T&W Editor Victoria Baker spent a morning with her husband and two sons at the L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue market in the picture-perfect Luberon area of Provence, picking up tips on provincial style. Here's what she found..



After a ridiculously scenic drive past lavender fields, fruit orchards and hilltop towns built from honey coloured stone, we arrived in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue for the weekend market. The town developed around the river and the market is said to have been running since the 1500s, but since A Year in Provence, and more recently the film A Good Year, it has become a serious tourist magnet.



After buying straw hats from the first vendor we came across (I'm aware this behaviour is anathema to true bargain hunters) we started our walk along the riverside stalls. Provençal baskets were plentiful, but not suitcase-friendly with their stiff forms, and according to my husband probably best left in their natural home.



Who knew there were so many blue coffee pots in Provence? The array stretched across all the way along a long trestle table and was an exercise in the effectiveness of grouping like objects (and colours) together.



Padded placemats with scalloped edges were piled high, along with vintage linen sheets and quilted coverlets.



I was rather taken by the gold arrow, an old clock hand, shining amongst a group of rustic (and rusty) farm tools including some terrifying pitchforks. I was beginning to wish I had my own French villa to furnish. On we went.



These vintage metal signs were probably packable, but the choice was far too great for an indecisive soul like me. The sunny yellows and oranges perfectly matched the warm weather, and with that the first calls for ice cream were heard from the junior Bakers.



A rest by a mossy water wheel made us all feel cooler, although I knew my browsing time was now limited. We dipped our feet into the icy River Sorgue, and ate warm baguettes.



Tarnished metal was the order of the day, with trays, candelabra and pewter platters filling numerous stalls. My boys were keen to bring home some boules, possibly the least practical idea ever.



Blooming artichokes. Who knew! I braved a swarm of bees to take this shot, drawn by the vibrant colour. There was no shortage of lavender shades at the market, with everything from soap to lavender bags tourist-ready. A bar of soap seemed like an easy purchase.



The styling options were endless, with everything attractively weathered in a way that suggested generations of honest use. But the mood was low and tempers were getting tetchy. After a final cafe crème and Oranginas all round, it was resolved that we must head back to the hotel for a swim.



Although the market had became more crowded as the morning went on, we only had to walk one block back from the action to find cool and quiet lanes on our way back to the car with our single bar of soap. Note the new hats!