What can you bring from France besides banal souvenirs? What to bring from France.
One word "France" contains a sea of \u200b\u200bjoy. The country of live music, night lights and elegant women... It is wonderful in any season. Visiting this magical and fantastic country, tourists definitely will not lose, on the contrary, they will get unforgettable impressions. After all, the time spent in this amazing place is filled with romance and feelings. Upon returning home, perhaps everyone likes to bring gifts from trips for relatives and friends.
As a gift
Souvenirs
The visiting card of France is the Eiffel Tower. This world-famous landmark is imbued with the atmosphere of Paris. Tourists often choose souvenirs from France depicting this architectural masterpiece as a gift. Gifts with a view of other sights are also very popular: the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs Elysees, etc.
What to bring from France?
Souvenir options:
- key rings;
- lighters;
- postcards;
- mugs;
- small figurines;
- magnets;
- hairpins;
- spice boxes.
Such gifts will always be popular. For example, a keychain in the shape of the Eiffel Tower costs 1–2 euros*. You can buy a whole bunch of turrets for your acquaintances and friends.
Attention! You should be careful when purchasing such souvenirs from African Americans. It is advisable to buy trinkets in souvenir shops.
perfume
French perfume is the best in the whole world! It is advisable to buy it in specialized stores. But the expensive Chanel products should be purchased at Marrionaud or Sephora chain stores. Here the price is much lower. For example, eau de toilette of a well-known brand can be taken for about 55 euros *, perfumery - 60-65 euros *.
French perfume is the best in the whole world
Perfume
The pride of French manufacturers is perfume. A bottle of such a product is the level of a luxurious perfume.
World brands:
- "Chanel";
- "Christian Dior";
- "Givenchy";
- "Cartier".
Their high quality corresponds to the same high cost. Each bottle of expensive perfume has a life of its own.
Cosmetical tools
Branded cosmetics are a welcome gift for any woman. What cosmetics are recommended to choose while in France? Gorgeous lipstick, gorgeous mascara, aroma oils for body care, sets of creams and face lotions.
French brands that are adored by beautiful ladies:
- Clarins;
- Dior;
- Estee Lauder;
- Clinique;
- carita;
- Yves Rocher; la Roche-Posay;
- Vichy.
Branded cosmetics - a welcome gift for any woman
In Marionnaud and Sephoria boutiques, it is possible to purchase cosmetics of both expensive brands and more budget ones. Often gifts are given out here: nail polish or a bottle of French perfume.
Clothing and footwear
The trend-setting country is rich in countless stylish boutiques: Dior, Chanel and more. etc. They sell exclusive clothes from famous designers. Naturally, the cost of finished luxury will correspond to its quality. However, there is an alternative for buyers with a modest income: in the flea market you can find a decent and inexpensive thing.
From France you can bring as a gift:
- amazing wide-brimmed hats;
- quality pair of gloves
- men's shirt;
- tie;
- chiffon air scarves;
- leather boots;
- slippers.
Small boutiques of a more modest level are recommended (Sandro, Aldo, Eram, André). It sells clothes, shoes, accessories (sunglasses, belts) at affordable prices. You can buy simple jeans or an ordinary blouse for 10 euros*, demi-season boots made of genuine leather for about 150 euros*.
The trend-setter country is rich in countless stylish boutiques
On a note! The end of August and January is the season of discounts. Clothing prices are reduced by up to 70%.
Gifts from Disneyland
Toys, bags, T-shirts, various accessories are sold on the territory of the local Disneyland. They are designed not only for babies, but also for their parents. Adults, getting into Disneyland, turn into children. To see the happy face of a loved one, it is reasonable to bring a toy - a hero of a children's cartoon as a gift.
Toys are sold at the local Disneyland. bags, t-shirts, various accessories
Vintage vinyl records
You can take a retro souvenir as a gift. For example, a vinyl record of the legendary chansonniers of the last century. A carved music box will also be an original surprise. It is attractive not only for its beauty, but also for the fact that it reproduces charming French music.
Art objects
To purchase any piece of art, you should go to Saint-Germain Boulevard, where Parisian artists exhibit copies of famous paintings. The landscape of night Paris, no doubt, will decorate the most prominent place in the apartment. Another home wall contender is contemporary French tapestry. It won't take up much space due to its compact size. The tapestry is made in the form of a cover, pillow, tablecloth or bedspread. Usually it depicts pastoral patterns or French battles.
Interior items
A charming piece of furniture is a porcelain angel. It will decorate any room. An antique box made of natural wood, a table lamp with an original lampshade, a wrought-iron-framed mirror, and a palace-style glass holder are a wonderful gift for true connoisseurs of antique interiors. These include lavender candles and handmade planters.
Charming piece of furniture - porcelain angel
Gastronomic gifts
Incredibly delicious food is sold in France!
Cheese
Friends will appreciate a head of good French cheese. Classic French cheeses Camembert and De chevre. France is also the birthplace of the famous blue cheese. Of course, this product will not be to everyone's taste. But if a gourmet is waiting at home, it is worth taking the original of this delicacy, which is significantly different from the product that can be delivered to domestic stores.
