... Or hoping to get there soon, volcano permitting? Well, you'll want to know about this petite boutique Beauty Bible stumbled upon last week, part of a new natural bodycare chain from the South of France. (This one's just down from legendary Berthillon ices on the Ile-St-Louis. Guess why we were in the area.) All chic greys and bunches of lavender, it is a breath of Provencale air, with gorgeous colognes, great soaps, scented candles, organically-certified bodycare, even gentle laundry detergents to infuse your sheets with a whisper of lavender.
Our favourite finds, though, were the handbag-sized tube of heavenly rose-scented hand cream, and these very clever guest soap 'mosaics' which apparently became an instant bestseller the second they went on sale a couple of weeks ago. The perfect 'hostess gift', they contain teensy cubes of organic olive oil soap - so that each guest can enjoy a new, fresh square of their own. We stocked up, to give to friends (also available on the website, price €7.90). Could Durance be the new L'Occitane? We're thinking, 'Oui...'. You read it here first.Durance, 37 rue St Louis en l'Isle (Métro Pont Marie)
75004 Paris
www.durance.fr (where you can find other Paris and Marseilles locations)
