6 Best Shopping in Provence, France

Here you can stock up on fine soap, shampoo, body lotion, and other beauty products—all made using top-quality organic essential oils distilled in Provence.

The products of this world-renowned fragrance and skin care company are still made in nearby Manosque using regional ingredients. Make sure to sniff Jasmine Immortelle Neroli, the newest women's fragrance, and Arlésienne, a floral tribute to the women of the South of France.

This boutique specializes in a huge range of pure, plant-based cosmetics from Le Château du Bois, one of Provence's oldest and most venerable producers of fine lavender oil. The range includes face creams, hand and body lotions, toning gels, massage oil, bath milk, hydrosols, and much more.

The soaps, cosmetics, and products for the home sold here are of exceptional artisanal quality. Marius Fabre is one of only six soap makers in France that still produce "le vrai" savon de Marseille the traditional way: cooked in giant vats with at least 72% pure olive oil, no fragrances (or only natural essential oils added later), and air-aged on wooden slats. 

One of Marseille's oldest manufacturers sells fragrant soap in blocks, ovals, or fanciful shapes—all of it made using the highest olive oil content possible (72%) and natural essential oils from Provence. Call ahead for a guided tour (in English) of this atmospheric factory to see the whole process done on traditional machines.