France is the birthplace of the famous blue cheese
Important! You need to buy cheese no more than a day before returning home, since it is kept at room temperature for up to 4 days. The package with the product should be placed in 3 other bags, because French cheese has a very pronounced smell. Returning home, you need to transfer the cheese to the refrigerator.
Wine
Continuing the theme of cheese, it is impossible not to mention its invariable pair: a bottle of wine. Each French region has its own wine history. The names Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Loire are known to almost everyone. The French adore sophistication, so they will not import cheap fakes of alcohol into France.
Each French region has its own wine history.
Each wine bottle is marked with the corresponding sign:
- VDP - regional wine, costing from 35 euros *;
- VDSQ - quality wines that cost more than 50 euros *;
- AOC is one of the best wines produced in a particular province of France. Cost - from 100 euros *;
- Premier cru - elite wine, costing from 700 euros *.
PayAttention! The best wines have an unassuming label.
Sweets
As for edible gifts, you should not miss an interesting topic: high-quality French sweets that drive you crazy with their unique taste. Macarons are small, delicate almond-flavored eclair cakes that have long been a classic French delicacy.
When in France, be sure to purchase local chocolate. This is the same cult product as wine and cheeses. The chocolate bar contains high-quality cream and a huge amount of spices. A piece of such a culinary creation leaves a pleasant aftertaste.
Coffee
French coffee has a tart taste and unique aroma. From the first sip, it invigorates and gives a wonderful mood. The most popular brand of coffee is Ricore.
Spices
France is immersed in the fragrant aroma of lavender fields. The huge Richard Lenoir market is a real landmark of France. The market specializes in trade in various spices, from wild herbs to the usual coriander. A bag of spices is a valuable gift for someone who loves to cook delicious dishes. With a set of fragrant herbs, you need to purchase a mortar to grind them.
A bag of spices is a valuable gift for someone who loves to cook delicious dishes.
French supermarkets often offer to buy a grocery set in a wicker basket: several packages of various deli meats or jam, as well as a bottle of local wine. The cost of such pleasure is not high: only 10-20 euros*, but it will definitely please your loved ones.
Other
Gifts for children:
- wonderful Vilac toys made of wood;
- soccer shorts and a t-shirt for a boy;
- unique textile doll Deglingos for girls.
A bar of incredible soap with an indescribable smell of lavender and cherry costs only 4 euros*. Such a surprise gift will appeal to a young girl. Handmade floral soap costs up to 500 euros* – a worthy gift for a self-confident luxurious lady.
Any of the novels by A. Dumas with magnificent illustrations in the original language will please not only women, but also men.
The windows of many shops display amazing rarities, antique knick-knacks, shabby photographs depicting magnificent views of old Paris. The atmosphere of such shops is imbued with the spirit of bygone centuries. It is worth taking a closer look at the charming vintage postcards that contain dried lavender flowers. Such a gift exudes a delicate aroma.
exotic gifts
Original gifts can be considered:
- figurines of kings, queens, shepherdesses and knights;
- felt beret, which is part of the French national costume;
- candied violet, which can be eaten;
- small objects with the image of cicadas.
A delicious exotic that needs to be brought from France is foie gras. This recognized delicacy is the liver of a fat goose. It is recommended to transport this product in tightly sealed packaging.
Thus, staying in France is a cherished desire fulfilled. Therefore, the best gift is a trip to this fabulous country, which will give vivid impressions.
* Prices are valid for October 2018.
Cheeses are well-quoted among tourists, especially with mold. The price is about 4 euros. France produces over 500 types of cheese. Camembert and Coeur de Chevre are especially well known. The first is made from cow's milk and has a delicate "mushroom" flavor, the second is made from goat's milk and is slightly sour.
If you do not like the specific aroma of blue cheeses, buy a hard Comte (Comte), which tastes and smells more like Swiss or Russian. Other well-known cheese varieties include Beaufort and Livaro, Pont-l "Eveque and Morbier, Cantal and Reblochon, Saint-Necter and Neuchâtel, Shaurs and Abondance, Layol and Epuas, Munster, Saler, Pelardon, Brie, Bleu-d" Auvergne other.
Patés, sausages and foie gras
Canned foie gras is worth taking, even if you don’t really know what it is yet. Please note that the inscriptions Pate (or Parfait) de foie gras (foie gras pate or foie gras parfait) contain from 50% or from 75% foie gras. Foie gras entier - whole foie gras. Historically, foie gras was made from the liver of specially fattened geese, at present, duck liver is mainly used to make the product.
The French and other liver pates, for example, made from chicken or pork liver, are delicious. A lot in the heart of the gourmet cuisine of the world and a variety of sausages. This is the famous Andouillette from the provinces of Champagne, Artois, Picardy, also made in Lyon and Flanders from pig (sometimes calf or cow) intestines. And Savoy dry-cured sausages in assortment: from horse meat with juniper, from pork with tom or beaufort, walnut or hazelnut and many others.
