Marseille Shopping

The santons ("little saints") became popular during the French Revolution (1789), when cribs in churches were forbidden. Inhabitants of Marseille realised "public" cribs. Very soon, each family has its own crib home.

Santons are small personnages made out of clay or resin and painted. Main figures are the angel, the saint family, the animals, the shepherd, the Three Wise Men, ... Important fairs are held in Marseille, Aix-en-Provence and Aubagne.

Interesting description at http://www.santonsmarcelcarbonel.com/.

Centre Bourse is situated North and Close to Old Port. It contains many shops like Nouvelles Galeries (part of Galeries Lafayette), FNAC, Habitat, ...
Mon-Sat 10am-7pm. Was opened till 7.30pm and even on the Ascension-day!

Nathalie Rouveyrol and her husband created this magnificent shop of SPECIALITIES.....

You can see, taste and buy many different kind of olive oil (huil = oil) with or without special herbs and other plants/flowers.

You can taste the different oils on a little piece of bread.
When you have made your choice the oil can be put in a bottle for you: fresh as fresh can be.....

Amazing, amazing what they have on offer for us, who find there shop: specialities such as TAPENADES, HONEY, LAVENDER products, soap, bath gels and oh, so much more......you will need some time to take it all in and to decide what to buy......l'embarras du choix ici.......which means that it is difficult to make your choice!

The shop is a feast to visit....

There are 2 addresses where they sell their products:

2, Place Daviel - 13002 Marseille (photograph)
tel. 33(0)4 91 90 05 55
open: daily 10AM - 1PM and 2PM - 7PM

and

59, rue d'Italie, 13100 AIX-EN-PROVENCE
tel. 33(0)4 42 38 71 77

open: Mondays through Saturdays 9.30AM - 1.30 PM and 2.30PM - 7.30PM

UNIQUE IN MARSEILLE....

This is a very lovely place: the atmosphere is from the 1900s, the terrace faces Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde (Basilica).

Here they have on offer : 65 Pastis and Absinths which you can TASTE and BUY.

They also have: Anisettes, gifts-presentation boxes, accessories and they make it clear that the products are local and of the highest quality!!

This place, l'Heure Verte is NOT TO BE MISSED....

2 addresses:
108 Quai du Port, 13002 Marseille
tel.: 0033(0)4 91 90 86 77
and nextdoor nr. 106
tel.: 0033(0)4 91 90 12 73

Down the Old Port, past the Theatre La Criee, there are several shops that sell exclusively things to do with ships and the sea. Here is where you can get that sailor's wheel you have always wanted, or art-deco posters of the old shipping companies, or even the famous mariners pullover, the blue and white striped hoops made fanous by Marseillais sailors (and so loved by Picasso).

Do your shopping on rue St. Ferreol, for here is where the best magasins are to be found. I personally love Celio and Celio Sport - i bought my nice orange jumper here. This is where all the major clothes stores are to be found, as wellas Virgin Megastore. It is semi-pedestrianised, and runs off of La Canebiere.

The streets off La canebiere are a wealth of shops of all sorts, some with street stalls. The area gets very crowded, be street wise. A Friendly policeman told me to look after my camera.

Lots of lovely market stalls selling various delicacies and crafts.

What to buy: Soap appears to be the main "local" ware. Have your own names inscribed on a gift set.

What to pay: Inexpensive