From luxury resorts to stylish hotels, glamour is the hallmark of the French Riviera and shopping follows suite. Chic boutiques, fashion houses, designer labels, artwork and antiques attract a select clientele but window gazing is free and a pleasure for everyone.
French Riviera Shopping, Cannes Haute Couture and St Tropez Sandals
Price tags may be astounding in Cannes but walking down the elegant rue d’Antibes or the Croisette is the stuff of dreams. Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Jean-Paul Gaultier and more display the latest designs in French and Italian haute couture. Shoes, cosmetics and perfumes, jewellery and other accessories complete the picture.
St Tropez along the coast is for trendy clothes, designer sunglasses and the famous gladiator-style sandals, handmade by the Rondini family since 1927. They come in all sizes and colours, with thick long lasting soles and a range of leather uppers, including snake and crocodile skin.
Beyond the exclusive boutiques, affordable shopping can be found in all the resorts. Top of the list is the traditional Provence fabric, for clothes, linen or interior decoration. Look out for brightly printed cotton or the more expensive boutis, a stylish quilted fabric with appliqué motifs.
Luxury Shopping on Cote d’Azur, French Antiques and Artwork
Drawn by the light and vivid colours, artists come in their droves to the French Riviera. Connoisseurs might just spot the rising stars but there’s plenty for everyone to enjoy and take home as a memento. Browse the art galleries, the artists’ studios, the upmarket souvenir shops and from lavender fields to medieval villages or the Bay of Angels, something is sure to appeal.
For the well heeled clientele, French antiques are big business on the Cote d'Azur. Antique fairs, dealers or flea markets, all sorts of treasures can be uncovered, be it in Antibes, Cannes, Nice or beyond. Popular items include furniture, such as wedding wardrobes or dressers from Provence, terracotta table ware, vases and lamps, stone statues and sundials, maps, prints, antique jewellery and walnut or olive wood utensils.
Designer Perfumes in Grasse, Occitane en Provence for Beauty Care
Inland from the coast, Grasse enjoys the ideal climate for growing flowers. The town claims 2/3 of natural French fragrance with designer brands such as Fragonard, Molinard and Galimard. Jasmine plays a key part in Provence perfume industry, complemented by mimosa, roses, lavender and citrus blossom. Designer perfumes, eau de toilette and men’s fragrance may be spicy or woody, floral or oriental.
L’Occitane en Provence offers natural beauty products inspired by Mediterranean plants and flowers. There’s skin and hair care, fragrance and shower and bath foams. Ingredients are carefully combined, each one with specific properties. Almond nourishes the skin, lavender relaxes, lemon purifies, aloe vera regenerates, immortelle combats ageing. It’s one of the best and most affordable treats on any shopping spree in the French Riviera.
Solange Hando - I am a travel writer, editor and photographer, contributing to a range of publications in the UK and worldwide.
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