Alcohol
Do you think that the finest French wines are made in Bordeaux? Perhaps, but in "wine" cases "everything is for everybody". There are many wine regions in France and each of them has something to offer the oenophile tourist. But in addition to fine wines in the country of the Eiffel Tower and high fashion, there are many original alcoholic beverages, including cognacs from Charente (Cognac is a Charente city and district) and champagnes from Champagne.
Someone is carrying a 40-50-degree Chartreuse liqueur, someone is Genepi - a strong alcoholic tincture with a sweet aftertaste, infused with Savoy herbs. Both drinks are usually consumed as a digestif or as an addition to tea. A strong anise tincture Pastisse is also popular with tourists.
Wines from Alsace, Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Champagne and Burgundy are widely known. Few people are not familiar with the names "Dom Pérignon" or "Veuve Clicquot". It is recommended to take wines in the range of 7-15 euros, even if you hear their name for the first time. In this case, the risk of acquiring low-quality "burda" is minimal, and more expensive wines should be taken only by professional oenophiles and gourmets with special taste requests. Pay attention to cognacs, for example, Eduard III cognac or Meukov cognac.
Dijon mustard
In Russia, mustard made from Sarepta mustard is traditionally popular, which even in Europe has long been called "Russian mustard". Dijon is made from black mustard with the addition of salt, spices and herbs (thyme, lavender, tarragon), as well as juice from unripe grape berries. It has a more refined and delicate taste and is less bitter than Russian. In France, more than twenty types of Dijon mustard can be seen on sale. Mustard with the addition of white wine is especially popular.
France is the dream of many tourists. Graceful streets, refined French women, brilliant palaces... But what to bring from France? A rare tourist leaves here without a handful of Eiffel towers-trinkets. However, in this country there are more interesting souvenirs.
The French are great gourmets. Gourmet cuisine will captivate travelers from Russia and not only so much that the choice often falls on edible presents. Perhaps we will begin our review with them.
1. Foie gras as a gift
One of the culinary symbols of France is foie gras. Considered a delicacy, this dish is as popular with tourists as the famous frog legs and French croissants.
The production of foie gras has long been put on stream, often in specialized shops and even ordinary supermarkets you can find this dish in souvenir packaging. As a rule, it is placed in a thoroughly closed glass or ordinary tin can. The main thing is to check the expiration date. Of course, this option bears little resemblance to a gourmet dish from a restaurant with a Michelin star, but it is suitable for an original souvenir.
What is foie gras? In fact, this is a pate made from goose liver. By the way, the poor bird suffers incredibly for the sake of this delicacy. She is force-fed by inserting a tube down her throat, through which corn constantly goes. As a result, the feathered liver increases 10 times, fat is formed there, which gives the dish a signature unique taste. Foie gras is translated from French as "fatty liver".
Animal advocates regularly campaign for a ban on this delicacy. Some countries have stopped producing it (Germany, Poland, Italy). But the French still cannot deny themselves such pleasure.
2. French alcohol
An alcoholic drink from France will become a universal present. French wines, cognac and, of course, champagne are highly valued all over the world.
An elegant bottle of French wine is a gift that first of all speaks of the good taste of the giver. The French love to live beautifully and are well versed in wines, so there is simply no cheap surrogate here. There are good and very good wines.
- Premier or Grant cru is the most elite wine, aged for more than 30 years, and the price is more than 700 euros.
- AOC - the best wines of certain provinces, made from a limited list of grape varieties, excise green.
- VDSQ is a good quality wine that can be made using a much larger number of grape varieties.
- VDP - wine from certain regions, the production of which is strictly controlled. But this is a more democratic option - the excise tax is blue.
- VDT - good table wine at an affordable price, excise burgundy.
Another pattern that applies to both wine and cognac and champagne: the less remarkable the label, the better the taste. By the way, in France only drinks produced in the Champagne region are called champagne, everything else is local sparkling wines.
For men, it is preferable to bring cognac. Moreover, only a drink produced in the vicinity of the city of the same name in the French province deserves to be called so. Charente. It is made from certain grape varieties and distinguished by aging. The most noble has the letters “XO” on the label.
3. Cheese delicacies
France has a huge selection of cheeses, and each one has a bright character and taste. After tasting them on a trip, you can choose a favorite variety or a delicacy option home.
Buying cheese as a present is the day before, or better, on the day of departure. You can transport it in a regular suitcase. Sealed packaging must not be opened. True French cheese is stored for no more than 4 days, so you should not delay the home tasting, and upon arrival you must immediately put the product in the refrigerator.
The most famous French cheeses:
- Bleu d "Auvergne. Blue cheese. Made from cow's milk.
- Bree. Also made from cow's milk. Cheese with white mold.
- Roquefort. Produced from sheep's milk. This is the famous blue cheese.
- Camembert. It has a moldy rind, and the inside of the cheese is moist and soft. Sold in a wooden box.
