Visiting Paris and don’t know what to bring home? After living in Paris for a few years, I’ve perfected the art of bringing home Paris souvenirs, so I think I know a thing or two about the best things to bring home that aren’t from your standard tourist shop.
Paris souvenirs aren’t just knick-knacks; they’re tangible pieces of the city’s vibe and should serve as a memory of your vacation here. Paris has a lot to offer, so this blog is your key to unearthing the authentic Parisian goods that will make your trip memorable. No frills, no fuss—just the lowdown on the top Paris souvenirs that capture the essence of this vibrant city.
5 Unique Paris Souvenirs
Dairy Products – Butter & Cheese
Is it really surprising to see food as a souvenir recommendation from Paris? French food is celebrated as one of the best cuisines in the world, and it doesn’t only have to be enjoyed in France. There are many ideas here regarding what to bring, but I think the most emblematic Paris souvenirs would be the staples of French cuisine: butter and cheese. For the best food shopping experience, I recommend going to La Grand Épicerie (38 Rue de Sèvres, 75007 Paris).
To bring butter home, I recommend freezing it, wrapping it in a plastic baggy, and putting it in your checked luggage. French butter is different than American butter because European standards require a higher fat content. Trust me when I tell you, French butter tastes so much better. Le Beurre Bordier is the best butter brand you’ll find in France. They also have seaweed butter (butter with little bits of salty seaweed throughout) that is just divine.
Bringing home cheese is a slightly different story. It might seem daunting, but cheese is actually fairly easy to bring home from France. The USDA approves any solid hard or soft cheeses (as long as the cheese does not contain meat or pours like a liquid, like for example, ricotta or cottage cheese). You can find their rules for milk, dairy, and egg products on their official site. Solid cheeses tend to travel more easily, and most fromageries in touristy areas will be able to vacuum pack your cheese upon request so that it doesn’t stink up your suitcase. If you need to ask in French, you can say pourriez-vous mettre mon fromage en sous-vide, s’il vous plaît?
Consider these Paris souvenirs as a delightful reminder of your inevitable culinary journey in the City of Light.
Mustard
If you’re a mustard lover, Boutique Maille should be a must-stop during your trip to Paris. Maille is a French mustard brand that dates back to 1747 and is famous for their Dijon mustard. Going to the Maille store in Paris is like a cultural condiment right of passage for mustard lovers. Think mustard on tap infused with all different kinds of flavors such as whiskey, truffle, and of course, honey. They’ll offer a lot of flavor profiles that you wouldn’t find in a normal supermarket, and a simple visit to this store simultaneously serves as an impromptu mustard tasting.
In terms of Paris souvenirs, the best thing you can do here is to fill your own mustard jar. They’ll allow you to taste a variety of their mustards and then you’ll pick out a jar size and color. This souvenir is unique, fun, and reusable — anytime you’re back in Paris you can bring back your mustard jar and they will refill it for you.
Tea
Mariage Frères Le Marais location – 30 Rue du Bourg Tibourg, 75004 Paris
Dammann Frères Place des Vosges location – 15 Pl. des Vosges, 75004 Paris
If you’re a tea person, there are two great tea brands in France. The most famous French brand is Mariage Frères, and my personal favorite is Dammann Freres.
My favorite tea at Mariage Frères is their Chai-Karikal. A green tea with traditional chai spices (cardamom, pepper, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves) makes a perfect cup for a fall morning. They also release different flavors seasonally, like their Noêl Nouveau, which is green tea with various festive spices.
If you go to the Mariage Frères Le Marais location, you’ll also find a café at the back of the shop. If you love tea, this would be a great stop during a shopping day in Le Marais. I love recommending Mariage Frères because the shopping experience matches the quality of the tea. The customer service at Mariage Frères is top notch and you’ll likely be walking out with several tea boxes vs. just one. Choosing tea as a souvenir is quite authentic as far as Paris souvenirs go. After a year of working in France, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched people at work buy Mariage Frères — especially as gifts for friends and family during Christmas.
I briefly mentioned Dammann Frères as well, which I believe has tea that is just as good in quality as Mariage Frères. If you’re not really into the frilly shopping experience of Mariage Frères, Dammann Frères might be more for you. The experience here is a little more quiet, and a little more get in, browse a little, and get out. There is one located in Places des Vosges, which is also not far from the Mariage Frères Le Marais location if you’re looking to hit both in one day.
Perfume
Perfume shouldn’t be a surprise to see on this list, but there is one particular perfume shop I’d recommend. Officine Universelle Buly is an apothecary-style perfume brand dating back 200 years. The store itself is an experience, even if you’re not a perfume person. They sell other items as well, some of which you can get a custom monogram, such as lip balms and combs. My favorite product of theirs is their scented matches, which make a budget-friendly souvenir for any visitor. There are multiple locations, all listed below:
- 19 Rue Vieille-du-Temple, 75004 Paris
- 45 Rue de Saintonge, 75003 Paris – this location also has a café!
- 6 Rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris
- Le Bon Marché, 24 Rue de Sèvres Rive Gauche 2ème étage, 75007 – I wouldn’t recommend this one as you don’t get the full store experience, but if you’re already in Le Bon Marché, it could be a convenient stop.
If you’re looking for a chic Paris souvenir to yourself or to gift someone else from Paris, I highly recommend visiting Officine Universelle Buly. The monogrammed combs and lip balms are fan favorites and have been featured in many clean girl, chic girl gift guides.
Luxury Goods
You’ve probably seen plenty of influencers prioritize buying their luxury items in Europe vs. in the U.S., and this is for good reason. Luxury brands tend to be cheaper in France because there is no import tax, duty tax, or transportation costs built into the price. France is also home to many luxury brands, such as Chanel, Dior, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Chloé, etc., so you’ll have quite a variety of brands to choose from.
Another plus of buying luxury products in France is that as long as you are not a member of the EU, you’ll be entitled to a VAT tax refund. Make sure you bring your passport with you when you go shopping because the vendor will need it to give you VAT forms. This paperwork will then need to be processed at the airport, from which you will then receive your refund. The refund sometimes takes a while, but I do believe it is worth it. If you choose to have the refund processed to your credit card, you should get around 12% back. Note that this isn’t exclusive to luxury stores and that you can get VAT on any purchases that total 100.01 euros or more. I have even been asked if I wanted VAT paperwork at the pharmacy during a particularly large purchase!
While luxury goods aren’t necessarily the most unique Paris souvenir, it is certainly a no-brainer to buy your luxury goods in France if you are already in the market for a higher ticket item.
French Skincare – City Pharma
This Paris souvenirs list would not be complete without recommending some French skincare on it. Pharmacies in France are famous and for good reason. If you’re a skincare girly, going to a French pharmacy will be a must-do during your trip. Brands like La Roche Posay, Vichy, Caudalie, Avène, etc. are all brands you can easily find in any French pharmacy. The price of these brands will also be significantly different, with some products being as much as 50% lower in price compared to places like the U.S. For example, the popular Caudalie Vinoperfect Serum is $82 in the U.S., but in France, it’s only 50 euros.
I highly recommend stocking up on some French skincare before returning home. Bringing home skincare makes for amazing Paris souvenirs that will last long after your trip to Paris, and your skin will be thanking you for it! If you’re new to French skincare, I’ve written about what to buy at the French pharmacy, as well as how to tackle shopping there for your first time. Check out my blog: What to Buy at the French Pharmacy: 10 of the Best French Skincare Products.
