Do you know the phrase memento is definitely French – it means “reminiscence”. I discover that so acceptable, as getting the fitting memento will help spark particular recollections of your wonderful journey. However, generally it looks like the “typical” choices are a waste and, satirically, fade shortly from reminiscence.

So, how do you decide one thing that can be significant to you? Or, generally even tougher, discover one thing that can be helpful and particular as a present for somebody again dwelling?

To assist, I’ve collected 19 choices for souvenirs from Paris that may assist protect these unimaginable recollections if you get again dwelling.

19 Non-Touristy Souvenirs to Deliver Residence from Paris

1. French Wine

French wine is known, and bringing again a bottle or two of your favourite selection to take pleasure in later is a traditional memento to choose up in Paris. You could find wine retailers in all places within the metropolis, however a enjoyable technique to get to check out a number of nice wines is doing a wine tasting.

After being guided by the method of tasting wines, pairing them with cheese, and studying concerning the historical past of every wine, you may select your favorites to buy and produce dwelling with you.

👉Check availability for this wine-tasting

Wine bottles can simply be transported in your checked baggage – simply pad nicely round your garments – however you too can purchase wine sleeves to carry the bottles extra securely.

2. Cheese + Butter

There’s nothing I really like fairly like I really like a fromagerie (a conventional French cheese store) full of all dimensions and shapes of attention-grabbing cheeses. You may simply carry again a collection of completely different cheeses – many nations (together with the US) can help you carry cheese and butter again with none problem.

These are a few of my favourite French cheeses:

• Comté: This cheese is tough, nutty, and salty and is my absolute favourite French cheese. 
• Brie: You may’t come to France and never attempt a extremely good brie! At a fromagerie, you’ll most frequently see “brie de meaux” – a sort of brie from the town of Meaux that could be very delicate and creamy.
• Tomme de Savoie: Creamy, nutty and salty. It’s tougher than brie however not as exhausting as comté.
• Cantal: Very gentle and exhausting
• Roblochon: This cheese is delicate, much like brie, however has a stronger taste. I prefer it although!
• Camembert: One other traditional French cheese. I personally assume Camembert has an analogous taste to brie, simply stronger. Generally you’ll see baked camembert on restaurant menus, which is scrumptious.

Moreover, I really like bringing again French butter, particularly Le Beurre Bordier model, which you’ll be able to usually discover in fromageries.

Often, a fromagerie can vacuum pack your cheese, which helps guarantee freshness and include smells in your baggage.

I’ve hosted many a cheese and/or butter-tasting occasion after visits to France, which is at all times successful with family and friends.

3. Bouquinistes

Through the hotter months, the banks of the Seine River are lined with “bouquinistes” – or pop-up e-book sellers. These charming stands promote classic and second-hand distinctive books, paintings, and postcards. You could find some actual gems right here!

4. Scarves

Scarves are the quintessential Parisian trend merchandise. Everybody in Paris wears a superbly coiffed scarf through the chilly winter months and brisk spring and fall days, and bringing dwelling a conventional Parisian scarf is a good remembrance of your journey.

You could find scarves in lots of typical memento retailers, however for a extra genuine expertise, think about procuring the boutiques (in addition to some chains) alongside Rue de Rivoli, close to Lodge de Ville.

5. Market Items

Wandering round markets is among the finest methods to get that “native feeling”, as when you’re actually residing in Paris.

Most markets promote a wide range of contemporary produce and flowers, and can usually even have items to carry dwelling, like home made jams, honey, soaps, and Herbs de Provence – a singular mix of herbs from southern France.

There are a number of markets round Paris you can pop into:

• The Marché d’Aligre: Each morning however Monday
• Marché Saxe-Breteuil: Open Thursday and Saturday mornings
• Marché Bastille: Open 7am-3pm Thursday and Sunday
• Marché Biologique de Batignolles: Open Saturday 9am-3pm

6. Treasures from Classic and Second Hand Market

The Marché aux Puces in Saint Ouen is Paris’s premier thrift market, and the most important flea market in your entire world. It gives a sprawling treasure hunt for classic and high quality second-hand objects.