- Emmental. Hard grade with large holes. Production takes a long time - from 6 months to a year.
4. Original goodies
An unusual dessert - cider jam - will be a great gift for those with a sweet tooth. It has a fairly liquid consistency and an indescribable aroma of true cider - the aroma of France.
You can also pay attention to chestnut jam and classic French sweets.
Fans of more traditional desserts will love pasta. Beautiful and delicious round cakes made from almond flour.
5. Dijon mustard
As the name implies, the recipe for this mustard was invented in Dijon. Instead of vinegar, grape juice is added to it.
Now in France there are a huge number of varieties of Dijon mustard, in some of them white wine is added instead of juice.
6. Provence herbs
Almost every housewife knows about this excellent seasoning, which has unique flavors. It is named after the province Provence and consists of herbs growing on its territory.
This seasoning is able to turn any dish into a culinary masterpiece, so it will be a relevant gift for anyone who knows how to cook.
7. Violets as a gift
This souvenir is also from the category of culinary ones, because we are talking about a French delicacy - candied violets. His homeland is Toulouse- there, by the way, you can even buy violet ice cream and syrup.
8. Limoges porcelain
Incredibly beautiful porcelain tableware is a great premium gift. AT Limoges use a unique technology for its production, thanks to which the base is distinguished by a unique whiteness, and the patterns - by brightness and clarity. Add to this the excellent refined taste inherent in all the French, and you get real masterpieces of porcelain.
9. Ladies' things
And what is France without spirits! The subtle, refined aroma of the most famous brands is associated with this country as steadily as the Louvre or Versailles. Chanel, Cartier, Guerlain, Givenchy, Christian Dior - popular French brands can be listed endlessly.
If you want to buy the best perfumes - take a bottle with the inscription "Essence de parfum", they contain more essence than alcohol.
Beautiful ladies who are indifferent to perfume can be presented with cosmetics. The selection is also impressive - Estée Lauder, Dior, Clarins, Clinique and many other global brands. They can be purchased in branded boutiques and pharmacies.
Here are some ideas for what you can bring as a souvenir from France:
Boutiques in Paris
1st arrondissement of Paris (1 arrondissement)
- Carrousel du Louvre - place de la Pyramide-Inversée, 99 rue de Rivoli (Métro Palais-Royal) - a shopping gallery located under the Louvre. Here you can buy clothes, jewelry, household items.
- Le Comptoir du Terroir - 5 rue Etienne-Marcel (M. Etienne-Marcel) - here you can buy not only a bottle of good wine at an affordable price, but also other food gifts. Interestingly, the store is open 7 days a week from 9 am to 9:30 pm.
- Jean-Paul Hévin - - 231 rue St. Honoré (M. Concorde) is a chocolate master whose fame thunders even in Japan. On the second floor of the store there is a tea salon where you can have a good meal.
- Itinéraires - 60 rue St. Honoré (M. Châtelet or Les Halles) is a very unusual bookstore where you can buy books about a variety of countries: guidebooks, maps, books on history, languages, art, national cuisine.
- E. Dehillerin - 18-20 rue Coquillière (M. Les Halles) - everything for the kitchen. Here you will find a wide variety of dishes, dishes, knives.
- Les Halles - a large shopping center where you can buy mostly clothes - at very reasonable prices
- 2nd arrondissement of Paris
- Courty et Fils - 44 rue des Petits-Champs (M. Pyramides) - a knife shop selling knives of the most famous French brands: Alpine Opinel, Aveyron Laguiol and many others
- 5th district
- Jadis et Gourmande - 88 boulevard de Port-Royal (RER Port-Royal) is another chocolate master. Can write your name or its first letter with chocolate
- La route du Thé - 14 rue Lacépide (M. Place-Monge) - for tea lovers. Here you will find not only a variety of varieties, but also wonderful teapots and other accessories.
6th district:
- Les couturiers de la Nature - 16 rue de Vaugirard (M Odéon or St. Sulpice) - shop of balloons made from a variety of materials: petals, shells, seeds
7th district:
- Quatrehomme - 62 rue de Sívres (M. Vaneau) - the famous cheese shop where you can buy cheeses from all over France
8 district :
the most famous delicatessen shops (by the way, here it is quite possible to find affordable products):
- Fauchon and Hédiard - both located on the Place de la Madeleine, which is also famous for other delicatessen shops, such as Maille, the shop of the famous mustard producer. You can find quite exotic flavors, for example, mustard with pomace from green melon seeds. You can also buy a variety of vinegars and vegetable oils.
In principle, these are interesting shops in the central districts of Paris.
Other gift ideas:
- coffee. Quite decent quality, wide selection, affordable price, the ability to purchase both ground and in grains.
