With trips to the continent currently prohibited and relationships feeling a little frosty with our European neighbours, it can be hard for those in thrall to France to feel a connection right now.
Should you have a loved one in your life who adores French food, wine, perfume and fashion, then, fortunately, you’re blessed with options on what to gift in order to evoke memories of La République.
Wait, wait! That doesn’t mean you should rely on your own ideas only! Instead, here are some unique suggestions; these 6 gift ideas for the Francophile in your life.
HELP THEM MASTER THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING
Perhaps the Francophile in your life adores all things gastronomic, and arguably, French cuisine is the very best in the world. The good news for you is that there are a whole host of incredible English language tomes on French cooking, from beginner to advanced, ideal for learning more about the history, technique, ingredients and dishes, both national and regional, of this amazing country.
Some of the most influential French recipe books ever written include:
- Larousse Gastronomique – the culinary reference book for all things ‘classical’ in the cooking world, and an absolute mainstay on any top chef’s bookshelf. Indeed, according to chef James Martin, ‘‘Larousse Gastronomique was a bible for me 20 years ago, and even today, it is still such a source of inspiration’’
- Grand Livre de Cuisine: Alain Ducasse’s Culinary Encyclopedia by Alain Ducasse – This one includes 44 recipes for lobster alone, and the world famous chef doesn’t take any prisoners in terms of ingredients or technique. There are no corners cut here, no half measures, and the book is all the better for it.
And for a more approachable book for those who are more culinarily curious than fully-fledged aficionado, these are fantastic:
- Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child – So famous and beloved that a film was made about it (Julie and Julia), the book is credited with changing the way the US cooked and ate forever. The French onion soup and quiche lorraine are iconic.
- The French Kitchen by Michel Roux Jr. – Head chef of La Gavroche and former Masterchef: The Professionals judge, Michel Roux Jr’s French Kitchen focuses on family recipes rather than fine dining, with traditional techniques taking centre stage. Lovely stuff.
Read: 5 IDEAL tips for dining in Paris on a budget.
GIFT THE SCENT OF PARIS WITH PERFUME
No, not the waft of croissants or freshly baked baguettes; though bottling up that scent could be a wonderful gift, too! No, we’re talking about perfume, here.
One of France’s most famous perfume and cologne brands, Parfum de Marly, might be just the ticket if you’re trying to evoke the nostalgic smells of Paris without a visit to a boulangerie or the bottling of canal water. Indeed, according to the founder Julien Sprecher, ‘’Each essence has its own personal olfactory experience, which leaves a trace of French elegance.’’
A luxury niche cologne for men like Parfums De Marly is ideal for capturing that French je ne sais quoi in scent, and evoking nostalgia for another visit to France once restrictions are lifted. Until then, you’ll have to make do with this invocation of the famous perfume cellars of Versailles. Hey, it could be worse!
VIRTUAL TICKETS TO PARIS FASHION WEEK 2021
Paris Fashion Week is one of the key dates in the annual fashion calendar, but this year, a large part of it (if not all of it; hey, we’re not Nostradamus) is set to occur online.
Though it’s hard to predict what the state of the pandemic will be tomorrow, let alone in September, you can still guarantee attendance, at least virtually, for your fashion-obsessed loved one. Starting on Monday, September 27 and ending on Tuesday, October 5 2021, tickets are available online for both physical and virtual attendance.
SEASONING SMARTS WITH FLEUR DE SEL GUÉRANDE
To accompany those French cuisine cookbooks you’ve gifted, why not add some salt to your gift box, too? Nope, this isn’t some kind of French luck charm (unless the recipient spills it, of course), but rather, a present of some of the most revered salt in the world.
Sometimes referred to as ‘white gold’, Fleur de Sel from Guérande (a coastal, medieval town in Brittany) is harvested by hand in the region’s salt marshes, and boasts large flakes and a minerally flavour which lingers long on the tongue. It’s not cheap, due to its labour intensive harvesting, but you’ll be richly rewarded when your France obsessed loved one learns to use it with aplomb!
UNDERSTAND TERROIR, TORREFACTION & TANNINS WITH A GUIDE TO FRENCH WINE
‘’Would you like some wine with your salt, madame?’’
We thought you’d never ask. French wine needs little in the way of introduction, with many considering it the world’s best and the region of Bordeaux, in particular, producing arguably the most acclaimed (and some of the most expensive) claret on the planet.
Come to think of it, French wine needs a lot in the way of introduction, with the terminology, terroir, growing regions and tasting notes so vast and complex you could drown in them. What a lovely way to go that would be.
Two of the best introductions to French wine are:
- French Wine for Dummies – Sure, to buy this for a loved one is to implicitly suggest that they’re a ‘dummy’, but in actuality, this a great book for demystifying some of the sometimes impenetrable concepts surrounding wine.
- Wine Folly by Madeline Puckette – Full of visually arresting infographics, the book features more than 100 wines, all colour coded and replete with fascinating insights into their growing methods, tasting notes and more.
Read: A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding Wines.
BRING THE EIFFEL TOWER TO YOUR HOME WITH TRINKETS
You don’t have to spend a small fortune on specialist salt and perfume to welcome France into your home until you can go there. One of the most iconic buildings in the world, the Eiffel Tower, is available in an astonishing array of trinkets, from fridge magnets to keyrings, wind chimes to clocks, and more. For the Francophile in your life who loves a thrifty gift, an Eiffel Tower souvenir is perfect!
To get you nostalgic about the capital city, why not check out our hotel review of Jules et Jim, the IDEAL place to stay in Paris’ trendiest neighbourhood.