The market is positioned within the very northern a part of Paris (even farther north than Montmartre) and is a little bit of a trek to get there, however there can be lots ready for you if you arrive.

La Brocante des Abbesses or Les Puces de Montreuil are two different, smaller classic markets nearer to the town middle you would additionally take a look at.

If you wish to go to a devoted thrift retailer filled with second-hand clothes choices, head to the Marais. Some nice thrift shops yow will discover on this neighborhood embrace Episode, Free’p’star, and Guerrisol.

7. Skilled Photoshoot

One in every of my favourite souvenirs to carry dwelling from any journey around the globe is knowledgeable photoshoot, the place a neighborhood photographer takes unbelievable photos of my husband and I interacting within the metropolis we’re visiting.

Significantly, there’s nothing that may age in addition to nice images of you and your family members out of your Parisian trip.

Paris has a thriving photographer market, and you’ll undoubtedly discover a lengthy listing of choices relying in your dates and finances. A fast Google search or Instagram search will carry up quite a few photographers.

8. Newspaper Photos

This can be a big hidden gem in Paris, which is so “secret” that there isn’t even a selected location to offer you.

A gaggle of girls run essentially the most charming little old-timey {photograph} stand, the place they may take photos of you with their old-school digital camera after which print them off onto an old-timey wanting newspaper entrance web page.

They don’t have set hours and so they at all times arrange someplace a bit of bit completely different across the Eiffel Tower (you may generally discover them by Pont d’Iena, however we really stumbled upon them at Passerelle Debilly). I’ve additionally seen them arrange round Notre Dame generally as nicely.

There isn’t any set value – it’s by donation solely – and is essentially the most charming little memento to carry dwelling from Paris with you. Hold your eyes open for these girls as you stroll across the tower!

9. E-book from Shakespeare and Co

Readers may take pleasure in a present from Shakespeare and Co, a quaint little English-language bookstore on the banks of the Seine within the Latin Quarter.

10. Luxurious Luggage and Garments

Paris is virtually synonymous with each luxurious and trend, and there are high-end manufacturers everywhere in the metropolis. When you’ve had your eye on a designer bag, particularly, and are coming from the US, Paris is a good place to buy, since costs really are usually cheaper in France in comparison with the US.

You could find many luxurious shops on the Champs Elysées, in Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, and round Place Vendome.

Ensure you ask for the VAT tax refund papers (and produce your passport with you) when testing so you may get the tax again on the airport.

11. Signature Scent from Molinard Fragrance Class

France is understood for the high-end fragrance produced within the nation, which all began in a small village in southern France. When you visit Grasse, you’ll study 3 of the main fragrance homes in France: Molinard, Fragonard, and Gallimard.

The excellent news is that even when you don’t head to southern France, you may nonetheless study so much concerning the historical past and technique of fragrance creation by collaborating in a perfume-making workshop.

This workshop is totally pleasant (even for somebody like me who isn’t actually massive into fragrance) – you study the essential ideas of fragrance creation, then get to odor dozens of scents, deciding which choice you may need to embrace in your fragrance.

Lastly, you get to personally combine up your individual perfume to carry dwelling with you.

It’s a pleasant expertise – I did it in Grasse itself, however the very same workshop is out there in Paris.

Verify costs and availability for this perfume creation class here

12. Macarons

Macarons are one of the stereotypical French cookies, with two meringue-based cookies sandwiching a ganache or buttercream filling. Macarons are available in all kinds of flavors starting from chocolate, vanilla, pistachio, and raspberry, to rose and lavender.

Choosing up a field of macarons is a straightforward and scrumptious memento to carry dwelling with you. These are some of my favorite places to get macarons!

13. Candies

You could find mouthwatering chocolate retailers throughout Paris, promoting artisanal, high-quality candies. You could find chocolateries in any arrondissement, and you’ll actually stumble over not less than a number of when you’re exploring the town.

