Tuesday and Saturday mornings in Saint Tropez are crazy in the summer season… The Place des Lices, shady and quiet… normally a destination for the older generation of males to toss a boule or two… becomes an outdoor market. We arrived at 8:30 am and by then it was already crowded… it is a large market and not laid out in any particular order. I am sure for the vendors there is a good side and a bad side, a best aisle and a better aisle… but for the observer it all looks much the same. I always attack it in the same way… from left to right… and visit the stalls that I know and love… just in case after an hour or so I loose enthusiasm and puff…
This year there were sarongs, in many fabrics and colours, fluttering from the stands. I don’t remember them being as popular last year. Every year I find there is something new and a la mode in the Saint Tropez market… last year it was the sequin covered French baskets (they were my faves)… This year the baskets were decorated with silk flowers… Generally I am not one for artificial flowers but these I loved and one will definitely have to come home with me… You are thinking, ‘too many baskets’… There can never be too many baskets… (See how to make your own at the bottom of this post…)
I bought the soft coloured sarongs above… I am going to use them on my tables at the farm… I thought they will look extremely pretty with my new ‘meadow sweet’plates from Anthropologie… Sarongs as table cloths work a treat and are often an inexpensive and creative way of perking up the table…
Up at the back of the market is the brocante section… expensive bric-a-brac with questionable provenance… Yesterday the LV and Goyard were on show… How fab is the yellow one? It was a case of admire from a distance… the prices were very Saint Tropez-ish… but the visuals were wonderful…
There must be a demand for vintage Hermes, Goyard and LV at the moment… There wasn’t a CC in sight… ‘Kelly’ bags in great condition, again with non-maket prices… but beautiful to see and looking just as chic under the plane trees as they do on the arms of the world’s most glamorous…
The burgundy was pretty and I made a note to myself to drop the black this winter and accessorise up with some of this deep, rich red colour…
And the specs… a deal at 10 euros… my friends loved them and stocked up… They were great quality and looked incredibly smart … every colour and style imaginable in the vintage way we love…
How does it compare to the markets near me?… It is different… there are less home wares, more fashion items… so many clothes… linen shirts, bikinis, cover ups, embroidered caftans… and the sarongs and baskets that I mentioned… Truthfully, it’s all great fun…
Create A Little Saint Tropez In Your Life…
the rose here… or the carnation here… ( two pinned together… the orange and the white… they would be my choice.. )
To create the Saint Tropez basket… cut the stem off the silk flowers close to the head of the bloom and pin between the handles just underneath the basket edging… and voila… a touch of the Cote d’Azur chez vous…
Sarongs you might like… here, here and here…
Have a wonderful day… speak soon… xv
To read more from French Essence click here…
;)
Yes isn’t St. Tropez market just a wonderful treasure trove. I must say I prefer it off season when it is a little less crowded.
Ooooh, I LOVE the glasses, great styles….and 10e each!!
As for the luggage…..WOW!!!!
St Tropez sounds wonderful, enjoy!! XX
could we buy all this beautiful items like the eyeglass
What beautiful colours and ambiance ! I love the whole fabrics and glasses ! Have a nice summer, Stéphanie
What a beautiful selection of bags. It would be hard not to take them all!
I would get up at 5 AM just to go there. Wonderful finds.
love the luggage too. Have fun..
yvonne
How fun to get to go !!! I love love the luggage!! Enjoy the rest of your stay!!
I love to visit markets when in France – on my last trip to Provence I really enjoyed the ones at Aix wonderful city), Lourmarin and Apt.
BTW, we stayed at the stunningly beautiful La Madone in Apt – do you know it? Owners Nathalie and Jean-Bernard also have an antiques shop in the town of Lourmarin.
You found some great buys Vicki – love the specs and I think the sarongs are going to make gorgeous table covers – what a good idea.
Hugs – Mary
That is an amazing market. I would love to be there shopping! Love those Hermes Kellys and those fabrics are gorgeous.
Absolutely beautiful Goyard luggage, and I love the small prints on the fabrics!!
http://www.donnaviningblog.com
Those sarongs are so beautiful! I tried to wear one once, but my friend laughed so hard at me that I gave up (she wasn’t being cruel, I really did look ridiculous).
BUT – if I could use them as tablecloths, I could still be in style!
