There is something fitting about a little piece of France made in France. Limoges boxes are hand-painted porcelain boxes with hinged lids, made in and around the city of Limoges, and in this collection they return the favor by celebrating the rest of the country.
Stroll through Paris in miniature: the Eiffel Tower dressed in flowers or warm brown, the Arc de Triomphe, the white domes of Sacre Coeur, the red windmill of the Moulin Rouge, a newspaper kiosk on the boulevard and the glass pyramid of the Louvre. Then leave the city for a Loire Valley chateau, Monet's footbridge at Giverny, and the simple pleasures of French life: a crusty baguette, a tray of pastries and, yes, an escargot.
These boxes make lovely souvenirs for anyone who has been to France, and lovely promises for anyone who is still dreaming of going. They suit a honeymoon, a big birthday, a retirement trip or simply a Francophile friend. Line a few up together and you have a tiny tour de France on one shelf.
Moulin Rouge Paris Cabaret Limoges Box
Up on Montmartre the red windmill turns, the band strikes up, and a line of dancers kicks their ruffled skirts toward the chandeliers. Out on the street a poet without a franc in his pocket stands listening, humming along. Tomorrow he'll write it all down. Tonight, he just taps his foot to the can-can.
Rochard Arc de Triomphe Limoges Box, Paris Monument
Twelve avenues meet here, and every one of them seems to be honking. A grandmother on a bicycle pedals calmly through the traffic circle with a baguette in her basket, nods to the great arch as if greeting an old friend, and sails off down the Champs-Elysees without once looking back.
Rochard Paris Newspaper Kiosk Limoges Box
Monsieur Benoît has run the green kiosk on the corner for as long as anyone remembers. He knows which customer wants Le Figaro, which wants the crossword, and which secretly buys the comics. When it rains, the pigeons shelter under his little roof, and he pretends not to notice them.
White Eiffel Tower Porcelain Limoges Box with Flowers
Every April the tower wakes up and finds flowers at its feet. Chestnut trees bloom along the Seine, a painter sets up her easel, and couples who should be at work linger over coffee instead. Paris in spring has that effect. Even the iron giant looks a little pleased with itself.
Rochard Eiffel Tower Limoges Box in Brown, I Love Paris Inside
From the outside it is simply the Eiffel Tower, tall and dignified in warm brown. But lift the lid and there's a secret: three little words, tucked inside like a note slipped under a hotel door. Some cities make you say it out loud. Paris lets you keep it to yourself.
Paris Sacre Coeur Monument Limoges Box
It takes two hundred-odd steps to reach the top of the hill, or so the out-of-breath tourists claim. At the top the white domes glow in the late sun, a street musician plays the accordion, and all of Paris spreads out below like a rooftop quilt of gray and gold.
Rochard Paris Louvre Glass Pyramid Limoges Box
After closing time, when the last visitor has gone, the glass pyramid catches the sunset and turns pink. Inside, they say, the paintings stretch and chat. The Mona Lisa finally gets to stop smiling, and the marble statues in the long galleries compare notes about the day's crowds.
Loire Valley Chenonceau Castle Limoges Box by Rochard
A chateau that stretches right across a river must have been designed by someone who loved to fish from the window. Swans drift beneath the arches of Chenonceau, the gardens are trimmed to perfection, and somewhere a cook is carrying a silver tray along the gallery, hoping not to be late for supper.
Rochard Monet Japanese Bridge Limoges Box
Morning at Giverny: mist over the lily pond, a frog on a pad, and the green footbridge arching over it all. A gardener rakes the path, careful not to disturb the gentleman with the paintbrush. He has painted this same bridge a hundred times, and he swears today's light is different.
Rochard French Bread Baguette Porcelain Limoges Box
The rule in the Martin household is simple: whoever goes to the boulangerie gets the crusty end. That's why the baguette never arrives home whole. By the time young Lucas walks the three blocks back, there's a suspicious bite missing, a trail of crumbs, and a very innocent smile.
Rochard Tray of French Pastries Porcelain Limoges Box
Choosing is the hard part. The eclair looks serious, the fruit tart looks cheerful, and the cream puff looks like it might float away. Madame at the patisserie waits patiently, tongs in hand, while her customer changes his mind for the fourth time. In the end, of course, he takes the whole tray.
Rochard French Escargot Snail Porcelain Limoges Box
Gaston the snail has no intention of ending up on a bistro plate with garlic butter, thank you very much. He has escaped the kitchen and is heading for the garden at full speed, which for Gaston means about a meter a day. With luck he'll reach the lettuce by Thursday.
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