One topic that comes up whenever friends and family are in town is souvenirs. Plane tickets, car rentals, hotels and train passes tend to eat up most of the travel budget, so visitors love ideas for gifts to bring home to friends and family that won’t break the bank. But they want something more unusual than an Eiffel Tower key chain.
I’ve figured out a bunch of fabulous souvenirs you can find in any French supermarket. All of them are non-perishable (in case you are jaunting to Milan after your trip to France), and every one of them is bargain. Today I’m sharing 10 of my favorites. To make them really shine, I recommend picking up a spool of French flag ribbon, and some cellophane bags. Maybe they’ll inspire you to book a flight to Paris!
First up, go directly to the spice aisle and pick up a big bag of famed French Sea Salt. When Ben Blair and I took the cooking class in Louviers, the chef gave this advice: if you buy one foodie item in France to bring home, make sure it’s salt! And she also said the best stuff was the greyish sort from the Brittany region (Bretagne in French). You can see above that this package indicates Bretagne as the source.
If you don’t want to repackage it, you’ll find salt in gift packages ready to go, but a far more economical plan (and I think a more charming one as well), is to buy the salt in a bulk bag and repackage it in ceramic yogurt jars when you get home.
I’ve mentioned these beautiful yogurt jars before. They come in different colors and sizes. Some have words imprinted on the side and others are blank. We use them for all sorts of things — cups, pencil jars, water jars for dipping paint brushes. You can even bake in them! They make great souvenirs as a set (for example a set of 6 for your favorite baker), or, if you don’t have room to carry home a dozen, fill them with salt for an individual gift.
The best part: you get to eat the yogurt during your trip so you can bring home the empty jars. : )
Fill up a jar with the gourmet, greyish salt, put the jar in a cellophane bag, and add a bow.
A bag of salt costs about $1, and will fill about 4 jars depending on their size. Bargain!
Next up is something for the kids. Check out the kiddie aisle and pick up a pack of toy Euros.
American kids will be fascinated by the colorful bills that come in different sizes. Such a change from U.S. dollars! Your kids can use them when they are pretending to be spending the afternoon at a Parisian café. And since you’ll be using Euros while you’re on the trip, they’ll be fun little reminders for you, too. This pack was priced at about $2.50.
This one might be my favorite. Stop in the cleaning aisle and pick up these traditional French cleaning cloths. They come in several styles, but you’ll recognize them because they consistently have red and blue stripes down the sides.
They actually come as two cloths connected together. (See that fuzzy line in the threads that crosses the colored lines? It’s meant to be cut, dividing the very large cloth into 2 regular size versions.)
They’re super thick and crazy absorbent. We like them for heavy duty jobs and washing the car. One cloth (which is actually two cloths) runs about $3.50.
Or, how about a block of famed French Laundry Soap? The French are very particular about their soap and you can expect the quality to be high. Instead of the bath aisle, you’ll find blocks of soap like these near the laundry detergent.
When you get home, ditch the store packaging and wrap the bar with cellophane. Add a bow and you’re all set. At the supermarket, one big bar of laundry soap costs about $2.50. Or sometimes I find a package of 3 cubes for about $3.00.
(Another side note: When I was a newlywed, my mother gave me a block of soap just like this — including the French flag ribbon — that she had found at a gift shop — or maybe TJ Maxx. : ) I loved it! It sat on our windowsill for about a year, because I felt it was too pretty to use. But when I finally opened it, it was my favorite for handwashing my delicates.)
Here’s another one for kids. In the school supply aisle, you’ll find small, rounded corner, two-sided chalkboards. French kids use them in school to practice their script. One side is plain and the other is covered in graph lines. Aren’t they cute?
If you wanted, you could plus it up by adding a little cord for hanging, but they’re just as cute the way they come (which is cordless).
Next up, simple ceramic bowls and dishes. Every French grocery store has a kitchen aisle with all sorts of various ceramics. My favorites are the footed bowls in every shade of the rainbow. We call them hot cocoa bowls at our house, because we were taught that French children drink their morning chocolat chaude from these lovely little bowls. They are very French! And can be found in different sizes and colors for about 1 euro ($1.25) each.
But it’s not just bowls! You can find all sorts of small bakeable ceramic dishes in varying shapes and sizes. I like the ones pictured for their delicate shade of blue/grey. You can use them to bake individual portions, or for creme brulée, or just as small dishes for ingredient prep. Again, they run about 1 euro each.
