Summer is not only a time of lush greenery and flowers, but also, of course, the time of resorts and vacations. More than half of the girls surveyed will no doubt choose France when choosing a country where holidays will bring an unforgettable experience.
Oh, Paris, the city of live music, fountains, lights and elegant young ladies… Having made a choice in favor of this amazing country, the girl will definitely not lose. The days spent in this magical place with all its sights are filled with the revived fairy tale of the eternally sleepless Parisian streets. The banks of the Seine River, the Louvre, the Champs Elysees, the Eiffel Tower - all these unearthly places flash before your eyes when it's time to say goodbye to your beloved country of romance and feelings. Gradually, you have to descend from heaven to earth and solve already pressing questions: what can you bring home from such a breathtaking trip, to your dear people? What do other tourists bring from France to keep at least a piece of the “Parisian” mood?
This article will present the best, and most importantly, proven options for gifts andsouvenirs from wonderful France.
Famous French patisseries
When it comes to France, most of the associations are with traditional French croissants, which are served warm in cozy restaurants in the early morning. Of course, this creation of confectionery art could also be brought, but during the many hours of the journey, the tender dough can become stale … But you can’t leave the country without its traditional sweets?
One of the best gift options for family and friends is a bar of quality French chocolate. How is it different from any other chocolate product? It's simple: the composition of French chocolate includes the most delicate milk and a large amount of spices that the French are so good at managing. Indeed, ordinary chocolate is lost against the background of the one that literally melts in your mouth, leaving behind a delicate aftertaste of cinnamon…
Another win-win sweet that is usually brought from France is the well-known macaron almond cakes - here, in its historical homeland, this sweet is cheaper and better made than elsewhere.
Liquor
Since we are talking about edibles, how can you miss such an important topic as the famous French medium-alcohol drinks, which will drive you crazy with their taste without a few extra degrees.
Of course, luxury French wines andassortment of french champagne. An elegant and simple gift in the form of a bottle of fine wine that will delight friends and family alike, is a perfect example of what is brought from France. The most amazing thing is that in this country, especially in its heart, in Paris, good alcohol can be bought almost everywhere. And the point here is not at all the statistics of alcohol intoxication among the inhabitants of France: it’s just that Paris is always crowded with tourists from other countries who can’t wait to take a couple of bottles of the popular Bordeaux with them, and it just so happened that the French are a people who love to live beautifully and elegantly, and therefore there are simply no cheap fakes of alcohol here.
Thus, French wines or champagne will be a great souvenir option for loved ones. Moreover, the list of high-quality spirits does not stop at wine - cognac is also one of the prides of French producers, but its high quality corresponds to an equally high price, so cognac is not often chosen as a gift.
French cheeses
Continuing the theme of alcoholic beverages, one cannot but mention the perfect ensemble, which has long become a kind of classic. We are talking about wine and cheese - a couple that cannot be separated.
Thinking about what to bring from France as a gift, you can stop at a head of good cheese. This delicacy will be appreciated anywhere, because French cheese is saturated with the atmosphere of this country, like any other national delicacy.
And don't forget aboutthat it was France that became the birthplace of world-famous blue cheeses. Naturally, not everyone will like this product, but if a gourmet friend is waiting at home, why not please him with the original blue cheese, which is significantly different from what you can buy in any supermarket?
Spices and spices
Another hallmark of France can be considered a giant market called Richard Lenoir. Why did this market become a kind of attraction? Very simply - this place is entirely specialized in the trade of a wide variety of spices. Just think: there are thousands of spices here, from traditional coriander and saffron to Provence herbs.
A box filled with a whole bunch of various spices is what you can bring from France as a gift to people who often prepare gourmet dishes. Such a souvenir will be appreciated, and therefore spices will be an ideal option straight from the French market.
Designer clothes
This gift option is more suitable for girls, because who, if not a woman, knows a lot about stylish clothes? So, in France there will be no problems with this souvenir, since Paris, along with Milan, is one of the current fashion capitals in the world. Here you will find a huge number of designer boutiques where you can buy exclusive items.
Of course, the prices for ready-made luxury will correspond to its quality, but if you want to make a worthwhile gift from the heart, then you can’t save on this! Souvenir options fromParisian designers can be high-quality gloves, sunglasses, elegant wide-brimmed hats or berets in the rhythm of French fashion, and in no case should one ignore the personification of French style - chiffon balloon scarves.
Getting such a gift, any girl will be able to feel herself in the place of the same Frenchwoman who every morning comes into the bakery for a cup of strong coffee with spices and a fragrant croissant to it. So designer clothes are one of the best answers to the question of what to bring back from France as a souvenir.
Cosmetics
The global authority that many French cosmetics companies have is undeniable, so why not buy a couple of products for someone as souvenirs? But first, it’s worth figuring out: what cosmetics to bring from France? To answer this question, you need to know the preferences of the person to whom you plan to give a gift: perhaps it will be a long-lasting classic lipstick, branded mascara or a set of facial creams. A set of fragrant oils for body skin care can be a wonderful option.
Perfume
Not far from cosmetics, you should pay close attention to the dizzying French perfume. One thing is for sure - the best perfume in the world cannot be found! This is probably why French perfumes are the most frequently imported from France.
The atmosphere in which French perfumers create and combine their unique fragrances leads tothat any bottle that comes out of expensive and branded stores or simple and medium-priced ones breathes a life of its own. France is also a country of fragrances, each of which tells its own story. So French perfume has not just become a household name, denoting the degree of luxury of perfume.
Coffee
Another amazing gift you can think of is real French coffee. You will not be able to taste such a drink anywhere else! The tart taste and aroma, the feeling of cheerfulness that it gives - all this together makes you dizzy at the first sip. One of the best brands of French coffee is considered Ricore - a drink in which coffee and chicory are mixed in special proportions - perhaps that is why it has such a unique taste. If girls and women prefer to buy the best French sweets as a gift, then coffee is the best gift for serious men who will appreciate it.
France - the country of forgotten vintage
After staying in this amazing country, many are wondering: what is the first thing they bring from France as souvenirs? The answer to this question can be found in the windows of many small shops that sell the most outlandish rarities. Having entered at least once in such a shop, it will be impossible to leave it empty-handed.
Such tiny shops with antique trinkets embody the spirit of France, and therefore will becomea great gift when traveling home. Souvenirs can be beautiful vintage postcards with dried lavender flowers and exuding an incredible aroma, it can be vinyl records of French artists of the 30s or 40s, and what about shabby photographs depicting the most beautiful views of old Paris? An aged carved music box, from which motives of national French music are pouring, can become an equally original gift.
Classic souvenirs
If none of the above options fell to your heart, then no one canceled the classic small souvenirs that you can get in any country.
jars for storing spices with night views of Paris … How many of them! But the main thing is that anyone will be happy with such gifts, regardless of the taste of the person, and plus, these souvenirs will never lose their popularity!
If you still have questions on the topic “Souvenirs from France: what to bring and how to please everyone”, then you can always ask the person himself, who will tell you exactly about his tastes and preferences. And yet, no matter how wonderful a souvenir is in itself, nothing compares to living inthis country of fulfillment of desires and night romance. So the best option for getting vivid impressions would not be a welcome gift at all, but your own presence in this amazing country.