- old engravings from second-hand booksellers on the banks of the Seine - you can stumble upon something very interesting
- art albums: with views of Paris, about France, about art
- perfumes and cosmetics: the main chain stores Marionnaud, Sephora, Nocibé
- postcard sets
- something for the home: interesting cups, teapots, vases
- ladies: handbag, scarf, jewelry (look in the same shopping center Les Halles, there are many shops with more than affordable prices)
- for men: tie, belt, T-shirt (from inexpensive men's clothing stores I especially like Celio)
- from souvenirs in any newsstand (Bureau de Tabac) you can buy bells with views of the city. small plates, other souvenirs
- pay attention to souvenirs in visited museums, then the souvenir will be not just from Paris, but from the Louvre, from the Musée d'Orsay, from the Opera Garnier.
And more about shops in Paris...
Here are the addresses of commercial centers where you can get dressed. Ordinary French people go to them - not the richest, but with money.
1. On Rivoli Street between Hotel de ville and Louvre there are many Mango, H&M, Zara i etc. shops.
2. In the center, not far from Rivoli street, where there are also a lot of shops, there is an underground commercial center:
Le Forum des Halles
101 Porte Berger
tyl: 01 44 76 96 56
3. On Italie Square (metro place d "Italie)
commercial center Italie 2
4. If you want to see the new arch on Defense, you can also look at Les Quatre Temps
15 Parvis de la Defense
92092 Paris La Defense
tyl: 01 47 73 54 44
5. BERCY VILLAGE
28, rue François Truffaut
75012 - PARIS
Tel: 0 825 166 075
6. Here's another one. It's harder to get there. But less people. Bercy 2
(metro Cour Saint Emilion, then bus 24 to Parc de Bercy or by bus PC 1 or PC 2 to Bercy-Poniatowski)
7. Outside of Paris there is a large store where the goods of famous companies are brought after sales, there are not expensive cyrillus, manoukian, 123, max mara etc. Average French people buy in such places. This one is closest to Paris -Usine center
Zone Industrielle Paris Nord 2
134 avenue de la Plaine de France
ReR B stop "Parc des Expositions Villepinte" then bus 640 to stop "Centre commercial"
Cosmetics brand COPAR. Excellent creams and shower gels based on white clay. Inexpensive but very nice!
Tapestries. A very popular French souvenir are tapestries depicting views of Paris, military scenes.
Figurines imitating the sights of Paris (Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower), or depicting French kings, knights, shepherdesses. All these souvenirs can be bought on the Seine embankment or in the shops and shops of the old part of Paris. There are also tin pictures in the Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles, and for lovers of more practical things - there are coasters for glasses and mugs in the style of "old Paris".
In Provence - Provencal-style tablecloths and other household rags - they are very beautiful and joyful
A bottle with a crooked neck, the French call it "Louis". Legend has it that one day the king ordered a batch of bottles from a glass blower for his cellars. The technology failed the master, and the necks of the bottles turned out to be crooked, but he wittily found a way out, telling the king that even wine bottles bow before the greatness of Louis.
Foie gras (fatty goose liver), the best of course is sold on goose farms, at castles, if you pass through the Loire Valley.
Pastisse - anise strong alcohol
Hop honey can be bought in Brittany
Dijon mustard
Candied violet petals can be bought in Toulouse
Soft cheeses such as Brie de Maux or Camembert.
Fragrant soap made from natural olive oil, with the addition of lavender, mint, oregano, honey - you can buy it in small shops of local products, where it stands next to wine, or in specialized stores.
In TATI stores you can find well-known brands at discounted prices, you can buy Carden, Naf-Naf, etc. for next to nothing.
Not far from the stairs leading to Montmartre, there are numerous fabric stores. For those who know how to sew, there is a great opportunity to buy natural silk (8.5-10 € per meter), knitwear (4 € per meter), chintz (2 € per meter), accessories (from 1 € to 10 €)
French wines and cognacs - you can buy them in any supermarket (Monoprix, Franprix, Auchan...) or in special stores. store "Nicolas" http://www.nicolas.com/
In Paris, on the Champs-Elysees in the Sephora store, you can buy cosmetics, perfumes
Clothing store of good brands, at a cheap price, : Mistigriff 83 85 r Saint Charles 75015 PARIS
Cheeses - you can buy them everywhere, but it's better all the same in special cheese shops (Fromagerie). There you can buy more and more interesting varieties. They are all over France in any area.
You can also bring watercolor drawings of Parisian views as a gift. A very nice souvenir. you just need to pay attention that it really was a watercolor (or pencil), and not a printed copy. You can buy on the Seine embankment or near the Sacré Coeur in Montmartre.
Souvenirs for children from the Disney Store, the Champs Elysees and Disneyland. There is everything from toys to clothes and shoes, bags and accessories for any age of the child.
In the Champagne region, they make the most real champagne. And only this champagne can be called "champagne".
Goat cheese, Roquefort cheese, wine with foie gras, almond scented soap gel
Here are some gift ideas from France (Centre of France):
French perfumes, you can buy them in any perfumery.
If you know French, be sure to buy the most popular film of all time: "Bienvenue chez les Chti" s! "(Welcome to Shti) to look into the soul of the French!
