Shopping in Aquitaine Region - authentic goods, best outlets, malls and boutiques

In Aquitaine, you can acquire the products of the world-known brands. Here, as in the rest of Europe, season sales are held twice a year. Summer sales are from July until August, and winter sales are from January until February. While visiting shopping malls, remember, that even the biggest ones are closed on Sundays. They compensate for it when during the weak days, mostly on Thursdays, the working hours are prolonged for one hour. If your purchase in one store is for more than 100 euro, ask a shop assistant to fill out a special coupon to get 10% of the purchase cost back at the border with the Tax-Free system.

It is better to come to the main market in Bordeaux early in the morning. Usually, the locals buy up all the fresh and tradable goods by 10 a.m. By the way, you can eat the stuff you have bought here, at the market, in a designated area. If you have a desire to walk around the flea market, it is located just three hundred meters from the food market. Take a walk on the St. Catherine Street. It is not only one of the longest pedestrian streets in Bordeaux, but it is one of the trade centers of the city. You can find here souvenirs, brand clothes, and local goods, food and most certainly wine. On the Gambetta Square, you can buy antique, jewelry and other luxury items.

Grands Hommes – is a big indoor market, opened in the 19th century. On the first floor, you can find food, on the second – different household stuff, souvenirs, and works of art. Though, the shops on Rue Bouffard may offer even greater amount of bronze, silver and gold items. Here you can acquire unique pieces of furniture, and fine jewelry, and paintings from the local artists. Also take a look at the souvenir shop, dedicated to Bordeaux – those t-shirts, bags, cups, and magnets with the city symbolic will always remind you of your trip. Those, who like eclectic stuff, will enjoy the Saint-Michel district. There are also three markets here – two of them work on Saturdays in different parts of the district, and the third one works on Mondays near the Basilica of St. Michel. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

In Pyrenees, on all the points of Ossau-Iraty “cheese road” you can buy cheese, that you won’t find anywhere else in the world. Bovetti Chocolate Museum presents the opportunity to see, how the chocolate is made and to buy some of the 150 types of chocolate bars. They also sell cocoa butter, fondue chocolate, cocoa powder, and chocolate figures, and many, many others. It will be just a crime, if you leave Aquitaine without wine. You can choose from a lot of sorts of this drink in the Wine and Trade Museum of Bordeaux. Before the wine-tasting, go for an excursion, dedicated to the production of this nectar of the God. Certainly buy ham in Bayonne. You can find it in the Pierre Ibayalda’s shop, for example. Here you can taste the product, before you buy it.

Maison Georges Larnicol in Bordeaux is a heaven for all those, who like sweets. Here you can find hundreds of different desserts. Try macaroons – small pasties, that look like colorful cookies, are the pride of the French cooks. In Orthez city take a closer look at the locally produced clothes. It combines folk motives with modern tendencies. A beret is always a good idea for a souvenir from Aquitaine. The Pau city is world-famous for its umbrellas. When in Biarritz, find a ceramics shop, owned by Silvia Berson. Those unique handmade pieces worth their money till the last cent. In Aquitaine shops you can also find Savonnerie Saponaire – a handmade soap, items from willow branches, and “manila” – a Basque cane. Remember, that in Aquitaine it is common to bargain only at the markets.