European travels & pipe shopping

[mejoshee]

My wife and I are slated for a whirlwind France/Italy tour for about 5 weeks in Sept & Oct this year. I've never been to Europe. In fact, I've never left the continent. (I count Hawaii as the continent, of course, as I was born there.) But I digress.

Where does one need to look in certain major cities to find good briar to ogle and possibly acquire while in these countries? I doubt I will have much time to do this, but in case there is a shop just down the corner and not out of the way from a particular famous structure that you suggest visiting, I'm all ears! 

In particular, I'd hope to find something as a functional souvenir to bring back that I could probably not easily acquire in the states without being exorbitant. My budget isn't too lavish either, but I would say I would be willing to stick my neck out for something I "had to have" for max $200USD. But it's really gottoa make me :shock::twisted::cheers::drunken:

I'm really counting on our EU bros here, but well-traveled Americains & Canadiens also apply 

Would also love any comments about our itinerary, tentatively as follows: 

• Paris
• Loire valley
• Bordeaux region/Carcassonne
• Rhone/Provence
• Milan/Lake Como
• Venice
• Tuscan hill towns/Florence
• Rome
• Naples/Sorrento/Amalfi
• fly to Lyon
• Burgundy Region
• Reims/Champagne

Should be an awesome trip!

 

[Wet Dottle]

$200 won't get you much, but, considering where you'll be, I would spend it all in wine.

 

[DrT999]

Yep, vino.  You'll need something like these:

http://www.thewinecheck.com/
http://www.vinnibag.com/
http://www.wineskin.net/

Stick with table wine; sparkling might cause problems!  Even if you don't visit any wineries, or visit those that don't sell by the bottle, you'll have lots of opportunities

Buying some inexpensive local wines that you enjoyed in some cafe/bistro etc will be a great memory when you open the bottle this winter

 

[mejoshee]

the wine was a foregone conclusion! :drunken:

But you think spending on briar is a waste?

 

[DrT999]

the wine was a foregone conclusion! :drunken:

But you think spending on briar is a waste?

Unless you have a line on a maker you plan on visiting, I would say so, but I'll defer to others.

 

[Harlock999]

I know the guys mean well, (lushes...),
but skip the wine, it's just rotten grapes, right?8)
And who wants that?
Convince your wife that you may never have another chance to buy an Italian pipe in Italy, and nothing has ever meant as much to you.
Except marrying her, of course, and going on this romantic trip together.
You should be able to find something nice at Al Pascia, or Noli, both in Milano!
Besides, she'll be too busy checking out the Milanese fashion to notice your absence...

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

Both Noli and Al Pascia would appear to be great shops, but their goods won't come cheap. As has been said, $200.00 won't get you much. I'd think more in the neighborhood of $7-$800.00. On top of that the Euro is worth ~$1.33 dollars. Neatpipes is also in Milan, and their cheap AeroBilliards are ~$275.00.

 

[mejoshee]

Both Noli and Al Pascia would appear to be great shops, but their goods won't come cheap. As has been said, $200.00 won't get you much. I'd think more in the neighborhood of $7-$800.00. On top of that the Euro is worth ~$1.33 dollars. Neatpipes is also in Milan, and their cheap AeroBilliards are ~$275.00.

Looks like the better bet is to trawl ebay? :|

We'll see if I expand the allowance :twisted:

If I get anything cool, I'll try to resurrect this in October...

 

[mattia76]

Hello,
I have heard that if you contact Paolo Becker in Rome before your trip, he is a most hospitable Pipe Maker, and has even been known to give very favorable prices at his shop.

 

[osci]

In Rome, near Fontana di Trevi, you can visit Becker & Musicò pipe shop and get one of their beautiful Foundation pipes with 200$ or even less.
If you will have at least one hour to spend, i warmly suggest you to pay a visit to this "temple of pipe culture" and enjoy the experience. 
I also think that a Foundation pipe could be the best  souvenir you can buy in Italy: great price/quality ratio and you can  buy this kind of pipes exclusively in their shop in Rome, as they decided not to have any other retailer and Giorgio doesnt like to sell his pipes in internet because he believes that human contact is still essential to sell a pipe.

http://thestandardedition.com/2013/01/31/pipe-dream-becker-musico/

http://www.rdfield.com/Becker_and_Musico/Becker_and_Musico.htm

 

[mejoshee]

Hello,
I have heard that if you contact Paolo Becker in Rome before your trip, he is a most hospitable Pipe Maker, and has even been known to give very favorable prices at his shop.

^ See, this was the kind of useful info I needed!

I did read more about his shop and history and he sounds like a very cool, dedicated pipemaker. I would certainly love to meet him, but I think the Rome portion of the trip will be fairly packed.

 

[Anonymous]

The article said it is on a block from the Parthenon.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Well, considering I have vacation homes in all of those places you mentioned... 

...I'll have my personal pipe maker on-call to meet you in each locale. 

In case you miss them, though, I hear Becker is the guy to visit.

...when in Rome....

 

[daveinlax]

I'm a Castello collector and have dreamed of traveling to Italy. If I ever get to Milan I would head here! :shock:
http://www.neatpipes.com/dovesiamo
http://www.alpascia.com/groupIndex.asp
Noveli and Fincato are in Rome
http://www.fincatolacasadelhabano.com/index.html
http://www.novelli.it/eng/pipes/testdiv.asp

 

[mejoshee]

I'm a Castello collector and have dreamed of traveling to Italy. If I ever get to Milan I would head here! :shock:
http://www.neatpipes.com/dovesiamo
http://www.alpascia.com/groupIndex.asp
Noveli and Fincato are in Rome
http://www.fincatolacasadelhabano.com/index.html
http://www.novelli.it/eng/pipes/testdiv.asp

cool sites! I'll see if a detour is possible now that I know there are some near major landmarks.

 

[Fr_Tom]

When I was traveling in Europe in the 70's, I lost the cheap billiard I had brought. I was in Poitiers to see (make my pilgrimage to) the Baptistry there and asked someone for a local pipe shop. I was sent to a place called the Grande Vizar (I may have spelled this wrong).

I bought a Canadian (house brand) with very nice grain for about $40. With inflation I am not sure what this would be these days. This pipe was one of the best I have ever owned. It had a large bowl at a very slight angle and smoked REALLY well with anything I put in it. I loved that pipe. It seems to have gotten lost in a move, but I keep hoping I will come across it in a box of papers or something.

Have a great trip...