36 Best Places to Shop in France

Within walking distance of the town center and tourist office, this traditional bakery for the boat-shaped navette, an emblematic cookie of Marseille and Provence, was revived by the founder of the Provence-based cosmetics giant, L'Occitane. Delicately perfumed with orange flower water, the oblong cookie is said to represent the boat that brought saints Mary Magdalene and Martha to the coast near Marseille. Other traditional biscuits, flavored with lemon, almond, anise, or orange flower (including calissons d'Aix and macarons made from local almonds) are baked here by hand in gourmet versions updated by Paris superstar pâtissier Pierre Hermé. Though you'll also find them in gastronomic shops, all of the biscuits made here—easily transportable in tins—are sold in the Biscuiterie store at a 10% discount.

Stroll through the vast ground floor of this high-end children's clothing store, located inside a 17th-century mansion, and you'll feel like royalty on a private visit to a friend's estate which happens to have beautiful clothing for babies and children on display. The rooms wrap around a large, private garden and helpful salespeople will assist in finding the perfect gift for a pretty penny.

The store's A-list fashion credentials come with a big bonus—everything here is ethically and ecologically sourced. Peruse racks of men's and women's wear from handpicked European and U.S. labels, then head to the stellar shoe department to complete your look. Beneath glass skylights as clear as your conscience, you'll also find a fine selection of natural candles, leather goods, and jewelry. The kids' store just around the corner ( 22 rue Yves Toudic) is one of the city's best, with toys, decor, and color-coordinated togs that express canal-side cool.

This 19th-century taxidermist has long been a must-see for curiosity seekers. A 2008 fire destroyed what was left of the original shop, but it has been lavishly restored and remains a cabinet of curiosities par excellence. Create your own box of butterflies or metallic beetles from scores of bug-filled drawers or just enjoy the menagerie that includes stuffed zebras, monkeys, lions, bears, and more. Also in stock: collectible shells, corals, and crustaceans, plus a generous library of books and posters that once graced every French schoolroom. There is a line of sculptural displays designed by artists, as well as decorative posters, wallpaper murals, and much more.

Known for its lush orchards, Apt excels at a technique for preserving fresh fruit that dates from Roman times and was prized by everyone from the French popes to Madame Sévigné. At this local cooperative, founded in 1962, the old techniques were updated to 20th-century standards, but the colorful local fruits preserved in all their sun-ripened glory are still a sight to behold, and you can taste things before buying. Bigarreau cherries from the Luberon are a favorite, but you'll also find Cavaillon melons; Provence apricots, figs, plums, pears; Corsican clementines; and, of course, candied ginger.

Aix's most famous purveyor of calissons offers an assortment of the delicate almond pastries in gourmet flavors and enticing colors along with the white-frosted classic. The Rue Gaston de Saporta location is the flagship, but its wonderful museum just outside the city center ( 5380 rte. d’Avignon) delves into the history and making of this sweet and is well worth a visit. The shop also sells fruit syrups, biscuits, cakes, nougats, and a variety of other beautifully packaged candies that are perfect for gifts.

With more than 100 stalls, Nîmes's central covered market is an excellent spot to stock up on all the area's gastronomic specialties: crisp PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) picholine olives and olive oil, anchoïade (a heady mix of anchovies crushed with garlic and olive oil), Pélardons goat cheeses from nearby Cévennes, and Costières de Nîmes wines.  For deeply satisfying regional cuisine—think brandade or taureau (bull's meat) with Camargue rice—and the convivial company of locals, head to Halles Auberge, which is open daily for lunch.

This confiseur (confectioner) dates from 1866 and is in its fifth generation of family ownership on the same St-Rémy premises. It makes the famous Provençal calisson, an almond-shape marzipan confection, as well as a gorgeous array of candied fruits—from cherries and strawberries to kiwis and even whole pumpkins—using a recipe credited to Nostradamus (a native son of St-Rémy). There are also fruit syrups, jams, chocolates, and regional honey. A tour of the factory and a stop in the beautiful boutique are pleasurable ways to spend and hour or two.

If "made in France" sounds good to you, head to this 190-year-old Marseille institution, which sells all things French. The main store carries everything from housewares and hardware to timeless perfumes, classic toys, and true Savon de Marseille. A second shop across the street ( 8 rue des Recolettes) has irresistible clothing and accessories for women, men, and kids, including wool or sheepskin slippers, rakish straw hats, cashmere capes, chunky wool sweaters, and cotton work shirts.

This toy shop has anything you can imagine for the French home (and garden) in miniature, such as Lilliputian croissants, wine decanters, and minuscule instruments in their cases. Build-it-yourself dollhouses include a 17th-century town house and a boulangerie storefront. Upstairs are do-it-yourself teddy-bear kits and classic toys.

This beloved clothing store, originally for kids, provides a fundamental part of the classic French wardrobe from cradle to teen and beyond. The signature T-shirt—cut close to the body, with smallish shoulders—works equally well with school uniforms or vintage Chanel. Thanks to timeless designs, the high-grade cotton clothes remain wardrobe staples year after year; however, lines in cotton-silk or cotton-cashmere and popular collaborations with chic designers like Christian Lacroix or Inès de la Fressange mean there's now even more in store. There are boutiques in all the major shopping neighborhoods. Stock up: if you can find this brand back home, the prices are sure to be higher.

