If you are about to visit Marseille, the « capital » of Provence, this amazing shop is a go-to place that you mustn’t miss!
Maison Empereur: the oldest hardware store in France
Located in the center of the city (Maison Empereur, 4 rue des Récolettes, 13001 Marseille), just a step from the old port, this true Ali Baba cave, opened since 1827, is now the oldest hardware store in France.
(One thing you must know: I AM A HUGE FAN OF HARDWARE STORES… and supermarkets. Because I feel they really give us the pulse of a place when you visit.)
What can you buy there? Almost E V E R Y T H I N G (end from the best manufacturers)!
Cooking utensils, tools, paint, maintenance products, but also tableware, decorative items, perfumes, wooden toys… you cannot come out empty-handed.
A trendy and cozy place where to browse
Last time, I bought cotton tea towels (perfect to wipe glasses)…
I spent a couple of minutes in this aisle, wondering if I was forgetting something « I truly needed »…
Dreamt I had a kitchen where I could hang these copper beauties…
Hesitated to buy a real Angel Food Cake tin (because I am using a « fake one »)… but this one didn’t had the small « feet » on.
Oh… and — of course — they also sell the so-called « savon de Marseille » = olive oil soap!
Maison Empereur: why not spend a night in the back shop?
If you are like me and feel that you could spend all your day in this wonderland, there is also a bar!
But that’s not all… you can extend the adventure by staying overnight in the back shop transformed in a 90 m2 flat that you can rent on Airbnb. (I wish I was not living so close and needed to spend the night in Marseille.)
Fortunately, I always have a good reason to drive down to the Old Port and stop there for some errands.
More on Maison Empereur
You can follow them on Instagram @maisonempereur or browse their website in English.
MAISON EMPEREUR
4 rue des Récolettes
13001 MARSEILLE
Photo credit @Delphinn