Wines: from red I advise "Cabernet Savignon" -2Ђ, 3Ђ, from pink "Cabernet d"Anjou" -2Ђ,3Ђ, from white "Monbazillak" -5Ђ,6Ђ, you can buy them in any supermarket.It is not necessary to buy expensive wines "They are no better. And be aware that wines are more expensive in specialized stores."
Cheese: with green or blue mold "Saint Agur", "Bresse Bleu", it is better to buy already in the package, and not by weight, it is stored this way longer. The French eat it with bread and red wine.
Chocolate products: in special chocolate shops, or in pastry shops. Made by hand, very original and terribly delicious!
A set of various types of beer: sold in supermarkets or in beer shops.
Clothing: Boulevard Haussmann in Paris, where you will find many huge shops like Galeries Lafayette...
Tip: If you are bringing Pastis, be aware that they do not drink it neat. The French drink it like this: 1/4 pastis, 3/4 water, ice. What is surprising is that when you add water to it, it changes color and becomes white!
Ships made from threads. They are sold on the streets of the old port (vieux-port) in Marseille.
Football fans - t-shirts, socks with the words "Zidane"
In all souvenir shops in Paris (most likely throughout France) you can find key chains and magnets of various shapes and with different images, which are in great demand among Russian tourists. The most popular, of course, are the Eiffel Tower and other sights of Paris, a map of France, etc.
In the same souvenir shops there are glass bottles of different sizes in the shape of the Eiffel Tower with cognac (you only need to buy a French spill, all the rest are colored alcohol, if not water!) or colorful sweets! (price depends on the size: from 15 euros).
There you can also buy a miniature Eiffel Tower made of real crystal (from 10 cm) with or without a special stand (from 20 euros).
Ladies love chiffon scarves with "Paris" written on them, or handbags, often with an embroidered or rhinestone-embossed Eiffel Tower design and an attached landmark keychain.
In supermarkets, there are often sets, more often in wicker baskets: several small jars of various pates and meat delicacies ("rustic", from wild boar meat, foie gras, mushroom, etc.) or jam (from figs, chestnuts, ...) along with a bottle of French wine (different varieties). In principle, not expensive (10 - 25 euros) and a very worthy gift!
A few comments:
The Tati store does not sell clothes from Naf Naf, nor from Cardin. This store is the equivalent of our markets. The quality leaves much to be desired, the prices are low, but our prices for Chinese products are also low. It is better to buy in this store all utensils for the kitchen, for the home, which is not a pity to break or spoil.
I hear about Copar cosmetics for the first time, I can't say that this is a popular brand in France, most likely, it is designed for individual customers.
On the Champs-Elysées, prices at Sephora are more expensive than in all other such stores - there is an extra charge for the location. It is better to buy at Sephora on Boulevard Haussmann, not far from Galeries Lafayette.
Foie gras is better to buy closer to Christmas or New Year. The good ones are very expensive. Are they sold in all supermarkets - Carrefour, Leclerc? Intermarche and so on.
You should not buy wine cheaper than 5 euro, as expensive wine has a completely different taste.
Cheeses in France are eaten after dinner as a dessert. 5-6 types of cheese are put on the table. The French say that there are 365 types of cheese in France - one for every day of the year. Сamembert is one of the cheapest types.
From Lorraine (Lorraine) they bring vodka (schnapps) from cherry plum (mirabelle).
Alsace is famous for its wines, especially white ones.
As for French perfumes, a good and very inexpensive brand is Yves Rocher, which is more natural than the rest and is harmless to people with allergies.
The best cognac can be bought in La Rochelle and its surroundings,
Calvados in Normandy
in Brittany - cider and Muscadet (white wine).
In our region (Loire Atlantic) - this is the best caramel (salted)
Gifts from the South of France
Flock is an aperitif wine. It happens pink or white, sold in supermarkets. The price for a bottle is about 9 euros. But it is better to buy from the factory, it is made from grapes in the south in the Gers / Gers / region, this is where the foie gras is.
Armagnac is a sort of cognac that is made using special technologies from grapes and infused in oak barrels, bought there and at about the same prices.
It is better to buy all this directly from the manufacturer in the city markets, which themselves are the sights of the Gers region.
As for Tati's store, there are fewer and fewer of them, and in my opinion, if you bring souvenirs, then quality ones, and not from Tati
From the south of France (Provence) you can also bring ceramic dishes painted yellow with a pattern of olives. Olives and lavender are the heart of Provence. As well as all kinds of tablecloths, potholders and all other utensils for the kitchen in the same style.
Don't forget the wonderful French music, the most popular singer of France - Johnny Hallyday, as well as the familiar Charles Aznavour - their CDs in every home are the music of France!!!
There are also many Provencal fabrics in the south of France - on the market for 2 or 3 euros per meter, and for those who know how to sew, this is a godsend.
The personification of happiness and well-being is SIGAL - it looks like a grasshopper. In the summer it chirps and does not let you sleep. His ceramic figurines are sold in all shops. It comes in different sizes and colors.
