A Trip to Au Pavillon de Florelle, Alexandria's Oldest Flower Shop

As you know we love to tell stories, but this enchanting one might surpass anything we’ve spoken about previously. Meet Sayed Abdelhamid, the owner of the oldest flower shop in Alexandria, Au Pavillon de Florelle, which has been open since the 1920s.

Inherited from his father who opened up the shop over 100 years ago, he shares with us a tale that may now be considered a part of our history. A relic of the past, the flower shop came to life at a time where French was commonly spoken, as mostly foreigners resided in the area. A period of time where Oum Kalthoum would perform monthly in AlHambra theatre, his fathers shop was always in charge of the flower arrangements on stage. This, rightfully so, is something unforgettable to him. Mr. Abdelhamid holds this period of time quite close to his heart. He also, doesn't fail to remind us that Alexandria back then was in fact considered Egypt’s capital.

He goes on to show us what appears to be delicate photographs dating back to the 1920s. Now, it is almost like a period piece/ relic that reminds us of this era of our history, often referred to as Egypts golden days. Passionate about flowers & his life's work, he speaks about them in almost a poetic manner, beautifully telling us that he believes they give life or -lighten the mood- to wherever they may be placed. To him, flowers are a curated art piece that are to be as appreciated as one would a painting. His personal favourite flower would be the traditional Alexandrian rose, a classic.

He recalls the flower bouquet (curated with flowers from the Netherlands) he made for King Farouk's engagement as his most special/ monumental piece. 

With such an immersive background in flowers, and such a big passion for not just the craft, but his family's history, Au Pavillon de Florelle is still up and running. Mr. Sayed’s charismatic and intriguing personality really made the trip that much more worthwhile.