Stack them up, add a bow, and they make a fabulous souvenir! You could even fill them with French salt as an added bonus.
Another idea is candy. That’s a no brainer, right? But the candy that’s boxed and promoted as a gift can be quite expensive. So I recommend buying some favorites that come in not-that-pretty packaging, and transferring them to a cellophane bag instead. (Here is my favorite French flag ribbon, and cellophane bags.)
My three picks: 1) Salted Caramels. Since salt and dairy are French specialities, you can bet they take pride in their salted caramels. Even the inexpensive ones are delicious! The ones pictured are made in France and don’t have any branding on their wrappers. So they look great in a cellophane bag. These caramels run about $2.50.
2) Vichy mints. These are classic. Again, they’re very French with a distinctive shape and branding.
I always keep these in my handbag for quick breath freshening. They’re not too strong and have that perfect texture somewhere between crispy and chalky. A bag runs about $2.00.
3) Licorice gums. Reglisse, which means licorice, is a very popular flavor in France. In fact, you can even find reglisse ice cream! So this is another candy that feels super French.
The texture of these is nice and chewy — more chewy than an American gum drop. And the flavor is perfection, at least, if you’re a licorice fan. : ) Luckily, my kids don’t favor black licorice, so when we buy these, Ben Blair and I get to eat the whole bag ourselves. A bag runs about $2.
The next idea can be found in the grocery store near the aluminum foil and plastic wrap. French stores offer lots of little paper containers for serving individual portions. I love these! And think they make a great gift for anyone in your life who has a thing for party supplies. They can be used for all sorts of things — like party favor holders, dessert dishes, or to organize your jewelry drawer.
Repackage them in cellophane, add a bow and you’re all set. Little cartons like these are around 2 euros (or $2.50) for the whole package.
The fourth souvenir idea is a good one for school age kids, teens, or even adults. Head to the school supply aisle and pick up a fountain pen, and a famed Rhodia notebook. Every French student uses both of these. They are an absolute fixture in French schools.
The pens comes in many designs and colors and they include 2 ink cartridges. (I recommend picking up a bag of ink refills while you’re there.) The pens are about $2 each.
Rhodia notebooks are a French staple. They come in various shapes and sizes, but they’re always the signature golden yellow/orange, and the pages are always small graph lines. A pen and a notebook together make a fun and very French gift.
I think you might laugh at this last idea, but it’s a really good one for foodies! There are tons of amazing and famous French foods but they can be tricky as gifts. For example, foie gras would make an excellent French souvenir for a foodie, but even tiny containers are usually priced starting at $10 and up. And the Normandy butter is out of this world, but how do you transport butter? French mustard is amazing too, but packing up a glass bottle can cause stress. So when I’m looking for foodie souvenirs, I favor items in tin cans. And my favorite pick is… Sardines!
Confession: I don’t actually like to eat sardines. But the packaging is so fabulous, that I end up buying them anyway. Hah! Some come in oil, some in tomato sauce, some with herbs. But they’re all very inexpensive at around $2.50 each. And the cans are so handsome, they are pretty much irresistible.
Stack two or three, add a bow, and you’ve got yourself a souvenir any foodie would love!
There you have it. Ten French souvenirs under $5. Hopefully you’ll be all set on your next trip to France. You’ll buy gifts for everyone you know without eating up your entire travel budget!
And now I’d love to hear. What did I miss? What would you add? And when are you headed to France?
P.S. — When you’re in the school supply aisle picking up a fountain pen, don’t miss the elastic closure and belt closure folders. I adore these! I’m bringing home a stack of them. If you have a friend who crushes on office supplies, these would make a great gift!
TO PIN:
We always brought back chocolate for friends! Even the non-fancy kinds — my kid swore that European kit kats tasted better than US ones!
I agree! Nestle Crunch from Switzerland is the best! Must be the swiss chocolate :)
Now THIS makes me want to visit Paris! I love shopping for souvenirs and I agree that a visit to the grocery store completes a trip. I brought home lots of cute little bottles of mustard — my mind was blown by the variety — and homemade jams too (artisan jams weren’t that widely available where I live). Thanks for the great post. :)
I echo everyone else – great post and I’d live to see your next 5 ideas!
