Paris is a shopper’s paradise, offering countless luxury boutiques and artisan shops with the perfect gift for everyone, from your foodie friend to your fashionista roommate. You will also find the ideal keepsake to remind you of your time away. Whether you search for the best souvenirs from Paris, browse for unique Paris souvenirs to bring home, or simply wonder what to buy in Paris, you will discover the city offers an abundance of treasures waiting to be found.
And while many of the best souvenirs from Paris—from Chanel totes to Caudalie cosmetics—are available in the U.S., some things remain exclusive to France. Let’s explore the ones we love best.
If you’re looking for something special to remember your trip to Paris or to gift to someone, this list of Paris souvenirs won’t disappoint. Photo credit: Céline
Traveler’s tip: French sweets like chocolates and macaroons always make great gifts. If you’d like to do some research into the best of French fare, why not check out one of our Ultimate Paris Food Tour? Our expert food tour guides will lead you to some of the best restaurants and eateries in the city to taste French classics along with quite a few culinary surprises.
Vintage décor
If you seek souvenirs from Paris that no one else will have, head straight to a flea market or brocante, where Parisians’ discarded treasures gleam with potential. Spend the morning combing the tables for everything from leather-bound volumes of Les Misérables to time-worn antique maps and Limoges platters lovingly cared for by someone’s grand-mère for decades.
The most famous local flea market, Les Puces de Saint-Ouen, sits just outside the city limits. Open weekly, this phenomenal labyrinth actually contains 16 separate markets, each specializing in something unique.
While it attracts all antique lovers, the popularity of les puces means that you may not always find the best deals. For better prices, visit the southern Puces de la Porte de Vanves or check out one of the temporary markets that regularly pop up throughout the city.
There’s plenty of unique souvenirs to find at these antiques markets in Paris. Photo credit: Elena Jiang
French supermarket staples
You will find the best place to shop for souvenirs from Paris on a budget in the aisle of your local Monoprix – especially if you shop for a foodie. This French answer to Target houses quite a few gems that remain unavailable or prohibitively expensive back home.
Some favorites include:
- Flaky sea salt from Le Saunier de Camargue
- Cheesy aperitif crackers from Michel & Augustin
- Petits Ecoliers biscuits coated with a layer of dark chocolate from Lu
- Strong mustard from Amora
Marie Alicia DeGross, restaurant concierge and owner of Mille Mercis Marie (Rue Bichat, 30), a Paris-based boutique travel agency, recommends Monoprix’s foldable tote bags with their pretty Eiffel Tower print. These bags allow you to shop in style once you get home from visiting Paris for the first time.
Monoprix is the French Target. Have fun getting lost in the aisles and picking up some unique souvenirs. Photo credit: Dmitriy Nushtaev
Francophile memorabilia
Forget about tiny Eiffel Tower trinkets. Instead, choose souvenirs that whisper “Paris” without shouting kitsch. Annie O. Waterman, founder of AOW Handmade, loves the classic French linen dish towels from Charvet Editions, which you can pick up at Landline Shop in the 11th arrondissement.
Moreover, DeGross suggests shirts from Maison Labiche inscribed with cute French phrases like “l’amour” or the official café terrasse mugs and espresso cups from Comptoir Richard. She also recommends visiting Galeries Lafayette for magnets of your favorite metro stop or BHV for “tiny neck scarves with the Paris buildings on them – very tasteful!”
- Classic French linen dish towels from Charvet Editions
- Shirts with embroidered French phrases from Maison Labiche
- Official café mugs and espresso cups from Comptoir Richard
- Metro stop magnets from Galeries Lafayette
- Paris-themed neck scarves from BHV
Don’t settle for stereotypical souvenirs from Paris. Get these instead. Photo credit: Cederic Vandenberghe
French cheeses
While you might find French cheese in the supermarket, true turophiles know to visit a local fromagerie, where a wealth of options awaits, each offering a more heavenly aroma than the next.
When you choose between the seemingly infinite types of French cheese on offer, consider these points:
- Raw milk fromages aged fewer than 60 days never appear in American supermarkets.
- If you enjoy the funk of a true, unpasteurized Epoisses or a creamy raw Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine, seize the chance to buy them in Paris.
