Despite the stranglehold of the internet, the proliferation of supermarkets, the desertification of town centres and the gradual loss of interest in local shops, some of France's oldest businesses are still managing to survive.

At the head of these establishments, the ever-vanishing reminders of a time gone by, are shop keepers driven by passion and a love of their trade.

We spent several months travelling the length and breadth of France to meet the people who, against all odds, are trying to safeguard their commercial heritage. A taste of yesterday’s France in today's world.