La Verrerie de Biot

La Verrerie de Biot is one of the most iconic artisan destinations in the South of France, founded in 1956 by engineer and ceramist Eloi Monod at the foot of the medieval hilltop village of Biot in the Alpes-Maritimes. Monod’s discovery — that introducing baking soda into molten glass traps tiny air bubbles between two layers, transforming a defect into an aesthetic signature — gave birth to verre bullé, bubbled glass, and launched a creative tradition that has thrived for nearly seven decades. Today La Verrerie de Biot remains family-run, with master glassblowers working at the furnace daily, crafting glasses, decanters, pitchers, vases, candleholders, and decorative objects across a spectacular range of translucent colors — linden, amethyst, Persian blue, rose sand, and dozens more. The site is entirely free to visit, welcoming around 700,000 visitors each year who can watch the glassblowers at close range. Three art galleries on site showcase the work of 32 internationally renowned glass artists alongside the resident Jean-Claude Novaro gallery. Glassblowing initiation workshops allow visitors to blow their own piece with a master. The factory shop offers a comprehensive selection of productions, and an online shop ships worldwide. La Verrerie de Biot holds the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant label and the Qualité Tourisme certification, making it one of the most-visited artisan destinations on the French Riviera.