Nonetheless, these are some nice retailers to purchase high quality French chocolate (and plenty of have a number of areas in Paris):

• A La Mere de Famille
• Alain Ducasse
• A L’Etoile d’Or
• Jean-Paul Hevin
• La Maison du Chocolat
• Pierre Hermé
• Patrick Roger
• Jean Charles Rochoux

14. French Grocery Retailer Cookies

France has a extremely enjoyable collection of boxed cookies of their grocery shops and we at all times carry dwelling not less than a number of containers to share with our children and household. These containers value simply €1-3 and are a singular and low cost French goodie to carry dwelling.

I’d advocate popping right into a grocery retailer (Monoprix, Franprix, Carrefour, and G20 are the primary chains you’ll discover in Paris) at the start of your journey and selecting a number of to attempt throughout your journey, so what your favorites are to carry dwelling.

These are a few of our favourite sorts:

• Petit Ecolier
• Lulu Fraise
• Palmiers

15. Pharmacy Skincare Gadgets

When you love nice skincare, Paris can be your finest pal, as skincare merchandise, particularly from French manufacturers, are very low cost, significantly in comparison with the US. Moreover, when you’re American, there are lots of merchandise out there in France that aren’t out there within the US.

One of many largest and least expensive pharmacies is CityPharma within the Marais. I’m no magnificence blogger, however listed below are a number of examples of skincare merchandise with a cult following:

• Ialuset hyaluronic acid
• Isdin Fusion Magic Water sunscreen
• Cicaplast B5 Baume on your pores and skin barrier
• Biafine to deal with burns

And principally something from these manufacturers:

• La Roche Posay
• Avene
• Caudalie

16. Angelina Tea Units

Paris has a surprisingly good hot chocolate scene, with many cafes across the metropolis providing thick, decadent, wealthy sizzling chocolate introduced on the cutest little serving ware.

Angelina is one in all our favourite spots to get chocolat chaud in Paris, and when you go to the flagship retailer on Rue de Rivoli, you may decide up their sizzling cocoa mixes, in addition to their teapots and teacups that the chocolate is served in. I really like my little Angelina pot and use it commonly!

17. Image from Place du Tertre

Place du Tertre is an enthralling sq. in Montmartre full of artists drawing, portray, and promoting their creations.

Wandering by the sq. and admiring the paintings is an enjoyable thing to do in Montmartre, and there’ll doubtless be one thing that catches your consideration to carry dwelling with you.

18. Foodstuffs from Grande Epicerie de Paris

Grocery shops in Paris are usually small, usually intimate affairs. La Grande Épicerie breaks this mould and is a big meals corridor providing distinctive merchandise and novelties, in addition to a bakery, pastry store, butcher, fromagerie, and extra.

This can be a good spot to choose up some attention-grabbing culinary souvenirs to carry dwelling with you – we picked up some actually scrumptious kinds of Dijon mustard on our final journey right here.

19. Scratch off Paris Scenes

One final memento thought is one thing I discovered on the Arc de Triomphe reward store and was a enjoyable and relatively distinctive reward to carry again for a kid.

It was a pack of 10 scratch-off scenes round Paris, the place you would use a wood pencil (or any exhausting floor) to scratch the black layer off the highest of the image, revealing a colourful scene beneath.

This was a extremely enjoyable reward that my children actually liked. Whereas I discovered it on the Arc de Triomphe (a spot that undoubtedly belongs in your Paris bucket list) you could possibly discover it in different reward retailers across the metropolis as nicely.

The Wrap Up

Whereas there are infinite shops to buy at in Paris, hopefully this listing offers you some concrete concepts for presents that might be excellent for your self or your family members. And whereas there’s nothing incorrect with a “typical” memento (I personally love to choose up a enjoyable magnet each time I journey someplace new), it’s additionally enjoyable to buy extra native and particular presents to carry dwelling with you.

Have an thought not on this listing? Shoot me an email and let me know!