Also, whole cheeses travel better than pieces, so if you love a bloomy rind, buy a whole Coulommiers instead of a wedge of Brie de Meaux. While hard cheeses like Beaufort and Abondance may be available in the U.S., they cost less in Paris, and they travel and keep better than their soft friends.
As you make your purchases, do so as close as possible to your departure date. Ask your fromager to seal them sous-vide so that they won’t stink up your suitcase or get crushed on the way home.
The people sitting next to you on your flight may not appreciate that you brought cheese home from France, but you’ll be happy you did. Photo credit: Eric Prouzet
French chocolate
France might not be as famous as Switzerland or Belgium for its chocolate, but overlooking it would be a major faux pas. You will find delicious single-origin bars made from beans roasted just outside Paris at Chapon, and the beautiful packaging makes this gift nearly as beautiful as it is delicious.
Master chocolatier François Pralus also creates gorgeous stacks of single-origin bars, with ten countries represented in a pretty pyramid tied with raffia.
Don’t be fooled, Paris has plenty of delicious chocolate you’ll want to bring home for friends to try. Photo credit: Benoît Prieur
Traveler’s tip: Paris is the perfect place to learn about and enjoy chocolate. If you’d like to spend some time enjoying some of the city’s most beloved sweet treats, check out our Paris Pastry and Chocolate Tour.
Wine and Grower Champagne
While you can certainly find French wine in the U.S., you likely will not find the same selection and price as in Paris. Many small producers choose not to export their wines due to hefty import taxes, so visit a small local wine shop and ask the caviste for recommendations of bottles you’d be unlikely to find back home–chances are, an independent wineseller will have many to recommend.
Of course, every wine drinker has different tastes. If you want to get a nice bottle for your girlfriend’s mom but can’t remember if she likes red or white, grower Champagne is a sure-fire crowd-pleaser. Small producers who don’t sell their grapes to the big houses make their wine from start to finish.
Bring back some great French wine. Photo credit: Lucía Montenegro
French cosmetics
French cosmetics enjoy almost as much popularity as Korean ones, as anyone who has seen the lines at CityPharma will attest. La Roche-Posay sunscreen stands out as one of the best, and while you may find it elsewhere, in France, you will discover all formats from sprays to lotions, at far more reasonable prices. Caudalie produces phenomenal paraben-free cosmetics whose active ingredients come from wine grapes, for a totally French flair.
Paris-based travel journalist and guidebook author Lane Nieset loves the offerings from Buly, as you can customize the cosmetics boxes to suit your whims, though she’s a particular fan of the all-natural Baume des Muses lip balm.
“The turn-of-the-century-inspired case is customizable, so you can choose one of more than a dozen shades and have initials stamped in gilded letters,” she says. “It even comes in a sleek velvet pouch, which will make this gift even more exciting to unwrap.”
France is well-known for their cosmetics, making it a perfect gift for someone special back home. Photo credit: alexey turenkov
FAQ: Paris Souvenirs & Shopping
What are the best souvenirs from Paris to bring home?
Some of the best souvenirs from Paris include French cheeses, gourmet chocolates, cosmetics from brands like Caudalie and La Roche-Posay, vintage décor from Parisian flea markets, and unique kitchen linens. Paris souvenirs like grower Champagne and boutique wines also make popular choices.
Where can I find unique Paris souvenirs that aren’t too touristy?
For truly unique souvenirs from Paris, visit local flea markets. Such as Les Puces de Saint-Ouen or the Puces de la Porte de Vanves for vintage décor. Artisanal shops and Monoprix provide authentic French products. You’ll find tasteful gifts at department stores like Galeries Lafayette and BHV.
What to buy in Paris for food lovers?
Foodies will appreciate French supermarket staples like sea salt from Le Saunier de Camargue, Petits Ecoliers biscuits, strong mustard from Amora, and, of course, cheeses and chocolates. French wine and Champagne also stand out as excellent gourmet souvenirs to buy in Paris.
From elegant scarves and hand-made jewelry to sweet treats and street art, there really is no limit to the great souvenirs found in Paris. If you’d really like to take home a beautiful memory, sign up for a Paris walking tour. From a Skip-the-Line Louvre Highlights Tour to a Paris Catacombs Tour with Special Access, we will show you all of the best sites to see in Paris.
