(2 Place de l'Ecluse, tel: 02 4048 1632) Chapeaux Bea is a fabulous hat shop - just the right place to find that dream beret, bob or cap. And if it isn't in stock, they'll make it for you.

Take advantage of the sales which start on 9 January at the massive Atlantis Shopping Centre at Saint Herblain - with 120 shops and 35 restaurants, there's plenty of choice!

Voile de Brume specialises in organic diet, health and wellness products. You'll find essential oils, food supplements, appetite-suppressing herbal tea, plus perfumes for your home (1 Rue des Hauts-Pavés, tel 02 40 89 43 61) .

Trouble Obsessionnel Culinaire sells every kind of kitchen gadget a cook could desire, plus a few novelties you never saw before (5 Place du Pilori, tel: 02 5183 2225).