Our eight gift ideas for Christmas in Poitou

Christmas is coming. Our editorial team has selected for you eight gift ideas made in Poitou.

François umbrellas

A gift that is a pleasure in these rainy times. The François umbrella store is located in the heart of Poitiers. Opened in 1882, at a time when umbrellas were a luxury product, this boutique is in its fifth generation of owners. Today, it is Pierre, Louis and Lilyan who run the shop. They have adapted over time to build umbrellas always in keeping with the times. Price-wise, umbrellas range from 90 to 275 euros.

Scarves from Poitiers

Scarves representing the monuments of the city of Poitiers. This is what Shelest Vira, a Ukrainian who took refuge in France after the start of the war in 2022, offers. A photographer, she captures monuments with her camera before making a kaleidoscopic montage of them on her scarves. Currently, she sells in the Colibri Créateurs boutique on Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville. His creations sell for around 40 euros.

A recycled bicycle

Bicycle repair and the sale of reconditioned bicycles is the concept of the Re-Cycles association based in Poitiers. The goal is simple: they collect bikes that have been donated by individuals or companies, repair them and put them back for sale. Since May 2023, they have managed to give a second life to 50% of the bikes they have collected. In addition, if you want to get started or get back into cycling, the association offers courses for anyone who wishes.

Donkey milk soap

The Aux Grandes Z'Oreilles donkey farm, based in Pindray in Vienne, produces its own organic products with donkey milk. Alice Bioche and Nicolas Roy manage this farm with a desire to raise their donkeys in the best conditions. In addition to soaps and shampoos, they offer several cosmetic products such as toothpaste or deodorant for example. Prices differ depending on the product. Bout'chou soap is, for example, sold at €6.50.

Gâtine's Shoes

Les Chaussures de Gâtine have existed since 1957. “All manufacturing stages are carried out in our workshop in Pompaire”in Deux-Sèvres, explains Clémence Nerbusson, who took over the company four years ago, along with Sophie Brûlé. Designed for men and women, from 35 to 50, “the shoes are sewn with sturdy leather”. Count 280 euros for a men's pair and 250 for a women's pair. They are available on their online sales site but also in 200 points of sale.

Heliobot's Robot

Getting started with computer programming? Nothing could be simpler with Eliobot. The Elio company, based in Niort, has developed a robot to build, from 10 years old, in order to learn robotics. “Thanks to tutorials and applications available free online, we can program the robot. We see how he evolves in the real world, carrying out the orders we give him”explains Romain Boutrois, founder of the company and its robot, available on the Elio website at the price of €129.

The watercolors of Emmanuel Denis-Touron

A gift to rediscover Niort and Poitiers from a new angle. The watercolorist Emmanuel Denis-Touron is the author of two works: Niort, clear lines(140 pages, €20) published in 2021, and Poitiers, return to line(190 pages, €30) published in September 2024 by Geste éditions. “I like to rediscover places that we don't pay attention to. Drawing gives another dimension: it tells a story. » The work dedicated to Poitiers thus brings together three years of work.

The glass creations of Dominique Roy

Slip into the skin of a beadworker with a blowtorch: this is what Dominique Roy, whose Verre et Feu workshop is based in Combrand (Deux-Sèvres), offers. “These are individual introductory workshops. We melt the glass in the flame of the blowtorch with the aim of making glass beads »she explains. The two-hour workshops are priced at €85. The beadworker also sells objects or jewelry that she makes, such as earrings (€10) or bracelets (€20 to €30).