A Little Bit of France in Newport Beach

Newport Beach resident Mary Homi also lives part time in her pied-a-terre in Beaulieu-sur-Mer on the French Riviera.

“I love these [two] cities because they are small, friendly communities with fabulous weather. Since I don’t drive a car, I can easily walk in both places,” she says. “In fact, they have so much in common that I’m trying to make Newport Beach a sister city with Beaulieu-sur-Mer.”

Homi doesn’t have to walk far from her home here to feel as if she’s in France.

Newport Beach’s Cannery Village on 31st Street is a petite French Quarter. On the last Sunday of every other month, the block holds a street fair with fresh produce, flowers, art and antiques for sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The next is scheduled for Jan. 29.

The 400 block of 31st in Newport Beach has such French-oriented shops as:

* Cannery Paints, which has paintings of Paris street scenes. (714) 675-0852.

* Carole Akins Studio, Impressionistic oil paintings. (714) 673-8663.

* Doug Stotts, a French artist specializing in paintings and furniture. (714) 675-3075.

* La Vie En Rose, antiques. (714) 675-3089.

* Le Canard Interiors, antiques. (714) 673-1418.

* Ma Belle Provence, authentic French-country fabrics. (714) 673-0542.

* South of France, with antiques and paintings. (714) 675-1673.