And, of course, beautiful bags of Provence herbs...
I also suggest tourists to look at the flea markets in France, in Russian they are called Vide Granier, on weekends, in almost every city in southern France, you can buy souvenirs, figurines, plates with views of cities and life inexpensively, up to 3 euros France, as well as many other utensils and beautiful things - tapestries, pictures from the life of the French, embroideries ...
"Drapery stores" near Montmartre are called St. Peter's Market (Marché St-Pierre)
It makes no sense to buy cheeses in expensive cheese shops, because. this is a very gentle product. It is better to buy a set in the duty free of the airport.
The best tea shop is Mariage Frires, which has departments in big department stores like Galerie Lafayette.
I do not advise you to go to the Les Halles shopping center - there are monstrous crowds of people pushing there. It is better to wander along the neighboring streets, which are full of inexpensive and very nice shops for clothes, shoes and other things.
The temple of fashion victims is not mentioned - the Colette store on the street. Saint Honoré.
The Marais is full of trendy clothing stores.
In the Les Halles quarter on La Verrerie street - designer shops of a variety of great things for decorating the house, you can find inexpensive ones.
There is also Au Chien du Marais, fashionable clothes and shoes for dogs and cats.
The L "Appartement store near the Musee d' Orsay has a good selection of designer items for the home and kitchen, as well as original jewelry and leather goods.
Before returning to my homeland, I always faced the question of buying souvenirs. I really like to choose gifts for my relatives and friends, and then pack them beautifully. It's an art, really!
Key chains in the form of the Eiffel Tower are traditionally brought from France - we bought them at once in whole bunches of 10–20 pieces (they cost 1–2 EUR each, but then you can distribute them to friends and acquaintances); French perfumes (samplers are also given as a gift); clothes; wines (I preferred to take a familiar Frenchman with me, since I myself know little about them); cheeses (yes, yes, and I managed to smuggle them); foie gras (I bought already at the airport, in a closed package).
When I finally left Paris, because of the many things and gifts that I carried with me, the excess of my suitcase was as much as 6 kg! Despite the fact that the permitted weight was 23 kg. I flew with Belavia and I had to pay as much as 60 EUR extra for luggage. So accurately calculate the weight of your things and see that your gifts are not too big.
What, where and how can you bring from the most romantic country? Now I will tell you.
Perfume
How can you not remember the subtle, delicious French perfume! Chanel,Guerlain,Christian Dior,Cartier, Givenchy- each brand has a variety of flavors. Unfortunately, prices for them do not fall at all, but on the contrary, they only grow.
Let's take a look at the types of French perfumes, as this directly affects their price. If you go from cheapest to most expensive:
- Eau de toilettes means that the percentage of alcohol in the jar is much greater than the amount of the essence itself;
- Eau de parfum- the percentage of alcohol is approximately equal to the amount of added essence;
- Essence de parfum- these are the best perfumes, as they have more essence than alcohol. They cost more than everyone else.
Therefore, when choosing, carefully read the label. Toilet water is the cheapest, but the smell disappears much faster. Eau de parfum or perfume essence is more expensive, but also more resistant.
However, in addition to those mentioned above, there are other worthy brands that are in no way inferior to the previous ones, but are not so expensive:
Where could I buy
Fragonard and Yves Rocher perfumes are best bought in boutiques of these brands. The Fragonard store is located next to the Opera Garnier in Paris (Metro Opera), and Yves Rocher has a fairly wide network, so their boutiques can be found everywhere in Paris and other cities in France.
If you still want to buy perfumes of such big brands as Chanel, then it is better to buy them in Marionnaud or Sephora chain stores. It's something like our Rive Gauche. They will be cheaper there. For example, in Marionnaud eau de toilette will cost you 55 EUR, and perfume - 61 EUR.
If you have such an opportunity, then you can go to the city. There are a lot of different enterprises for the production of perfumes, where they are sold. There, at the price of the factory, which means you can buy a perfume for yourself inexpensively - from 30 EUR.
Cosmetics
If we talk about good and purely French brands of cosmetics, then this, of course, Clarins,Clinique,Dior,Estee Lauder and others. The list is quite voluminous. There are also less known, but quite high-quality ones: Caudalie, carita,La Roche Posay. Brand Yves Rocher, which I mentioned above, is a little more expensive in terms of, for example, decorative cosmetics. But they have not so expensive facial skin care products, etc. - from 10 EUR.
Where could I buy
If your budget does not allow you to pounce on expensive Dior, Shiseido, Chanel boutiques, then welcome to Marionnaud and Sephora stores. You can buy cosmetics of absolutely different brands from them at the price you need. And as a gift here you can get perfume bottles or nail polishes.
Cloth
Among the high-quality French brands that you will not find in Russia, you can name: Andre, Sandro,Eram. At the same time, these stores are not too expensive, for example, in André, autumn boots cost me 150 EUR.
