Every day, its men and women apply their creative ingenuity to enhance and develop the things that make their region so special, at the same time as perpetuating its traditions and adapting them to the new needs of today.
From fashion and cosmetics to home decoration, tableware and music, discover the Nouvelle-Aquitaine take on the Made-in-France brand.
Limoges porcelain
Wherever you go in the world, Limoges porcelain remains the gold standard for tableware. All the world’s great restaurants order Made-in-Limoges for their fine dining tables.
At the same time, Limoges enamel has been produced here continually since the Middle Ages, the only difference being that the religious art of history has been superseded by the arts of home decoration and unique jewellery.
Further information:
Musée Adrien Dubouché
www.bernardaud.com
www.routes-porcelaine-limoges-hautevienne.com
Aubusson tapestry
Aubusson tapestry is recognised by UNESCO in its Intangible Cultural Heritage listings as representing a centuries-old tradition that consists of weaving an image using processes practised in Aubusson and a number of other localities in the Creuse department.
Outside museums and galleries, they decorate some of the greatest hotels around the world.
The International Tapestry Museum was opened in 2016 to celebrate this ancient art that is as relevant today as it was in the past.
For more information:
Cité Internationale de la Tapisserie
Charentaise slippers
The famous ‘charentaise’ slippers transcend time. Still as comfortable as they ever were, they now embrace the present through a constantly evolving range of contemporary styles.
The Tcha brand has even created shoes for the prestigious Lexington Avenue store of Peter Eliott Blue in New York.
Why wait any longer to indulge yourself in benaise fashion? (benaise is the Occitan word for wellbeing)
For more information:
La Charentaise Tcha
Rondinaud - L'Atelier Charentaises
The espadrille and Basque linen
A Basque Country icon, the espadrille is now super-trendy, and multicoloured Basque linen fabrics bring authentic style to any table all year round.
For more information:
Art Of Soule
Espadrille Pariès
Donquichosse
Tissage Saint-Jean de Luz
Jean-Vier
Artiga
Lartigue
Ainarak
Leather
Leather working is one of the most important skills at work in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The industry really took off in during the 19th century in the region around Limoges, making the city one of today’s luxury goods capitals.
Here are some of the high-profile Haute Couture brands and flagships of French savoir-faire:
- Laurige-Duron leather goods for the office
- Repetto dance shoes and ballerinas
- Moc’Weston loafers in a broad choice of colours.
To say nothing of the gloves and belts produced at Saint-Junien, which feature on fashion week runways every year.
Cosmetics
Make the most of your stay in the region to take care of yourself by exploring the region’s cosmetics ranges. Sothys, La Roche-Posay and Caudalie.
Sothys, a family business with a worldwide reputation for the quality of its treatments and its expertise in wellbeing, offers premium range products and spas.
La Roche-Posay: developed out of the happy marriage of spa waters and specialist expertise, La Roche-Posay care products pamper all skin types, but especially the most sensitive.
Caudalie has combined the fruit of the vineyard with cosmetic research to create a success story that began on the family estate in Bordeaux. Caudalie offers you treatments that deliver the healing powers of the vine and grape. An unmissable regional speciality product!
Sothys
La Roche Posay
Caudalie
And then there's also: surfwear, shagreen, knives, lace, accordions, berets... and so much more!
A touch-all who believes that curiosity is a good thing, what Eric loves most of all is to discover the ancestral savoir-faire behind our well-known regional products. Producers, artisans, labourers...follow him on his visits to these professionals with incredible skills and magic fingers! You can count on him to give you plenty of great gift ideas to bring back in your suitcases...