Voila it’s Christmas in Paris - Shopping on a budget.
If you are heading back home for the holidays and want to hand out a few gifts and stocking stuffers, but don’t have the budget or extra space in your bag, keep reading. I have assembled the collective wisdom of many American and British Expats living in France, including the ladies of the American Women's Group in Paris. I’ve come up with this list of gifts from small and tasty treats, to beautiful and unique treasures. This list takes transportation issues into consideration so they are all light weight and fit easily into your checked luggage. Some will even work in your hand bag. Each item is authentic and French made, most are only available in France. These gifts range in price from 2 to 179 euros.
Grocery Items
One stunning revelation was that some of the best stocking stuffers you’ll find are at the grocery stores. Food is always a good choice for the person who has everything.
Fleur de sel
Herbes de Provence
French lavender tea
Piment d'espelette
Creme de marrons
Buttery cookies from Le Mont St Michel's Mère Poulard
Honey from every region in France
Little cans of pates, rillettes, foie gras, confit de canard
All the cookies from franprix
Picard’s frozen macarons (they travel really well)
Eiffel Tower pasta from franprix
Packets of vanilla sugar
Corkscrew and Knives
Laguiole and Opinel, these knives and cutlery have been manufactured in France since the early 19th century. The Laguiole Paris Cutlery Store is located on Ile St Louis, Here you will find traditional knives, cork screws, cheese knives, pocket knives, and much more. These items are going to be a lot more expensive than cookies at franprix but they will last a lifetime.
Prices start at 179 euros
Tea / Kitchen Towels
A beautiful fashion accessory for the kitchen with an explosion of colors to spice up the decor! A perfect gift for anyone on your list. Le Jacquard Français has been manufactured in France since 1888. The brand continues to combine ancestral techniques with technical innovations to keep these exquisite towels a long lasting and beautiful treasure for your everyday use. They can be found in many high end kitchen and linen shops around Paris or at Galeries Lafayette, BHV, and Bon Marche
Prices start at 12 euros
Lavender Sachet
The famous Flower Market has been located in the same area of Paris since 1808 on the Ile de la Cité, Place Louis Lépine, and Quai de la Corse along the Seine, at Metro Cité. This market has many shops with lots of beautiful hand crafted French items. One item that is super French and always appreciated is an embroidered sachet of lavender from the fields of Provence.
10 - 15 euros
Bleuforêt socks
Bleuforêt has been manufacturing socks, tights and leggings in the heart of the Vosges mountains in Eastern France for 25 years. Quality French products for men, women and kids using silk, Sea Island cotton, Merino wool and cashmere thread. The brand began retailing in Paris large department stores such as Printems, Galeries Lafayette, BHV, and Bon Marché, but now they can be found in Monoprix as well.
Prices start at 10 euros
Filt Bag
Before there were plastic bags and rolling carts, there was the 'sac filet pour provisions’. These netted bags have been made in Normandy since 1860. Filt bags remain very much part of French life. These light practical and inexpensive bags are still manufactured in Caen by local people. You can find these bags at La Grande Epicerie de Paris, located at 38 rue de Sèvres 75007 Paris, also at BHV or they can be purchased online.
12 euros
Classic French Candies
Each region of France has developed its own particular brand of sweets by focusing on local ingredients. 600 varieties of regional sweets exist in France. That’s more than cheese! Here are 9 varieties not to be missed. You can find these, and many more at the Bon Marche in the La Grande Epicerie.
Other options are to look around your local markets for vendors who sell handcrafted beeswax candles or Marseille soap, both are French classics. Alas, if you still don’t know what to get that certain someone, there is always chocolate, wine and Louis Vuitton to fall back on. If you have other shopping ideas, please let us know by leaving you comments below.
Happy shopping and Joyeux Noël.