Where could I buy
All tourists, when they arrive at the same place, immediately go to Galerie Lafayette. I do not advise you to do this. Unless your wallet is bursting with a huge amount of 100 EUR banknotes, and there is no amount on the card with a lot of zeros.
Large shopping centers
If you come to, then go to the next to the "Gallery" H & M or Le Printemps. The prices there are quite different: from 10 EUR for regular jeans to 60 EUR for the simplest blouse.
Also in Paris it is worth getting to La Défence metro station. There is a very large shopping mall. Les square temps. The prices here are adequate, and the variety of brands is the same as in Lafayette.
I really liked Aldo shoes and clothes, the prices for which here start from 35 EUR.
Small shops and flea markets
Another tip: go to small shops where there are little-known brands. You can find good clothes there at reasonable prices.
You can also buy it at flea markets. They are held in any city in France, however, often irregularly. It is better to find out in advance from your French acquaintances. For 3-5 EUR you can buy shoes, jewelry, and clothes.
And at the end of January and August, discount periods begin, so you can buy clothes with a discount of up to -70%.
Guilt
If you go to any store in France, you will immediately find the wine section there: they are very large and, as a rule, occupy a large area. There you will find any wine for every taste and color, which is usually sorted by region for convenience.
To choose a good and high-quality wine, you need to understand what is written on the label. So if it says:
- VDT, then this means that you have table wine (vin de table). This is the most inexpensive option: a bottle costs from 3–5 EUR and has a burgundy excise stamp.
- VDP- vin de pays - wine produced in certain regions. The process of making such wines is strictly controlled, and the bottle goes through various instances before reaching the store. The price starts from 35 EUR; blue excise stamp.
- VDSQ- vin délimite de qualité supérieur - wines whose quality is guaranteed. Price - from 50 EUR. The difference between them and the ones above is that the producers of this category of wines have more freedom in choosing the grape variety from which the wine is made.
- AOC- appellation d'origine contrôlée - the best wines that are produced in certain areas of the country. The label must include, among other things, the region, city or castle where it was made. Moreover, the smaller the production area, the better the wine. Price - from 100 EUR per bottle; excise stamp green.
- Premier Cru or grand cru- the most prestigious and very expensive wine of 30 years and longer aging. For one bottle of such wine, the price can start from 700 EUR.
Also check that the label says Mis en bouteille en propieté/recoltant/producteur/chateau , What means "Produced in such and such a region" . There will be no such inscription on a fake.
And one more little hint: the more modest and unpretentious the label, the better the wine.
Cheese
It is quite possible to carry them to Russia in a suitcase. The main thing is to buy cheese the day before or on the day of departure home. The package cannot be opened, and it is better to put the already packaged cheese in a couple of bags. Some French cheeses are very odorous.
Know: real French cheese lasts a maximum of 3-4 days. So when you get home, immediately put it in the refrigerator.
If you have a flight with a transfer or even two, and then another long journey home by train - do not risk it. During the time you spend on the road, the cheese will definitely disappear.
As you can see in the photo above, they are all different colors and textures. Why? The fact is that they are produced from different types of milk:
- goat;
- cow;
- sheep;
- buffalo.
For example, bleu cheese or blue cheese, as it is called in Russia, can be made from pasteurized sheep's or cow's milk, depending on the region.
Also, they differ in the nature of their production: some are prepared industrially, and some are homemade.
Below I will list only the most famous cheeses that can be found in stores:
Where could I buy
When you come to the supermarket, you will see entire racks full of cheeses. The most expensive, like wines, will be labeled AOC(appellation d'origine contrôlée). The price starts from 5 EUR for a small purchase.
Other products
As I already wrote, foie gras you can also bring it as a gift, but it is better to buy it in a well-closed package. For example, in the one shown in the photo below or in a tin can.
Also, be sure to check the expiration date and calculate that it is enough before your arrival in Russia. The same rule applies to all products that you want to take with you to Russia. For example, I bought a ready-made pie in a package, and it safely reached Russia.
Where could I buy
Foie gras costs from 30 EUR for a small jar. It is sold both in specialized stores and in ordinary supermarkets.
Various knick-knacks/trinkets/plates
This is another common type of souvenirs. In Paris, you should be careful when buying such souvenirs from Arabs and black people who sell them. And it is best to buy trinkets in special souvenir shops, as there are fixed prices.
Where could I buy
Regardless of the city in which you arrived in France, it is better to go through all the shops and shops first to compare prices and choose one in which souvenirs are not so expensive. On average, a keychain will cost you 1-2 EUR; a plate at 5–10 EUR; painting at 30–35 EUR.
If you want to find something more original in Paris than the usual key chains or magnets, then go to the Rambuteau metro station. Then go past the center of Georges Pompidou and delve into the network of small streets behind it. There you can find interesting shops with rather non-standard souvenirs: jewelry, paintings, boxes, etc. - costing from 3 EUR.
Summary
In my review about France, I told you what you can bring from each individual region of this country. But in general, souvenirs across the country are the same.
Happy shopping!