Open since 1977, this family-owned boutique specializes in high-end traditional board games such as chess and backgammon, but also two- and three-dimensional puzzles, games made of wood, and ones you’ve never heard of like Nain Jaune ("Yellow Dwarf," a very old French game) and other ancient card games. With over 2,000 items in stock, many made by French artisans, the game-passionate staff has an endless number of suggestions and advice to help you find the perfect original gift that no one else will have back home.

Le Passage des Princes—one of the city’s historic covered passages—is home to Paris’s most comprehensive toy store. Part of a large French chain, the two-level Village JouéClub carries all the usual suspects (Barbie, Disney, Hello Kitty, and the like) plus the better traditional European brands, including Vilac, Moulin Roty, and L'Atelier du Bois. It’s made up of more than 10 “shops,” each of which is dedicated to a different age group or toy genre. Virtually every kind of plaything is here, so be prepared to linger.

Fancy chocolates are a specialty of the Basque Country, and you can sample some at this store that is also a workshop. Before you decide which kind to take home, go on a tour (€6.80) to watch chocolates being made by the chefs and try some samples.

Bonton takes the prize for most-coveted duds among those who like to think of children as fashion accessories. (Moms may find some useful wardrobe pointers, too.) Sassy separates in saturated colors layer beautifully, look amazing, and manage to be perfectly kid-friendly. Bonton sells toys and furniture, too.

Remember the joy and wonder upon entering that toy store from your childhood? Recapture it here with playthings of yesterday and today. You'll find wooden educational toys and games, music boxes, kaleidoscopes, and gifts for newborns. 

This famous bakery, up the street from Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde, has made orange-spice, shuttle-shape navettes in the same oven since it opened in 1781. These cookies are modeled on the little boat that, it is said, carried Lazarus and the Three Marys (Mary Magdalene, Mary Salome, and Mary Jacobe) to the nearby shore.

The perfume giant originated in Provence, and its offerings—from irresistible range of perfumes, soaps, and cosmetics to its fabrics, fashions for the entire family, and home decor—all celebrate the region’s sun-kissed fruit, flowers, and colors. The latest fragrance collection focuses on lemon flower, but scents like night-blooming jasmine, fleur d’orange, lilac, and iris are perennial favorites.

Although he's known for his creamy ganaches, Joël Durand also offers a range of gourmet chocolates, nut creams, and toffees, as well as marmalades made in Provence from tree-ripened fruit.

Since 1946, this artisanal candy shop has specialized in the traditional sweets every French child grew up with, including the famous Berlingots de Carpentras, the tiny striped, fruit-flavored candies made in the area since the 14th century. An enticing range of Provençal nougat, biscuits flavored with orange blossom, pralines, and much more make great mementoes and gifts.

You might just be lucky enough to arrive at this old town artisanal chocolaterie on a day when you can watch the confections being made by hand. Specialties include delicately perfumed ganache-filled chocolates, calissons, and chocolate bars laden with dried fruit and nuts.

Head here for the best breads in town, particularly rustic sourdough and traditional Provençal loafs, as well as delicious pastries.

This enchanting shop dates from 1761 and is the oldest continuously open confectionary in Paris. Though it has gone the way of the chain, with multiple boutiques in Paris, À la Mère de Famille retains its authenticity and is well versed in French regional specialties as well as old-fashioned bonbons, chocolates, marzipan, ice creams, and more.

With a history that dates back to the 16th century, the Marché St-Germain has undergone many transformations in its lifetime. The current structure of stone arcades, which wrap around an entire city block, was built in 1817. The ground floor of this elegant complex is now home to an Apple store, a Uniqlo, and an appetizing grocery store that connects to a gourmet food court called the marché couvert St-Germain, an indoor space for epicureans. This indoor market is home to greengrocers, a fishmonger, a cheesemonger, a butcher, a florist, and a number of international food stalls. It's open every day except Monday.

You can watch the talented baker at work in the kitchen of this bakery–boutique filled with glass jars of enticing and original cookie creations, as well as traditional biscuits perfumed with orange flower and other irresistible spices. There are plenty of gluten-free versions, in addition to a range of Provençal specialty foods.

This playful boutique is a haven for adorable children’s items, colorful home decor, and charming gifts. From quirky stationery to unique accessories, every item is thoughtfully curated to spark joy.

Near the train station, Leonard Parli offers a lovely selection of calissons.

This deeply Provençal boutique, known for its beautiful cotton textiles and smart tailoring, has been dressing elegant men and women, kids, and cowboys, since 1938. The colorful prints are original 18th- and 19th-century designs from the manufacturer's archives. You'll also find a range of quality accessories, home goods, and fabrics sold by the meter.

The most picturesque shop specializing in calissons is the venerable bakery Béchard, founded in 1870.

At this family-owned confectioner, renowned for Provençal sweets since 1948, you can sample all the regional favorites, including candied fruits (a specialty of the Vaucluse since Roman times), cakes and small pastries, chocolates, calissons d’Aix, guimauves (flavored marshmallows), and more. The charming on-site café also serves tea or coffee, along with savory lunch dishes.