Suggestions for gifts to bring home

I dislike wasting much time shopping for souvenirs.. especially since most folks say thanks and then put they away,,never to be seen again, but I do pick up half a dozen scarves for gifts. Cheap, easy and light to pack home.. and at least useful( don't get the tacky ones that say "Paris" on them.. yech)

I also pick up a few fridge magnets for those of my friends who collect them.

The linen is nice in france.. so when I find some nice tablecloths or tea towels I will pick those up,, last time we found some lovely tablecloths in Nice..

For me, it depends on the friends. For my hipster/ironic friends, I might pick up whatever the latest craze is amongst the street vendors. One year it was tiny toy tin birds that flew and whistled when you wound them up - very cool, small, light, packable, and fun. 1 Euro each. Another year I got everyone a 2 Euro Eiffel Tower in different colors and finishes.

For non-ironic friends and/or office buddies, I recommend stationery stores. Until she got too old for stickers, my niece was DELIGHTED with the ones I'd pick up every year at Buci News in Paris (http://www.yelp.com/biz/buci-news-paris) - they also have cool stuff that grown-ups would like, too. I am an office supply addict and have done serious pocketbook damage here, buying wonderful notebooks and pens for myself, a-hem, and have bought friends notebooks, lovely pens, pill boxes and pretty stationery. All light-weight, packable, and tres Francais - that is, brands not available (or hard to find) here in the US.

For family or closer friends, another winner is, believe it or not, soap. Monoprix stocks many of the le Petit Marseillais (http://www.lepetitmarseillais.com/) brand of soaps, shampoos and shower gels that are both economical AND luxurious, plus almost impossible to find in the US. Their olive oil soaps and milk soap are the most practical to pack (and scent your luggage nicely on the return flight). I buy a LOT for myself and mail it home, and the two-packs of soap - wrapped in one of those cheap scarves maybe? - make very cute gifts for people with whom you are on more intimate terms (Mom, Aunt, etc.)

For pretty much any category of friend, you might just try a book store - they're great places for souvenirs. Also the news stand! If you've got a soccer-mad child or friend, a couple of the latest issues of a French footie or sports magazine would be great. Ditto for someone who is really into fashion - there are many excellent French fashion mags. That doesn't even take 5 minutes of extra time - and news stands and book stores are fun to browse even if you aren't souvenir-seeking!

Post cards are super cheap, and I've used those as gifts. I generally have a stash of inexpensive IKEA frames at home, and one year I bought three cat-themed French postcards for a cat-mad friend, brought them home and framed them up. She was delighted with the gift - they are still hanging in her home - and the cards were under a Euro each!

Foodies like food - check out a local grocery store. Again I will recommend Monoprix. Last year I bought mustards for a friend who adores mustard. There was a sale on a really good, spicy brand of Dijon mustard that came in the cutest clear little glass jar with a pink-tinged pedestal. Adorable! Under 2 Euros, and I got 4 jars so I could keep two. Also got her some herb-flavored mustards, none available in the States. Also check out chocolates and candy in the grocery store. Great finds are out there!

Museum gift stores are also great for souvenirs/gifts. Bags, pens, posters, key chains - you name it, they've got it, either branded with the museum's logo or a picture of the building, or featuring a reproduction of some iconic work of art.

So I guess what I am saying is - souvenirs and gifts are everywhere! Have a wonderful trip!

Both scarves and small linens are easy to pack and much appreciated, as many of my friends have told me. I've often bought a 6-pack of fancy dish towels and used them as 6 gifts. Or buy bars of soap or sachets of lavender at the many street markets you'll see everywhere. I have many "foodie" friends so often bring home small containers of condiments or seasonings (Dijon mustard, herbs de Provence, fleur de sel, etc.). But DON'T buy them at fancy gift stores - just pick them up at a grocery store for a much lower cost (and they're just as nice). Another great gift (if you're in Paris) is a small box of the wonderful macarons (these are NOT the US coconut macaroons!) from La Carette (my fave) or Laduree. These must be bought only the day prior to your flight home, though, as they only stay fresh for a day or two. I always buy an extra box (esp. of the salted caramel ones) for my treat on the flight home! Enjoy your visit and I hope you fall in love with France as I (and many others on this Forum) have. Bon Voyage!

I like buying locally made items. The outdoor markets are a great place to shop for small gifts. If you are staying in B&Bs or hotels, you won't be shopping for food, but the markets are fun and have lots of stuff besides food. Many have locally made crafts where you can buy directly from the artist at good prices. I've bought small watercolors and drawings, jewelry,pottery, etc. Have fun.

Bookmarks and coasters. I'm not willing to haul around large items. A friend brought me back an Eiffel Tower key chain this year. And scarves are always nice.

Great suggestions above. It can be a challenge to find locally made items.

Depending on who I'm shopping for - scarves, bookmarks, small calendars, magnets or shot glasses for those who collect them, herbs de Provence. I've also bought lavender sachets that come in a package of 5-6 and split them up. You've gotten a lot good suggestions from people.

I love the Eiffel Tower key chains from the bouquinistas (book sellers) along the Seine by Notre Dame. They're cool, cheap (50 cents each), and always get rave reviews. Scarves, magnets, items from street markets, and jams from the grocery store all work well. For myself, I pick up a city mug from Starbucks - love them, great remembrance, use them every day.

Just don't put the ET keychains in your back pocket and sit on them. Ouch!!

These are great ideas. I'm all for the more usable and practical.The soaps wrapped in a pretty scarve sounds like just the thing for my mother and sisters. Great space savers too. Thanks to all

I have friends/family who love wine, but I don't want to deal with carrying bottles. So I've brought back bottle stoppers with lovely end pieces (e.g., a Murano-glass-style globe or a sphere of marble). Easy to pack and well-received, and usually not prohibitively expensive.

Happy shopping!

There is a little shop selling very nice silk scarves and mens neck ties in the Opera Metro station. The prices were very very reasonable. Ties 10E, scarves 15E and a discount for multiple purchases. These were some of the same scarves we saw in the gift shops at the Orsay and Orangerie. We were very pleased with them. Plus they are light wieght and easy to pack and not too expensive if they are not appreciated.