Page 222 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Provence & The Côte d'Azur

220  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

SHOPS AND MARKETS

Shopping in Provence is one of life’s great of famous names in which to window-shop.
delights. Even the tiniest village may be If the idea of cramming fresh foodstuffs
home to a potter or painter, or you may into your luggage to take back home
arrive on market day to find regional proves too daunting, Provence has
produce – artichokes, asparagus, wild perfected the fine art of packaging its
mushrooms – still fresh with the dew from produce, with the bottles, jars and boxes
the surrounding fields. Larger towns are often works of art in themselves. This
packed with individual boutiques selling section provides guidelines on opening
anything from dried flowers to chic baby hours and the range of goods with
clothes, and the fashion-conscious will a Provençal flavour to be found in
always be able to find an avenue or two the many stores and markets.

Markets
This guide gives the market days
for every town featured. To find
out where the market is, ask a
passer­by for le marché. Markets
are morning affairs, when the
produce is super­fresh – by noon
the stall­holders will already be
packing up and the best bargains
will have sold out hours ago. By
A butcher and a store selling household goods in a village in Provence French law, price tags must state
the origin of all produce: du pays
Opening Hours
Supermarkets selling clothes means local.
Food shops open at around 8am and sundries (supermarchés), Les marchés de Provence were
and close at noon for lunch, such as Monoprix and immortalized in song by Gilbert
a break that may last for up to Champion, are usually found Bécaud, and rightly so. In a
three hours. After lunch, most in town centres. Most of the country famed for its markets,
shops stay open until 7pm, upscale department stores these are among the best.
sometimes even later in big (grands magasins), such as Some are renowned – cours
towns. Bakers often stay open Galeries Lafayette and Prin­ Saleya (see p88) in Nice and the
until 1pm or later, serving tasty temps are located in cities. food and flower markets of Aix
lunchtime snacks. Most super­ (see p152), for example, should
markets and hypermarkets stay Specialist Shops not be missed. Others take
open throughout lunchtimes. more searching out, such
Non­food shops are open One of the great pleasures of as the truffle markets of the
9am–7pm Mon–Sat, but most shopping in Provence is that Var. Try Aups (see p108) on a
will close for lunch. Many are specialist food shops still flourish Thursday during truffle season,
closed on Monday mornings. despite the presence of large from November to February.
Food shops and newsagents supermarkets. The bread shop
open on Sunday mornings but (boulangerie) is usually combined
almost every shop is closed on with the pâtisserie selling cakes
Sunday afternoon. Small shops and pastries. The cheesemonger
may close for one day a week (fromagerie) may also be
out of high season. combined with a shop selling
other dairy produce (laiterie), but
the boucherie (butcher) and the
Larger Shops
charcuterie (delicatessen) tend to
Hypermarkets (hypermarchés or be separate shops. A traiteur sells traiteur sells traiteur
grandes surfaces) can be found prepared foods. For dry goods
on the outskirts of every sizeable and general groceries, you will
town: look out for the signs need to go to an épicerie.
indicating the Centre Commercial. Cleaning products and
Among the largest are Casino, household goods are sold
Auchan, E.LeClerc and Carrefour. at a droguerie and hardware
Discount petrol is usually sold at at a quincaillerie. Booksellers
24­hour petrol pumps where you (librairies) in the main towns Enjoying a drink next to a flower shop in
need a pin card and chip to pay. sometimes sell English books. Luberon, Vaucluse