Top Eight: Made In France Delights
For the March edition of my Top Eight, I wanted to focus on some amazing businesses and products that are made in Paris and around France to showcase the industries that thrive here! Lifestyle, fashion, and food take center stage in everyday life in France so why not enjoy these things with local favorites. It is never hard to find beautiful, thoughtfully made items for your home or souvenirs from your travels here, but many of these can be ordered from your home wherever you are in the world thanks to global shipping! In no particular order as usual, here are some of my favorite items to have the joy of France in your life.
#1 - Alix D. Reynis
I adore this beautiful store just down the street from me in Saint Germain-des-Pres and this second location is newer for the brand. Alix herself owns and designs the fantastic, simple porcelain items for your home. There is a bevy of tabletop, vases, and kitchen essentials with subtle detailing that will blend with any style, modern or classic. She also has journals, stationary and pretty gold layer-able jewelry to compliment any wardrobe. I purchased a lovely bell ornament this Christmas season for my tree and so many items would make amazing gifts. I have two items from her lifestyle porcelain collection that are on my gift guide here.
Sorry for the random reflection in this photo but it was too cute not to share!
#2 - Jacquard Français
My cool friend found this place near her office in the 8th and it is a fabulous French brand that does amazing textiles. I found out there is this location in my neighborhood in the photo, though! Bath towels, robes, and everything for the kitchen including trays and platters abound here in beautiful colors and themes. The kitchen towels in particular would make amazing gifts! I definitely recommend this spot for your next trip to pick up something unique for yourself or loved ones.
#3 - Relma
I will be honest and debated hard about including this on my list because it is a TRULY hidden gem on the edge of the 6th that I literally stumbled upon taking a side street back to my house TWO DAYS ago. I was annoyed I only had 7 for my list that very morning, as a candle company I liked was not available at the beautiful store, Merci Paris in the Marais and I was not able to patronize the brand or take photos. That is important to me in recommending cool products or places is actually buying and participating in the brand itself. SO, coming back home I found Relma - a paper/ribbon/leather store that was MAGNIFICENT. Serving Paris since 1933, its extensive selections astounded me. Shelves and shelves of beautiful paper sheets for any project, I could have spent hours in there. I bought a beautiful leather scrap to use as a blotter for my nightstand and a piece of paper in my daughter’s favorite color to wrap a book she will get for her birthday in May. Highly recommend!
#4 - Koshka Paris
I cannot say enough good things about this amazing brand that is entirely based in Paris with three boutique locations in the Marais, the 6th, and the 8th just up from Place de la Concorde. Mari Koshka herself designs the amazing, cool, and unique clothes and they are made in her atelier just outside the city. I found my dream pair of jeans here - dark denim, slightly wide leg, and matte gold buttons for that French-girl detail! She utilizes beautiful fabrics and the construction is fantastic. A must-visit if you are in the city to bring home something chic and original you won’t see everywhere!
#5 - Atelier Choux
I am convinced this is the chicest French store for littles that exists! Whimsical and light, the designs are amazing and timeless. Softest swaddles and outfits are incredible - I purchased the wall decal set for my sister when she was expecting and it is so so cute! There is the original location in the 5th on a side street but there is a new one opening on Rue de Grenelle in the 7th soon.
Forget Maille and Edmond Fallot, this mustard is the absolute best. We found this brand in our little cheese shop in a small town in Burgundy but it can be ordered. It is my go-to gift for Francophile friends in town and even my French friends are impressed! I have tried many flavors but the truffle noir and the honey balsamic are the best. A pork loin my husband cooked had the herbs de Provence variety on top an it was marvelous. The prices are also amazing for this high quality condiment compared to other more well known brands. Seek this out for a truly French taste experience.
#7 - Debauve & Gallais
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention this truly epic chocolatier that is still at the original location on the border of the 6th/7th on Rue de Saint Peres. I have never had anything bad here and they have a wide variety to suit many tastes. Founded in 1800 by King Louis XVI’s pharmacist, Sulpice Debauve, he researched cocoa and sought to create something for Marie-Antoinette who yearned for tastes of her Viennese upbringing. Read the fascinating history on the website, it is amazing this prosperous business exists today in all it’s glory. I personally endorse this over the very popular La Mère de Famille chocolate stores all over Paris that are also good, but this is more of a diamond in the rough! (There is also a little location on Rue Vivienne in the 2nd for you right bank folks!).
#8 - Subtile Home
Adored this home scent company that I discovered at the Made in France Expo my husband and I went to in fall of 2022 right after we moved here permanently. The scents are unique and truly permeate the room in a lovely way. We purchased the Boisé (woody) scent and set it on our bar top in Burgundy. It has literally lasted over a year and the oil is just about out - an amazing testament to the longevity and effectiveness of the product! They have a great website and unique porcelain scent balls you can hang or arrange artfully in a bowl.
I hope you enjoyed the little slice of life I presented with some of my favorite French brands and stores you might not have known about!