Merci beaucoup! We are in Paris right now. I opened your site to remember to show my nearly 8 year old son (when he wakes up) your Easter Egg Hunt post from last year. At the moment it is very cold, and the grass area around la tour Eiffel is still fenced off. So on Sunday we will improvise with something else as memorable in the 7th arrondissement… He is in a French Immersion school in the US with 26 other classmates, so we have been on a cool souvenir hunt. Class-wise the keychains have been done…and magnets…we saw an Eiffel Tower with a spinning top on bottom and paused, but passed. Please post your other ideas! Love the Euro play money. Will seek it out. Brilliant idea (as usual) from you.
Hi Gabrielle,
Just wondering on a source for your lovely natural cotton plied string? I have had trouble finding just such string! You find the most beautiful things! Cheers, Clare.
Hi Clare! The lovely cotton twine is another French grocery store find. From the hardware aisle. They have the best selection of twines and strings! It’s one of those things I’d love to bring home a suitcase full of. It doesn’t feel particularly French to me, so I didn’t include it as a souvenir, but it would be a fun gift for sure!
Hello,
I began to read your blog because I wanted to practice my English (I’m spanish). And now I’m addicted!!
Yes, I’m interested in another five ideas.
Thanks (and sorry for the mistakes I could have done)
Bea
Great ideas! Like the tricolor ribbon.
I always buy this soap when in France http://www.nouvelle-epicerie.fr/fr/savon/2782-le-petit-marseillais-savon-verveine-citron-200g.html
And tisane with either Tilleul or Vervaine.
And of cause legendary Petit Bateau t shirts – dont be fooled by this sizes – just try it on. I still take size 19 even if i’m 42 ;-)
– and lots of other things.
Gry
And how could I forget – stylo plumes – we don’t use those in Denmark and I was amazed to se the kids I looked after write with them. Euromarche always have fun ones.
– and a newspaper for great gift wrapping or craft projects.
The bag of sea salt from Guerande made my day. I was born in Guerande!! Beautiful town by the way if you want to visit and not that far away from where you are.
I always bring back supermarkets shopping bags as souvenirs. They are super light to carry, cheap, very useful and so attractive. Super U and Leclerc have a policy to replace your used bags I believe… bonus when you return in France, you can exchange your bag for a new version :-)
Also on my list of things I bring back is herbes de provence from the supermarket in large quantities that I gifts in ramequins, a big bag of Carambar (The French candy!) that make very cute individual gifts whenever (in my kids lunch boxes, in goody bags, as special treat to make a colleague’s day), Madeleines individually wrapped to enjoy longer or gift, Madeleine molds are cheap also at the supermarket and make a wonderful present for a baker, Clairefontaine paper products and ink pens with colourful inks and erasable pen -very cool for a teen-, postcard sized envelops, Armenian paper to kill bad smell in the kitchen (buy it at the Bureau de tabac), Green apple kids shampoo, Tesseire Grapefruit sirup, individual portions of Chocolat Carte Noire to enjoy with a cup of coffee (orange flavoured ones are nice)… Enjoy!
Oh I forgot, a trip to Decathlon for good quality inexpensive sport clothes.
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Planning a trip in Sept. this will come in handy. Any suggestions for packing during the end of Sept.
Hi Gabrielle,
I just happened to stumble upon your blog. This is a fabulous post, and yes, I have done the salt, savon, euros and yougurt jars! Never thought of the chalkboard and cloth!
My husband travels every month to Carentan and because I love Normandy very much, accompany him quite often! You guys must be loving it there!
Do keep posting more about the lovely Normandy and around!
LOVE this! Don’t forget Herbes de Provence – you can find little jars for less than an euro, and it makes everything taste good! Also, the generic nutella that comes in souvenir drinking glasses. I have the cutest set of sheep glasses from all the nutella I ate while there.
I think it is a great reminder that souvenirs don’t have to be cheesy or super expensive to be cool. Things like salt, soap and (pasta from Italy) are things you’ll actually use!! Great ideas.
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Thanx for sharing such a nice post. I am sharing this post on my facebook page.
Great Ideas for Perfect Travel Souvenir. :-)
I was trying to find cheap French gifts and just stumbled upon your post… What fabulous ideas and great pictures! Especially love the soaps and sea salt. I also found a website that gives great French Gifts ideas under $10: http://www.saveurdujour.com/french-gift-ideas-c-149.html
They carry Guerande and Camargue sea salt, Marseille soaps and Lavender, French chocolate bites… And they deliver to the US.
Too funny. I have been purchasing those yogurt containers for years. The prettiest is the lavender one. When I travel there, it is for work. I give all my colleagues a couple yogurts to eat, then they wash and return them to me to bring home. I love them!! I think it is funny that there is someone else out there that does this. My other inexpensive gift are all the belay bags u can purchase at the registers at markets or hardware stores.
