Wow! Walking around a shopping area in Marseille I noticed a vendor selling macarons. He was very…read morepolite and offered everyone samples of each of the products. I tried the poppy seed, the pistachio, the almond macarons, as well as another product that reminded me of the sugar waffles I used to get a the fair as a kid.
The booth operator was very friendly and encouraged everyone to try each of the products offered. A couple people were treating it as a buffet, but still he was inviting to try more. The booth in this location was cash only, but the products were cheap. The price was per gram weight, which he said typically averaged 2-3 macarons for 1 Euro. This is the type of operation I picture when thinking about local shopping in Provence. If you are in the area, be sure to stop by this vendor.