What to buy in Paris
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If you are Going to Buy Only One Thing in Paris,France
• An Hermès tie or scarf (check out the newest model, a tribute
to Salvador Dalí).
• A bottle of scent not yet introduced in the U.S.
If You Only Have Time for One-Stop Shopping
Try any branch of Monoprix or a hypermarché, the French
version of a modern dry-goods store.
Best Gifts to buy in Paris Under $5
• Latest edition of a French magazine, preferably Elle, which
costs about 2.60€ ($3).
• Calissons (candy-covered almonds), sold everywhere in
Provence for about 4.35€ ($5) a box.
• Savon de Marseille, about 4.35€ ($5) for a 400g block (the
bigger-size square soap).
• A gant de toilette, the French version of a washcloth (like
a terry-cloth mitt), which can be teamed with soap if you’re
a big spender.
• Coffee—my friend by Carte Noire brand, found
at any supermarket for around 2.60€ ($3). Pay attention
to the packaging, as this comes in ground or whole-bean
form, freeze-dried, instant, and so on.
• Cookies, such as the two types listed earlier in this chapter,
the Belgian cinnamon cookies called Speculoos, or the Petit
Sables Normands brand of orange-flavored butter cookies
are all wonderful choices.
• Confiture (jam), especially if you can find unusual flavors
such as rose.
• Tea—the British may be famous for theirs, but there are several
French flavors that you rarely find outside of France.
Try Red Fruits (les fruits rouges), a blend sold by various
brands. I think the Monoprix house brand’s is the best.
Best Serious Gifts to buy in Paris
• A bottle of wine from a meaningful vintage year (for example,
when a child was born or when you were married—
you get the idea). Conversely, choose a wine that will be at
its peak on a special date (a 21st birthday, a 50th birthday,
and so on).
• A selection of beauty products from Caudalie, which are
available in the U.S. but are easier to find in France. Made
from grape seed and straight from a vineyard in Bordeaux,
10 THE BEST OF FRANCE AT A GLANCE
these products can be gathered together and given in a
basket—you can even add a small bottle of wine.
• Jewelry from one of the famous French crystal houses such
as Baccarat or Lalique. It’s less expensive in France, with
greater savings if you qualify for détaxe. I like the new
slide bracelet from Lalique (you buy the crystal charm and
the bracelet separately)—drop-dead chic at a fair price
(about 175€/$200).
• A candle with an exotic scent, such as one from Mariage Frères
in Paris, about 43€ ($50). There are less expensive candles
at other shops; department stores have a large selection, as
does Sephora. I’m big on Diptyque, a brand with almost cult
status in the U.S.—about 26€ ($30) per candle at Printemps
in Paris or the Diptyque shop on the Left Bank.
• A Longchamp folding shopping bag or weekend tote; prices
range with size and style. These are sold all over the world
and are not unique, but they are so French and so important
to le look that they make a great gift.
• A white blouse from Anne Fontaine, a chain found in every
major city in France and several in the U.S. . . . the point is
that nothing is more French than a fabulous white blouse.
Prices begin around 65€ ($75).
What to buy for Kids in Paris
• Monoprix has a small toy selection, but it is well stocked
with Legos and often has models that are not available in
the United States.
• Little girls (and big girls, too) love perfume miniatures and
samples, as well as makeup and small-size toiletries.
Hoard the ones you get free, buy miniatures if they are well
priced (some are collectors’ items and cost a fortune, so watch
out), and stop by Sephora for its adorable bath and fragrance
collection in tiny sizes.
• Books in French, especially storybooks that you already have
in English, make wonderful gifts for children. All Disney
stories are available in French. Do not buy videocassettes,
Best Bets for Gifts 11
as they are in Secam format, not NTSC, and will not be compatible
with your VCR.
• Build-it-yourself paper cutouts of French landmarks can
provide hours of entertainment.
• Try to find a souvenir with the child’s name on it in French.
If you can’t get an exact match, find a similar name and give
the child a French pet name. You can even pick a saint to
go with it and then celebrate the saint’s name day with the
child.
