. Note there is a factory outlet for "Les Olivades" on the road from St. Remy direction Arles about a ten minute ride).

The Wednesday market is held from 8 to 1 in the middle of town, rain or shine. There usually is one Wed. in September, however, when a festival is held cancelling the market. Do check.

We have bought paintings from an artist, Denise Kupper, who now co-owns a hotel in St. Remy called "Sous Les Figues". She is a very nice person and a talented artist. We first met her at the Wednesday market.

Provence is wonderful in September and October though no lavender blooms that late. Be glad to answer any questions you may have.

Anthony

When in Provence a month ago, I fell in love with all the beautiful table cloths and fabrics, but the 100 Euro plus prices put me off. When in Beaune, I visited a Provencal shop and bought (an exta large size rectangular cloth) for 38 euros and thought I had a bargain, but later when in Lyon at the Place Hotel De Ville I wandered into a fabric shop and saw provencal fabric for less than 4 euros a meter. Now that was a bargain and it certainly made me glad I had not bought any fabric in Provence!

The 18th-century "grotesque" patterns are indeed still made in Moustier faience, and you can find it at upmarket stores throughout Provence if you won't be going to Moustiers yourself. Those are the shops that have good Provençal fabrics made up into table linens, high quality santons, and the like.

I have one piece of the 18th-century pattern, an oblong tray; it's my favorite.

If you wanted "completed" fabrics, like table clothes and linens, I found beautiful ones at the Arles market being sold for $25-45 for tableclothes.

Unherhill, glad you saw my post. I do confess to a weakness for blue and white china! I am just starting to line up my rooms for next April/May and do hope to spend one night in Moustiers Ste Marie. I need more fabric like a hole in the head, but if I saw the right piece, I have a sewing machine and could make my own placemats, pillows or whatever. However, the right blue and white floral quilt could be my downfall!

One thing I'm hoping to find this trip is more seat covers in Provençal fabrics. They're about 15" square and are used on top of cushions to save cleaning. Evidently it's hard to get the squares now because fabric-makers have changed the fabric widths, but I'm going to look. The last ones I found were in Moustiers, and they're really nice to have around. I got them in a small shop way up the hill at the back of the village.

Besides the 18th-century faience patterns you'll find a wide variety of more conemporary designs, often featuring lavender and olive patterns. My favorites are ones with fluted edges. Wait until you see the lamps!

Be careful of the quilted fabrics, which do not always stand up to washing or dry-cleaning.

Thanks for the warning on the quilted fabric. I hadn't thought of that. By the time I get over there, I'll probably be facing budget constraints anyway!

If you like almond flavor, a confection called Calissons d'Aix are very good. You can find them all over Provence, but they originated in Aix. They make nice gifts.

For those who like Antoine de Saint-Exupery and Le Petit Prince, Lyon has tons of wonderful souvenirs commemorating both--he is such a wonderful author for children and adults alike.

If you love fabrics, you might enjoy visiting the fabric museum in Lyon. I spent the entire day there. It is really fascinating. Lyon is very pedestrian; I spent a four day weekend there in May and loved it.

Anthony ( or anyone who knows about the September festival in St Remy),

I've tried to find a link that specifies when in September the festival is in St. Remy. Does anyone know what exactly the festival is and when it is held each year.

Tnaks, Margret

Dear Justretired: I was in St. Remy de Provence this past July and I enjoyed the many different boutiques there. I brought home several linen handbags for friends. They were made in lots of appealing colors (in varying sizes) and were well-crafted. Some French tourists, whom I met outside one of the shops, were also admiring the bags and we agreed that the bags were an especially good price.

To Justretired:

I believe the festival is held on the last Wed. in September (please check). It is for St. Roumy (Remy). Children's rides are put in the parking lot and no market is held. I am not one for websites but there is a tourist office in St. Remy.

We build our vacations to include 2/3 markets so we call our hotel, L'Amandiere, to find out just when the "festival" is held.

Any questions you can reach me at: [email protected]

Anthony

Letour. Am just curious. I just saw some linen handbags from Provence on some website-- can't remember the name, but they were about $85. Do you mind my asking how much they were in Provence?

Dear hopingtotravel;
My recollection that some of the smaller women's handbags, which came with leather straps, might have sold at one of the shops for as little as ten euros. Larger bags of the same design went for perhaps nineteen euros. The bags had an interior zipper pocket so I thought that they really had a fair amount of craftmanship for the price. The material might perhaps be a little bit more like a fine burlap than linen, but they were attractive and came in interesting colors: a moss green, a bright turquoise, a pumpkinish yellow/orange. Unfortunately, I can't find the slip where I purchased them but there are several shops in St. Remy that sell these handbags. Simple but smart!

There's a favorite shop I love in St Remy. Called 'Ebene" it's for the home decor. In Lourmarin, my favorite fragrances are from "Coté Bastide. They have a lovely shop that carries linens as well and some pottery, all their own line. The Soleido museum has fabric and clothes and gift items in the boutique.( I bought a farandole dancer and a lamb santon to add my collection)
In Ilse -sur-Sorgue, I like Michel Beihm's shop housed in his mansion.

Thanks. I just don't want to make the mistake of carrying something home from France that's twice the price I could pay in US. Let's see I have this Laura Ashley sweater that was selling for about 1/2 as much at Nordstrom in Alaska when I got home. However, I know that when I look at things I can always tell myself: I drove home with that jug between my knees all the way from Mexico, my husband bought that tweed sports jacket in a very, very remote corner of Ireland, etc, etc. Cigalechanta, I'm writing down the shop named Ebene. One way or another, St. Remy will be one place I make it to!

I don't know if you have left yet, hopingtotravel but I forgot to mention that the best gift I buy for some (because they are so pleased) are the tablecloths in the provencal patterns in oilcloth. Great for eating outdoors as well as in, a quick wipe and it's clean. I have 4 for the different seasons. But be sure to know the size of the table for whomever you are buying.