Our recommendations
Provence also tells its story at its market stalls. Just a few minutes from La Milane, the markets of Aix, Lourmarin, and Cassis bring together producers and artisans who perpetuate skills that are sometimes centuries old: olive oil, tapenade, calissons, but also printed fabrics, santons (Provençal figurines), and earthenware.
Here, we've selected our favorite spots. The ones we go to ourselves, where the products are made on-site, and where the welcome is worth the trip. Enough to create your own gourmet and artisanal itinerary, between Cabriès, Aix-en-Provence, and Marseille.
Porvençal Markets
Aix-en-Provence
- Food market: Place Richelme (every morning); Comtals Squares (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)
- Textile, crafts, and flea market: Cours Mirabeau and surrounding squares (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)
Cassis
- Place Baragnon and adjacent streets (Wednesday and Friday)
La Seyne-sur-Mer
- Cours Louis Blanc / Fish Market (Tuesday to Sunday morning)
Lourmarin
- Typical village (Friday morning)
Carro
- Fish Market (daily, 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.), on the port. Fresh catch sold directly by local fishermen (tuna, sea bass, sea bream, Red mullet…), oysters and sea urchins available on Sundays
savory Provençal products
- Olive oil (AOP Provence)
- Tapenade (black or green olives)
- Anchovies
- Herbes de Provence (thyme, rosemary, sarriette…)
- Aïoli
- Poutargue The Poutargue de Vahé
- Fougasse
- Bouillabaisse
- Daube provençale
- Pistol soup
- Panisse
Sweet Provençal products
Honey de Provence (lavender, thyme…)
- The Rebel Bee. Plaine des tisserands, 13480 Cabriès
Calissons d'Aix-en-Provence
- Le Roy René, 11 Rue Gaston de Saporta, 13100 Aix-en-Provence
- BREMOND Confectionery, 16th Rue d'Italie, 13100 Aix-en-Provence
Campered fruit
Nougat
Shuttles
- Four des Navettes, 136 Rue Sainte, 13007 Marseille. We go there for these shuttles and the view of the Old Port behind the shop
- Les Navettes Aixoises, 3 Rue Victor Leydet, 13100 Aix-en-Provence
Oil pump
- Pompe boulangerie, 84 Bd Vauban, 13006 Marseille
Chichi
- Chichi Frégis, at Freddy, 86 Plage de l'Estaque, 13016 Marseille
Chocolates of the region
- L'Esperantine de Provence - Boutique & Production Workshop, 184 Chem. du Moulinet, 13480 Cabriès. Exclusive olive oil chocolates
- Chocolaterie de Puyricard, 11 Cr Mirabeau, 13100 Aix-en-Provence
Other typical products
Lavender
- Lavender House - Terre Ugo, 885 Rte du Puy Sainte-Réparade, 13540 Aix-en-Provence. Bouquets, sachets, cosmetics... Consider booking a picnic spot!
Marseille Soap
- La Savonnerie Marseillaise, 47 La Canebière, 13001 Marseille
- Les Savonneries Du Soleil, 10 Rue Gaston de Saporta, 13100 Aix-en-Provence
- Savonnerie Le Sérail, 50 boulevard Anatole France, 13014. (Founded in 1949, this is the last remaining artisanal soap factory in Marseille, still operating using cauldrons and ancestral know-how. It holds the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (Living Heritage Company) label. Free workshop tours are offered on Friday afternoons.)
Handcrafted Olive and Almond Products
- Moulin A La Fare-les-Oliviers Olive Oil, 14 Avenue du Pavillon, 13580 La Fare-les-Oliviers Domaine L'OLIVADE, 961 Chemin de Saint-Antoine, 13600 La Ciotat. Direct sales of olive and almond oil Velaux Oil Mill Shop, Chemin du Moulin Neuf, 13880 Velaux Provençal Fabrics Les Olivades Factory Outlet, Saint-Étienne-du-Grès Printed fabrics since 1818, the only company to perpetuate the tradition of fabric printing in Provence. Souleiado, 5 Rue Marius Reynaud, 13100 Aix-en-Provence. Provençal house of printed fabrics, founded in Tarascon.
Santons
- Escoffier, Artisanal manufacturing of terracotta figurines, Aubagne
Earthenware cicada
- Louis Sicard earthenware, Aubagne. Creator of the first earthenware cicada in 1895, a lucky charm symbol of Provence.
Drinks
- Wines of Provence (mostly rosé, but also red/white)
- Pastis. La Maison du Pastis, 108 quai du Port, 13002 Marseille. A shop entirely dedicated to Marseilles pastis, with over 100 varieties and tastings available.