If I ever were to acquire my very own french chateau, I would furnish it entirely with vintage Isle-sur-la-Sorgue finds. This little town is a real treat for treasure hunters and its impossible to walk down its narrow cobbled streets without giving your home an imaginative makeover. The old town, set on a little island encircled by the Sorgue river, offers a great choice of original decoration and antique shops, but really starts coming to life on market days (which are held on Sundays and Tuesdays), when its river banks are exploding with brocante stalls.
Prices are surprisingly reasonable and I found myself regretting I didn’t have a camionette to bring all of it home more than once, when faced with a scandalously affordable set of romantic table and chairs, rusty iron bed or antique cupboard. Tip: come early on market days and start your day with a croissant and café at the beautiful Belle Epoque Café de France on the town square, then wander through the stalls and finish at the shops opposite the river banks. One of my favorites is Cote Parc, which offers an array of shabby chic furniture and objects, both vintage and new. The store has a riverside terrace, where you can ponder over your latest buy in the shade of a fig tree. Another must is Rock The Kasbah, a contemporary interior brand that blends mediterranean and oriental influences.
Passionate antique freaks should keep an eye on the calendar as well, as the town hosts an international antique fair twice a year, around Easter and in August, and attracts even more treasures from bygone days.
