When you visit Saint Remy de Provence...

there is the sweetest shop called simply, Olive.
I think of this gorgeous shop as a hidden treasure because it is tucked behind a courtyard and very easy to miss if you are not famliar with the area. The main boulevard in St Remy is called Victor Hugo (like so many other villages) and runs around the circumference. Inside this boulevard are a myriad of small streets that criss and cross ultimately leading to the Town Hall. To find 'Olive' the best way I can describe it is like this - walk around Boulevard Victor Hugo and look for the red Chinese restaurant opposite the Grande Passage which is next to Bistro Decouverte and then walk through the large gates into a gravelled courtyard, up the front steps, through the hall with the double staircase and voila. I know this is not any normal address ( you should hear the details to find me) but follow my mad instructions and you will get there.

Once inside I am sure you will be as enchanted as I am by these series of rooms full of delicious goodies. Most of the shop is devoted to products that contain olive oil; there are a variety of local oils to taste and buy plus there are a range of beauty produts that contain olive oil as their main ingredient.

The tasting room, pictured above, has various oils to try and often different tapenades - it is very easy to lose time here especially with so many blended oils on offer.

The olive oils are displayed in the long room next to the tasting bar. I cannot help but be biased and tell you to buy only CastelaS (my olives are in that blend) but of course Mas des Barres and Estoublon produce excellant oils too.

If white is your thing and I think most of us have a little thing for white, then these bath products from Place des Lices are irresistable. I find the fragrances delicate, not overbearing at all and very reminiscent of Provence.

And because we all truly do love white.... this porcelain for the kitchen.

'Olive' is at 16 Boulevarde Victor Hugo and don't forget my 'how to get there' instructions because to visit 'Olive' you have to come to St Remy de Provence - they don't have a website or an online shopping service. When I asked the owner of the boutique, 'why not', she looked at me with such surprise and amazement and said, 'who would prefer to buy on the internet when they can come to St Remy'.
Well, I guess she had a point, xv.