The yellow LV is SO gorgeous! he sunglasses are also favorite!.
Thank you for sharing this color filled trip.
Happy Wednesday.
Teresa
xoxo
You are killing me Vicki!!!!!!! I would go BONKERS at a market like that but market doesn’t seem fitting, more like a “shopping nirvana” in my book…those fabrics/sarongs…to die for! The Hermes, well need I say more? That choclate brown Goyard suitcase has my name all over it…what fun! Thanks for sharing, next best thing to being there! Cannot wait to see your linens in use!
The sarongs are in such pretty colors and they look soft, maybe you could use one for a summer wrap dress.
What a fun market to stroll through.
Enjoy.
Karen
Oh the colors and the textures one finds at the French market! Anita
Oh….I am wearing the star earrings at this very moment!
I love the markets in the South of France. I have a tablecloth that I bought there and love….
and many bags too. Oh, and a sarong that has traveled everywhere with me. The luggage looks so chic.
pve
Hello Vicki
Thank you for sharing these beautiful images of an exciting market.
I love all the colours and brightness.
Wishing you continued fun
Helen xx
What a perfect way to spend the morning, meandering through the market stalls. Those sarongs are lovely, and how clever to use them as cheerful table cloths! Thanks or taking us to the market with you, Vicki! XO
Vicki,
Beautiful colors and fabrics! Great idea to use the sarong on a summer table with your Anthropolgie dishes. Those bags are gorgeous!!
L.
What a delicious post! I’ll take it all
The gorgeous sarongs (love your idea for the table!), the baskets, the purses…ha!
A fun and fabulous market, Vicki…great shot of those colorful fabrics…
xoxo,
- Irina
I’m crazy over those fabulous fabrics
Thank you for sharing your photos of St. Tropez! I’ve never been but wow, it looks like fun! I love the fabric!
Gorgeous. Great post. Vicarious enjoyment. Thank you for sharing! Shiree’
I remember this fun market from many years back… Place des Lices: wonderful people watching (and shopping is not bad either!) — Louis Vuitton steamship trunks and Hermes Kelly bags sold at the outdoor market: There is no other place like St Tropez
Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)
Wow! This entices me to check out St. Tropez if we are able to get back to S. France next summer! The fabrics are just beautiful. Have you been to the Souleiado Museum in Tarascon to see the anniversary exhibit of their fabric manufacture? It is a facinating history. Thanks for your daily posts and the lovely photos.
Beautiful images, love that we can see through your eyes. Since it is winter here in South Africa, we are into coats and warmer colors right now. Happy to say I also ” rediscovered” my dark cherry red handbag I invested in a few years ago, and was fortunate to find almost same color red leather gloves.
The sarongs are so pretty, can understand why you got them.
Love to you from Afrique du Sud
Great photos, I especially like the opening shot & the trunks & bags shots. Very crisp & colorful.
I really, really need these glasses. Can you tell me how to get some in Australia. I am in love! Going to Italy end of this month. France…..another year hopefully!
This post is wonderful and luxurious! So glad I found your blog!
xo
Sharon
Superb post ; the colours are so evocative of the sunshine of the South !
Vicki! Your website is giving me my much needed daily dose of Southern France — I cannot thank you enough. And I am drooling over French Essence – what an absolutely stunning book. I am planning a trip to the St. Remy area next May and I was wondering if you or any of your readers had any favorite places to rent — was thinking of Eygalieres? Thank you again for the wonderful posts!
La pile de tissus me fait envie mais je préfère la valise Goyard jaune…
Amicalement,
manon
Moi aussi…
It seems that more often than not when I comment on amazing spec frames the wearer replies ‘I bought them in France’ – with an array like that how could one resist?
The fabric in the sarongs is divine. Would love it if you could buy it by the metre. Gorgeous for tablecloths as you suggest particularly in a country setting !!
I visit your page each day. It provides me with a light hearted part to my day. I loved my trip to France a couple of years ago and have the photos on my screen saver at work and at home. Keep blogging.
How wonderful is this. There is pure magic afoot in Provence and The French Essence has miraculously captured some of it. Love the vibe, the style, the elegance, the flowers, the food and the idea.
In LOVE with Vintage Goyard and LV luggages! The fabrics are beautiful..would love to visit one day.