<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by letiole:
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Majolica from Deruta - Deruta, Italy savings of 30-50 percent
Hermes products - Paris (that huge department store with three initials that I can't think of.) They also have great prices on things like Hansgroehe faucets.
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I was in Deruta in October and didn't buy any big pieces of majolica (since I like to travel light and don't like to carry fragile things), but DID buy 5 cork bottle stoppers with majolica tops -- small, light, and easy to carry. My "token" Deruta purchase, I guess you could say.
And could the department store in Paris be BHV (Bazar de l'Hotel de Ville)? It's across from the Hotel de Ville (city hall) and I bought the cutest little porcelain-enameled metal signs there a few years ago. Some of them said "Defense de Fumer" in black letters on white, and others are miniature street signs, such as "Avenue des Champs-Elysees" and so on. I gave some as Christmas gifts and kept some.
I'm not really a big shopper when I travel, but sometimes go in for handicrafts, textiles, artsy, or off-beat stuff (like the miniature signs). For colorful handmade textiles, go to Guatemala and Panama!
Kathy