4 Best Places to Shop in France

At this shop next to the Bastide de Moustiers, second-generation potter Franck Scherer custom-made plates for Alain Ducasse's auberges. You can visit the workshop and buy pieces with tiny flaws at a reduced price.

If you love fine earthenware and place settings, you may have already heard about this company, which has been around for over 200 years. The factory is a few hours from Paris, but this welcoming boutique has a beautiful selection of their latest patterns, including a few items illustrated by designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. If you're looking for something easy to pack in your luggage, check out the espresso cups or tiny collectible plates with motifs which will remind you of France.

It took four years for this 17th-century mansion to be transformed into a masterpiece of Japanese craftsmanship, and that hard work is evident, from the rough wabi-sabi walls and the graceful sculptural touches to the ethereal handmade porcelain tea and dinnerware for sale in this boutique and pastry shop, also featuring organic Japanese teas and pastries.

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. There are also guided tours every day at 5 pm from April to October (€3).