You’re likely bored of hearing this, but OMIGOD THIS POST WAS AWESOME. I would marry this post if I could. My children attend a French immersion school, and I was trying to think of non-cluttery and inexpensive gifts to buy all of their teachers when I’m in Paris next week. You made my day. My week. Possibly my entire month. Thank you so much for this.
Hi,
This may seem a strange request, but I’ve seen the french yoghurt jars on your website, and am desperate to get six of the french blue ones.
Is this possible without actually going to Paris?
I have a relative living in Morgan Hill, just south of Oakland.
Thank you so much
Peter Wilkinson
I love this list. Please say a part 2 is on the way!
Hi, just came across your blog/website because I am trying to find out ahead of time the name(s) and location(s) of the best supermarket(s) in Paris for buying a Sophie giraffe teething toy. Your suggestions for inexpensive gifts and souvenirs are just great! I too would like MORE suggestions! So, can you tell me please what supermarkets I should look for to buy the items you have shown, as well as a Sophie ? I will be in Paris in a few weeks and will be staying in a hotel in the 14th. The yogurt jars are beautiful. I bought some yogurt in small jars in Paris about 10 years ago and kept the jars, still have them, and use them to make cup custard. Would love to get some of these pretty ones on this trip. So, supermarket names and locations, if you please. Thanks!
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Thank you for every other informative site. The place else could I
am getting that type of info written in such an ideal way?
I’ve a venture that I’m just now operating on, and I
have been on the glance out for such information.
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If you need more ideas of french souvenirs, just go on our website: http://www.faubourgandco.com and we deliver within 3 hours at any hotel in Paris. Faubourg & Co propose you a large selection of French gifts/souvenirs to give or to keep for yourself.
I too went to Paris and fell in love with the bar soap from a local market. Little Sailor Boy less than $3.00. Made wonderful souvenirs! I wished I could find where to by it here in California.
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Love all your ideas! I sometimes buy Breton cookies in tins ~ we use the tins then fir all sorts of things ~ I also love the little ceramic dishes that cheese sometimes comes in, but mdr time we were there, they switched to plastic. We also buy the small mustards and then reuse the jars as drinking glasses. Finally, my daughters’ favorite candy are carambar, which we can’t find here and which now come in tins of flavors and sizes ~
Could you also post, as holiday season nears, what would be most appreciated by an American expat living in France? My sister who is now a French resident will be coming for Christmas and I would like to put things in her stocking that she would most appreciate and can easily take back to France.
You’ve nailed it! I always shop in grocery stores and drugstores when abroad. In France, I also would hunt in aisle for spices, tea and jams/milk caramel plus the regular (non-laundry) soap and lotion aisle. Drug stores also have some amazing deals on great toiletry items, including small scented pils in roller balls to address headaches, stress, etc.
LOVE these ideas, too! Thank you! Adding to my ever growing “list of things to buy at the grocery store in France”. Even though I’ve been to France a few times, I never think to buy things like this! And frankly, I love grocery stores in France so much!
Coming to Normandy at Xmas and will be raiding the local grocery stores! Love these genius ideas! Thank you, G!
Those towels! Heart eyes! I love when you do things like this! Thank you!
I love roaming the grocery stores in other countries! That is my type of travel, just soaking up the place you’re visiting. Though most of what you mentioned I’d just love to buy for myself ;)
We are really hoping to visit my cousin outside of Bordeaux next fall, but will wait to be sure since my seven year old has special needs and won’t wear a mask. Hopefully by then mask requirements will be looser, or gone! We’ve done a lot of reading and learning about other places throughout this Covid experience, and I can’t wait to slowly start to show my kids more of the world!
I love French hardware stores. There are great finds there, too.
Thank you for this great list. My son lives in Paris and when he comes home for Christmas he never knows what to give as gifts. I sent him your list. I let him know that I felt our family would love any of these ideas. I’m hoping to get some French salts.
Wish I’d found this post before I left Paris last Tuesday! (Met my husband on his way home from a work trip to celebrate my 40th for four fabulous days and nights!) Will keep this in mind for next time…I always believe there will be a next time ;)
I absolutely love this list! It made me want to book a flight to France. I love that you included the sardines, they would be great in a homemade ceasar salad dressing.
9 years later… still great tips! Thanks!