Immediately I get a pleasant feeling when I am in Isle sur la Sorgue in the middle of Provence – the good things still exist – a city that is completely dedicated to antiques. Whether you are looking for an old table over 3 metres long, ceiling-high cupboards, the sideboard of a palazzo or even a tuff fireplace covering – in Isle sur la Sorgue you will find a dealer who has also found the most exceptional product in one of the old châteaux and country houses of France.
But right from the start: A perfect day for lovers of old things starts in Ilse sur la Sorgue on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday, preferably a little earlier, because then you can still discover freshly arrived objects. In the area around the station you will find old warehouses that have the appearance of giant antique stores – in fact, the dealers have rented individual plots of land here to offer their treasures. Thematically, the visitors can travel back and forth through the different epochs. But the concentrated grandeur of the products is simply unique: Cabinets and sideboards from different eras, various chairs, design classics or partly complete sets, or complete shop furnishings with counters and shelves, which should even make the hearts of movie stars stop for a moment.
But the connoisseur will also see here in this paradise for old and beautiful things that there are the naturally aged things, e.g. the metal tables, which have evenly patinated over the years, but also the wooden cupboards, which are professionally evenly “trimmed for old”. Thus, a second look is worthwhile in order to really find the respective treasure in Isle sur la Sorgue.
But this also means that the dealers in Isle sur la Sorgue are all professionals of a high standard, which means that those who think they can find the hidden treasure here at the usual bargain prices will probably be disappointed. But, with such a wide range on offer here, the price level is surprisingly good – we have seen sideboards that have aged beautifully and with dignity for many years, and at prices that could well compete with those of well-known furniture stores.
Those who are now wondering how to get their old wardrobe, which they bought in Isle sur la Sorgue, home, can rest assured: the infrastructure here is so professionalised that an affordable professional solution for transport can be found quickly with a short consultation.
But around the many antiques, Isle sur la Sorgue is also a wonderful small provencial city that is very marked by the many small canals. Partly you can still see old water wheels – also these dignified aged and wonderfully covered with moss – which in former times provided the drive in many handicraft businesses. The little town itself is very pretty and invites you to stroll among all the antiquities.
If you want to have a little break, you should take a seat at noon in the beautiful garden of Le Jardin Du Quai – there you can eat well if you order à la carte – the menu disappoints – and enjoy the play of light in the many niches. For in between, there are small cafés in Isle de la Sorgue, as for example Chez Stephane, where one also gets an excellent cheese. Or the new café Maison Jouvaud, is a precision landing in terms of the quality of the products and the presentation and a shop for all the nice little things. At the end of a market day you will find the locals and also a lot of the traders in the Café de France with its wonderful old façade, where you can have a refreshing Pastis but also get a Café Creme for the start in the morning – and above all, you will get the Vie en Rose Francaise first hand.
It should also be mentioned that along the canals you can also find something like a “real flea market” – smaller stalls with a very different offer. Here, one can really search and partly find amazing things: We for example found an obvious resolution of a haberdashery shop – with yarns in colour variations to kneel down. Well, Isle sur la Sorgue is definitely worth a visit if you love the good old things and have a sense for beauty – then you can let yourself drift here for at least a day and be amazed by so much beauty.
