SOUTH OF FRANCE
Provence
It’s the peak of summer on the Mediterranean. I’ve just landed and my ears are already ringing from the army of cicadas hidden amongst the tall umbrella pines, the song of summer.
I’m ready to locate my first Aperol spritz until it hits me: I’m not going anywhere until I learn to drive stick. I’d reserved a manual rental car because (hot tip) it’s about half the price. The only problem? I’d never driven one before.
I’m in Nice, France, alone for the time being, but not for long. Lucky for me, La Côte d’Azur is a place people will rarely say no to. Very soon I will be joined by my friend Jasmin, who is planning to galavant along the coast with me in my search for savoir faire. In France, this refers to artisans who have acquired special skills through extensive experience.
As a country, France is very proud of their historical craftsmanship. Artisans are often well supported by the government and in many cases, maintain an air of exclusivity. A combination of the holiday hours and safeguarded traditions makes the industry difficult to infiltrate—but I am determined to build this collection.
Unlike most of my past travel adventures, this journey is not unchartered territory for me. This is an environment I know and cherish deeply. My first experience in the region was at the exploratory age of 13. I despised tomatoes, wouldn’t touch a mushroom, and had only practiced French with my teachers in school. After three months in the South of France, I left with a newfound understanding for exceptional produce, luxurious textiles, and a constant longing for the crystal clear sea. Since then, it’s grown deep roots within me, and in many cases has shaped who I have become today. I want to share this passion with you, and whether you have visited the region or not, there is always more to discover.
Provence runs between the lower Rhone River on the west, all the way east until the Italian border. In the south, it is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea, and extends north into sections of the Alpes.
Within these boundaries are countless historic and charming villages, and in many cases each town has long been known for a specific type of artisanal trade. These can range from knife-making, to ceramics, textiles, or woodwork. (As an example of this; the original culinary pottery from the city of Vallauris has been dated back to the Roman era, due to a nearby clay deposit. If you visit Vallauris today, the streets are lined with ceramic studios of every kind.) This list is tirelessly immense. So much so, that it was difficult to start not only the research, but the decision-making.
The region of Provence interests me not only for its beautiful and high-end craftsmanship, but because it took me several years to learn that Provençal was in fact a historical civilization within this region we all know as Provence. Le Provençal—a variation of the broader language known as Occitan—is also an ancient dialect that was spoken by a minority of people in Southern France from the 12th to 14th centuries. Traces of it can still be heard spoken today, and things such as street names can be found in the language of Provençal. The unique history of this culture remains identifiable through many linguistic and literary forms, along with distinct cuisine, garments, and on-going traditions.
One point of interest for Tajmi is the ancient port of Marseille. Originally founded by the Greeks circa 600 BC, it was known then as Massalia, and is the oldest city in France as well as one of the oldest cities in Europe.
It was here, in Le Vieux Port, that the popular textile trend known as Indienne, began. As the name implies, this style of textile printing was brought over from India by ship during the 17th-century. It was in 1640 that a group of Armenian merchants introduced this nouveau fad to the country of France. It exploded with popularity and was soon prohibited in order to protect other French textile industries (hemp, flax, wool), yet despite this ban, the production of Indienne cotton prints continued throughout this prohibition until its legalization in 1759. Marseille was at the centre of this madness, as the leading manufacturer of Indienne.
Obsession seems to be the correct word when discussing this outburst of colour into France. At the time this style of fabric was unknown in Europe. The French East Indian Company even sent investigators to India to uncover the secrets of this newfound cotton material, and all its alluring colours. We know it today as block printing, where the fabric is stamped by hand using a wooden block engraved with various designs. The block is then dipped in dye and stamped onto the fabric, one block at a time.
In the present day, there are only a few historical French companies still creating handmade Indienne fabric. So naturally, I had to find them. It took me almost an entire season to be able to wiggle my way onto their radar, but I’m proud to say we’ve successfully formed the required connections for the last existing Indiennes maker in France. Aside from these special textiles, I am here looking to find skilled artisans in the field of ceramics, glasswork, metalwork, and weaving.
As I sip my morning café noisette amongst a patch of lavender in the town of Biot, I can hear the bees buzzing around me.
Tall cypress trees mix into the landscape alongside olive groves, while emerald green umbrella pines wave their long branches in the warm breeze. My soul feels rich every time I see this scene; almost nothing beats it. In the distance, I get a tiny glimpse of the shimmering Mediterranean sea.
It’s the last week of August. Earlier, I picked up my friend Jasmin from the airport, with my dog, Judo, panting in the backseat from excitement. Lucky for Jasmin, by this time I’m only stalling the car every other hour. We would start our road trip from the eastern villages of Provence near Nice, sticking close to the coastline, because after all, it’s summer and swimming is essential. From there we would work our way west, ending our trip in Marseille.
There’s always something to be learned on each journey. In this case, the challenge was trying to source during the end of the summer months. Locals begin taking holidays in June, with the high season peaking in August and continuing well into September. It truly forced me to slow down, and enjoy very long lunches while we waited for shops and studios to re-open. We drove from village to village, passing through as many as time would allow us: Antibes, Cap d’Antibes, Juan les Pins, Biot, Vallauris, Cannes, Le Cannet, Grasse, Mougins, Cavalaire Sur Mer, Bandol, Cassis, Aix en Provence, Avignon, St- Remy and, finally, into the city of Marseille.
The amazing thing about this region is the depth of artistic creation it has to offer. On the flip side of this, it’s extremely overwhelming. Unlike some other artisanal areas of the world, the artists here are spread out across such a large region. Often elusive and hard to find, or off to lunch for the afternoon, locating the right suppliers to work with had its set of challenges. Fortunately, I love a good challenge.
One thing I’ve always understood and admired about French culture is their appreciation for their lifestyle.
As opposed to many countries in the world, the French don’t often have an urge for more and more and more. They understand they are very lucky to live where they do and they truly enjoy the lifestyle they live. They are experts at quality versus quantity, a concept Tajmi aspires to promote. The challenge here was finding the right partners on the ground who were interested in opening up a new channel of business outside of France.
After three weeks on the road, (literally) running in and out of charming hilltop villages, we were able to partner with wonderful French artists who are excited to showcase their unique pieces through Tajmi. It was a true testament to the concept of fate. Every “no, it’s not possible” made me keep pushing forward until we found exactly what we were searching for.
I’m eating my very last cup of lavender gelato in the 7 ième arrondissement of Marseille, a charming area known as Endoume (ps: a Provençal word).
I couldn’t help but reflect on how lucky I am to be doing my favourite thing—searching for handmade gems and working with talented artists.
Only one thing can wipe the smile off my face: The realization that it’s time to reverse out of my parking spot, on a steep hill, in that damn manual rental car!
Provence Collection
Bring a piece of your journey home.
