Luxury, style and elegance are what has epitomised French Riviera’s coastal towns and villages for over a century and the sky is the limit here when it comes to shopping. Its international reputation means that just about every high-end brand can be found in its boutiques. But French Riviera also has its own specialities such as the perfumes from Grasse which make excellent souvenirs.

GLASSWARE

Biot is a delightfully picturesque hilltop village with a rich artistic heritage and an international reputation for its glass making. It has no less than eight glass making studios. The largest and oldest of these are La Verrerie de Biot (chemin des Combes | www.verreriebiot.com) and the atelier of Raphaël Farinelli (La Verrerie Farinelli, route de la Mer | www.farinelli.fr) an Italian whose glass art is exceptional.

PORCELAIN

Moustiers-Ste-Marie has a rich history in porcelain craftsmanship and decoration and is home to some 20 workshops (www.moustiers.eu). The craft is experiencing a renaissance because it is once again trendy to serve regional dishes in traditional Provençal tableware.

POTTERY

Pablo Picasso brought international fame to the small French town of Vallauris where he once worked in pottery studios like the Galerie Madoura (av. des Anciens Combat-tants d’Afrique du Nord | www.madoura.com). One of the oldest and biggest galleries showcasing top French artisans is Sassi-Milici (www.sassi-milici.com). More information at www.vallauris-golfe-juan.com

SWEETS

In a region where lemons and oranges thrive, there is no shortage of ingredients to make top quality sweets. Highly recommended: Menton’s Maison Herbin’s homemade jams/jellies (2, rue du Vieux Collège | www.confitures-herbin.com); Nice’s Maison Auer’s glacéd fruit (7, rue St-François de Paule | www.maison-auer.com); and last but not least Tourrettes-sur-Loup’s Con-fiserie Florian’s crystallised violet blossoms (www.confiserieflorian.com) they also have a branch in Nice (quai Papacino).

TERRACOTTA TILES

Salernes is best known for the manufacture of traditional Provençal terracotta floor tiles or tomettes used in bathrooms and kitchens throughout the region. Visit one of its 20 or so studios to see all the facets of the craft – classic, modern and even avant-garde. For more information see www.ville-salernes.fr.

WINE

With more than 2700 hours a year of sunshine, ample rain and good soil, conditions here are ideal for vineyards and the area produces excellent dry and full-bodied wines. The estates are well worth a visit but for those who prefer convenience there are cooperatives like the Maison des Vins in Les Arcs (RN 7, www.www.caveaucp.fr). It sells more than 600 different wines from Côtes de Provence – a controlled region of origin appellation – without a markup. Their multilingual staff are knowledgeable and helpful and will even offer advice on the lesser known estates. The wines from the vineyards of Nice’s hinterland are special in their own right. They are grown in an area of only 120 acres and are identifiable by their distinctive Vins de Bellet (www.vinsdebellet.com) wine of origin appellation. There is an increasing trend among the wine farmers in the Côteaux Varois region around Brignoles to go organic. Their wines are sold at the Maison des Vins next to Abbaye de La Celle (tel. 04 94 69 33 18).