Friday in Valbonne

Valbonne is one of those places I’ve got to know quite well because friends of mine live nearby. It is very pretty, of course, with its narrow streets, little squares and the arcades of Place des Arcades at the centre, but what I really like is that it feels lived-in.

There are good independent shops, cafés and restaurants, and people actually seem to be going about their day rather than simply passing through. It doesn’t have that touristy feeling you find in some of the more famous villages around here. There are locals doing their shopping, children coming out of school, people meeting for coffee, it still feels like a real village.

The Friday market is very much part of that. Every week, the centre fills up with stalls selling fruit and vegetables, flowers, cheese, olives and all the usual market produce, alongside wicker baskets, summer dresses, Panama hats.

It’s busy, but I never find it overwhelming (except in August). I like coming here without much of a plan: have a coffee, wander around the market, pick up something for lunch and do a little shopping. Village life how it should be, relaxed and charming.

Coffee & lunch

Little Green Cafés

A good spot to stop for a coffee while wandering around the village.

Café des Arcades

For lunch, I’d go for something simple: a salade niçoise and a glass of rosé on the terrace.

Shopping

Atelier Blanc

Sometimes you walk into a shop and immediately want to move in. Atelier Blanc is that for me.

Beautifully sourced furniture, clothes, bed linnen etc. 

La Cabane

A beautifully curated collection of women’s clothing, nice brands, and some jewellery.

Jungle

A small concept store with an eclectic mix of pieces.

Niche Books

A very British bookshop in the middle of Valbonne. Always worth a browse.

Mémoire de Famille

For french interiors vibes and decorative pieces.

365 Fromages

A very good cheese shop… because obviously.

Dumanois Primeurs

A fruit and vegetable shop with particularly beautiful, high-quality produce.

Markets

Provençal market:  every Friday

Come in the morning and take your time.

Brocante / Vide-grenier

A few times a year there are brocante and vide-grenier.org markets in Valbonne. Check the dates ahead if you’re interested in antiques and vintage finds.

Art

Espace de l’Art Concret

Just outside Valbonne, in Mouans-Sartoux, is the Espace de l’Art Concret, a contemporary art centre dedicated to geometric abstraction and Art Concret.

The name can be slightly confusing in English: Art Concret has nothing to do with concrete as a material. The movement was interested in art that was completely independent from the representation of the real world:  geometry, colour, lines, forms and systems.

One of the artists particularly associated with the collection is François Morellet, whose work I find especially interesting. He used mathematical systems, chance and sometimes rather playful rules to determine his compositions, taking much of the artist’s personal decision-making out of the process.

The art centre is housed in an historic château, and there are regularly changing exhibitions alongside the permanent collection. Virginie Barré’s exhibition runs until 15 November 2026.

Definitely worth the short detour if you’re in the area.

Since you’re in the neighbourhood…

There are quite a few places nearby that are worth adding to your itinerary.

Restaurant Hôtel Particulier des Jasmins | Le Bar-sur-Loup

I came across Hôtel Particulier des Jasmins recently, and it’s exactly the kind of place you hope to find but rarely do.

An old house with a beautiful ochre patina, closed for more than twenty years and once owned by the Mane family, it has now been gently brought back to life as a café, restaurant and just five-room hotel.

Everything here is understated: an old house, simple interiors, beautiful colours and a very relaxed atmosphere. It feels more like staying in someone’s beautifully restored home than checking into a hotel.

We had lunch in the cosy dining room, but on sunny days you can also sit outside. The cooking is simple cuisine du marché: fresh, seasonal and delicious.

A little place with a lot of soul.

Restaurant Spelt | Tourrettes-sur-Loup

Housed in a beautifully restored old building in the charming village of Tourrettes-sur-Loup, Spelt is one of those restaurants I’m always happy to recommend.

There are exposed stone walls, warm blonde wood and, upstairs, my favourite room with a small terrace overlooking the steep valley below.

The food is seasonal and beautifully prepared, using fresh, good-quality ingredients without being overly complicated.

Where to stay

Hôtel Particulier | Plinius Little Gem France No. 013 

If you’re looking for somewhere to stay nearby, this would be my pick.

An old manor house with a beautiful ochre patina, closed for more than twenty years and once owned by the Mane family, it has been brought back to life as a small five-room hotel, café and restaurant.

The beauty is in its simplicity.