PARIS SOUVENIRS
If you would like to get something other than an Eiffel Tower keychain or a beret from Paris, but are not sure where to venture, here is a list of places where I have found wonderful souvenirs not only for myself, but also gifts for friends and family.
Obviously, a box of candy or chocolates are great gifts to bring home, especially from Paris. To read all about my favorites Parisian sweets, please read my article here. I will say that sometimes these items do not travel well, and depending on where you are going next or if it is hot, your items risk spoiling and/or melting. Therefore, the suggestions below are all items that won’t be gobbled up in two seconds (or is that just me?)
Louise Carmen
Louise Carmen sells beautiful customizable leather notebooks. Everything from the color of the leather to little charm additions and engravings will allow you to bring your vision to life. Once you make your way through the Passage du Grand-Cerf, one of the largest covered arcades in Paris, you will find the small shop. There is no appointment necessary to create your own design, so depending on the day you may have to wait in a small line, but it is so worth it! I waited for about 15 minutes, as there were two people in front of me. You will be met with incredibly kind staff and plenty of options that they will go over with you to customize your very own notebook.
I myself purchased a chestnut notebook with a matching cord, my initials embossed on the front, and a little heart charm! I also purchased an agenda to add to my notebook. I then strolled around the neighborhood for 45 minutes, picked up some pink pralines from Pralus nearby (a sweet souvenir option), and then returned to pick up my finished product! I absolutely love my Louise Carmen notebook, and think it is a wonderful gift to take home not only for yourself, but for friends and family as well.
Ex-Libris Paris
This souvenir is for the book lover in your life (and that might just be yourself!) Plenty of people write their names in their books to establish ownership, and this tradition, called Ex-Libris, actually dates back to the 15th century as a way to indicate and create one’s own library. “Ex libris” is Latin, meaning, “from the book of” or really, “from the library of.” Basically, it was a way to mark that something was yours! But instead of simply writing your name in a book, it was done so with a beautiful book plate. Book plates might have included little engravings of symbols or images to capture the essence of the book’s owner. It was a visual representation of the owner’s identity.
And that is where this lovely shop comes in! Ex-Libris Paris creates customized rubber stamps so you can leave your own mark on the inside of all of your books. You can include your initials and a symbol that has significant meaning to you like a zodiac sign or a profession. The impeccably kind staff will even work with you to use a photo of a pet or a home to design something uniquely yours. I myself purchased a stamp that said, “Ex-Libris Samantha,” meaning, “from the library of Samantha,” with an image of an owl – my favorite animal! I also purchased a couple of stamps for friends. Prices vary depending on how much customization you do, and please note that the finished product will not be done immediately. However, you can either return to the shop for pick up, or they will happily ship it to you!
Mélodies Graphiques
With your new leather notebook from Louise Carmen and rubber stamp from Ex-Libris Paris in hand, head to Mélodies Graphiques for all your paper accessories! Unlike the two previous shops mentioned, Mélodies Graphiques does not carry customizable items, but the shop does have a number of notebooks, cards, bookmarks, stamps, wax seals, papers, and more! (They even sell Ex-Libris stamps, again just not customizable.) I purchased a gold metal owl bookmark from this shop that I absolutely love, as well as a cherished notebook in which I document all of my France adventures!
Alix D. Reynis
Alix Depondt-Reynis gives her name to her shop, which is full of porcelain dinnerware, décor, lamps, and more. The store itself is just as lovely as the items for sale, and I find the shop’s dark walls and moody cupboards are a lovely contrast to the delicate craftsmanship of the white porcelain. You can even purchase items not made of porcelain, such as stationery and jewelry. I have a necklace and a ring from Alix D. Reynis that I wear all the time, and I also have one of her porcelain jewelry boxes (where I keep my ring when I’m not wearing it!) On the top of the jewelry box, I was able to add a gold initial, which makes this box all the more special. Customization on porcelain can also be added to things like egg cups, wall pegs, and plates – a great gift option!
Faïencerie de Gien
On a larger porcelain scale, we have Faïencerie de Gien, the biggest pottery making factory of its kind in Europe. This company has been around for over two hundred years, known for making tiles for the Paris metro stations and dinnerware sporting family crests. But you do not need to be a transportation station or a royal to own a piece from Gien! Mugs, letter trays, cake platters, bowls, and more can all be purchased at the store.
Marin Montagut
Marin Montagut is an illustrator and French designer. His universe is one of joy and poetry, and one that celebrates all things Paris (this can be seen in his drawings of Luxembourg garden chairs and Parisian street signs). His boutique is really cute and quirky, selling items like porcelain sculptures and kitchenware, glasses, home décor, and paper goods. I never leave empty handed!
