The Only Drinking Glasses You'll Ever Need

I'd like to write a post to sing the praises of the Picardie tumbler. 

If I were more of a minimalist, I would jettison the majority of my glassware and just use my Picardie glasses for every meal. Manufactured in France by Duralex, the tempered glass cups are practically unbreakable--seriously, let one fall on the floor, you'd be hard-pressed to shatter or chip these extra-tough glasses. Their durability and their timeless design are why they can be found in practically every cafe in France and in many French restaurants stateside. They are also apparently popular around the globe; an article in The Independent reveals that the Duralex's largest export market is Afghanistan where it is the default tea glass! (Because they are made from tempered glass, they can hold hot liquids.) In addition to their good looks and durability, these glasses are great for anyone with limited cabinet space, as they stack easily. And since they last forever and are made a recyclable material, they're also an ecological choice.

I grew up with Picardie tumblers, and in the past two years, I've collected a large trove of them at thrift stores and yard sales for my own house. Little by little, I find that we use nothing else. I've also owned Duralex's Gigone tumbler, but I prefer the look of the Picardie and the variety of sizes that are available.

The Picardie glass comes in four sizes, ranging from teeny-tiny to a full pint. The littlest glasses (3.1 oz.) are a good size for kids. (Yes, I said kids; because they are so unbreakable, these glasses are even used in schools in France.) The 8.5 oz. glass is more versatile, I think it's the perfect size for either wine or juice. The 12.2 oz. had been our water glass size until recently, but when I found five of the full 16 oz. glasses at a yard sale last week, and I must say I prefer the larger size for water (as a full pint, it would, of course, also accommodate a beer nicely).

You can buy Picardie tumblers directly from Duralex or through Amazon.com, but curiously, World Market seems to have the best prices online (however, they do not sell the 16 oz. version).

Photos: Quitokeeto (top) and Williams-Sonoma (bottom).