Compagnie Française des Poivres et des Épices
This is a darling small store that packs a punch with its spices, salts, and herbs. Compagnie Française des Poivres et des Épices brings together spices from places like India, Turkey, Guatemala, and Vietnam and packages them in perfectly sized tins to take home for yourself or for a loved one (if you can manage to part with it!) The tins are beautifully displayed with cloches in front of them. Lift up these glass bell jars and turn them upwards towards your nose to reveal the heavenly aroma of a particular scent – the perfect way to determine what to purchase! Note that the spices are not chemically treated and they are ethically grown in places where the natural environment is respected.
Officine Universelle Buly 1803
Officine Universelle Buly 1803 is a French beauty brand founded in 1803 (hence the name) by Jean-Vincent Bully (the second L was dropped along the way by the brand!) The establishment is well known for its body oils, perfumes, and personalized combs and lip balm containers. While the company got its start long ago, the first Buly shop was opened in 2014 at 6 Rue Bonaparte in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. Since then, the brand has expanded globally and was acquired by the titan LVMH in 2021. However, the first store still maintains the wonderfully earthy ambiance of an apothecary, excellent customer service, and special gifts that it has offered for years. I absolutely love getting people gifts from Officine Universelle Buly because the quality and personalization is excellent. I once purchased an engraved brush for CJ and the packaging was almost as beautiful as the gift itself, topped with his name in scrawling calligraphy!
Sometimes the original store can get quite crowded, and staff politely only admit a handful of people at a time to allow for each customer to receive the care and attention that the brand upholds. If you do not mind missing out on broody wood from floor to ceiling and bottles lining the walls, might I suggest heading over to Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche. In this department store, there is a small kiosk that carries many of the products, and you can still get items customized – but without the big crowd! I have shopped in both locations, and while different experiences, the gifts I purchased at both were incredible!
Deyrolle
Deyrolle is quite a curious place. When I first visited, I found myself wondering: is this a store or a museum? Is this institution dedicated to taxidermy? Entomology? Gardening?? What I realized is that it was a little bit of everything! However, what stands out the most is the taxidermy piece of Deyrolle (probably because there is a giraffe towering over your shoulder and a threatening lion just within reach as you walk through the collection). The big difference between Deyrolle and another museum, is that the items on display are actually for sale. Now this may be a bit out there in terms of gifts, but if you have someone in your life (or you yourself) who is interested in these types of items, this could be quite the gift! And I am not sure if you have $30K to shell out on a polar bear, but perhaps a butterfly for $100 is in your wheelhouse! (Note that Deyrolle is committed to sustainable and responsible taxidermic practices, and that the majority of the animals in the collection died of natural causes and were provided by zoos and parks.) I myself did not purchase anything, but walking through the collection was a unique experience!
Diptyque
Diptyque offers candles, perfumes, lotions, and more, but the brand is most known for the astounding scents it brings to its products. My favorite is Feu de Bois (firewood) but I also love their rose scent. And while Diptyque has many stores all over the world, the company did get its start in my favorite area of Paris – Saint-Germain-des-Prés! Also, the candles in the City Candles collection are only available in the boutiques of the cities they represent (though once a year they are offered as limited editions online) but in general, you can only get the Paris candle in Paris! When you have exhausted your candle down to the wick, clean out the glass for a pretty makeup brush or trinket holder.
Trudon
Similarly to Diptyque, Trudon carries candles, perfumes, and diffusers. Trudon also has a presence outside of Paris, but the flagship store is in the heart of the city and therefore worth a trip. What I like specifically about Trudon are their taper candle and candlestick options. They also have candle busts of people like Napoléon and Louis XIV as well as scented matchsticks, so there are a lot of unique offerings to choose from! For me, I will say that their scents are much heavier than those of Diptyque, but try out both and see which scents suit you best! I think Trudon’s candlesticks and their Christmas scents are the best, and the small candles make for great stocking stuffers!
Maille
If you are a mustard enthusiast, Maille is the place to go. The Maille boutique offers taste tests to determine which mustard you would like to purchase, and then an employee pours it in a jar fresh right in front of you. You get to pick your jar size and color, whether you would like the jar itself to be engraved, and whether you would like to personalize your cork stopper to seal in your tangy treat. If you stick around long enough in the city to finish your jar, you can bring it back and they will refill it for you anytime! This is a fantastic gift for the condiment lover in your life.
Please note that these are my personal favorites, but there are countless boutiques and artisans around every corner in Paris. I promise you will not leave empty handed!
