Gift Guide for the Francophile in Your Life

Voila! My gift guide for the francophile in your life! Do you have a friend or family member that goes gaga for all things French? Someone who is constantly daydreaming of walking the streets of Paris, and who responds positively to a question by saying “oui?” Then dear reader, you have a Francophile in your life! And whether your sister or soul sister has never stepped foot on French soil, she still loves to surround herself and read about Paris and France.

When it comes to gift-giving, they are easy to shop for! Being a certified Francophile myself, I’ve curated the perfect list of gifts for you to choose from for birthdays, Bastille Day, and yes, of course, Christmas!

Bon shopping!

For the Library and Office

Paris Books

I’m working on a whole other post on what books belong in a proper Francophile library, but in the meantime, I wanted to share some of the latest Paris reads.

Why LA? Pourquoi Paris? by Diane Ratican

So okay, Los Angeles is not my favorite city, but who knew it had so much in common with Paris. I have a deeper appreciation for Los Angeles now that I have read Why LA? Pourquoi Paris? This art book with gorgeous illustrations from Eric Giriat and Nick Lu does such a beautiful job of exploring these two iconic cities while also serving as a travel guide and personal retrospective from Diane’s life split between the two cities.

The New Paris by Lindsey Tramuta

In the Misadventures household, we have both the digital (one for me and one for the misters) and hard copy of The New Paris: The People, Places & Ideas Fueling a Movement. Why? Because not only is the book full of fantastic history, interviews and information, it is also beautiful! You can’t keep that in your Kindle! If you want to understand the latest evolution/revolution in Paris and stay in the know, you want this book.

Paris in Stride: An Insider's Walking Guide by Jessie Kanelos Weiner and Sarah Moroz

I take this one off the bookshelf and look through it all the time, the illustrations are so beautiful! Paris in Stride is a Paris guidebook but one whose vibrant watercolors bring the city to life! It is a beautiful book to have on your coffee table or shelf.

A Paris Year by Janice MacLeod

Reading A Paris Year: My Day-to-Day Adventures in the Most Romantic City in the World is like stealing your brilliantly artistic best friend's diary. One where you snuck off with it and deeply immersed yourself in the day-to-day life of your Parisian pal. The watercolor illustrations are stunning and the journal entries are captivating. This is a quick, fun read perfect for a wintery day. It is also a great Paris guide!

Impressions of Paris by Cat Seto

This beautifully illustrated sketchbook tells the story of Cato Seto's first visit to Paris. The drawings are enchanting and just the thing for your favorite Francophile to enjoy while he or she plans her next trip to the city of light.

Paris Coloring Books

Coloring books are a relaxing way to be creative. There are books covering every topic under the sun and these are my favorite Paris-themed ones. Just add in a beautiful set of coloring pencils and you have one happy Frenchie!

• Paris Street Style Coloring Book
• Secret Paris: Color Your Way to Calm
• Paris Coloring Book
• Cats in Paris: A Magical Coloring Book

Calendars, Journals, and Planners

When it comes to my editorial calendar I love Google, I’ve been using it for years. But for work, daily life, and even blog planning I prefer a physical calendar. Of course, it is just one more way I can also profess my love for all things French. My only true problem is that I have more than one, love them all, and often have difficulty choosing which one to use.

Bound for Anything

Planners are all the rage and don’t get me started on bullet journals. The thing about most of them is that the pages just aren’t quite right for me. That’s why I have turned to Bound for Anything. Bound custom journals allow me to build the journal the way I want, including a Paris map! Also, for the cover, I am still inspired by the ones from this Haven in Paris post I have bookmarked from 2012! My particular favorite is “F*** It. Let’s go to (Paris).

If you do get your favorite francophile one of the planners mentioned above, I recommend one of these attachable pen cases to complete your gift. There are a variety of colors that will match your planner/journal.

Clothing and Accessories

One way to show the world my affinity is through fashion and accessories. I can (and do) proclaim my love for France and Paris with all of the pieces below and any one of them will help your French-at-heart friend look fabulous.

Pilot & Captain T-shirts

Truth. This Paris CDG shirt has been sold out for a while, but I keep checking it because as soon as it is back in stock it is mine! You can make a cute little IOU for the shirt as a gift, or you can order your loved one their second favorite airport. OR buy them the Paris CDG tote bag from Pilot & Captain.

Oui in France

I am totally in love with the Café Break t-shirt from Oui in France, but Diane has several fun tees, it is hard to choose. You might have sweet tooth in your life in which case the macaron madness is right up your alley (or rue). Given my low-carb diet, the baguette love is calling my name!

Mile End Paris Tee

Okay I know it seems I’ve gone t-shirt crazy, but since losing weight and moving to mild-weathered Phoenix it is all I live in! I am curating a growing collection of Paris tees including this vintage one from Mile End.

Kasia Dietz Bags

Fashionista in Paris? Look no further than Kasia Dietz and her sleek line of Paris (and other spots) inspired bags. Kasia also does bag painting workshops in Paris and blogs, writes, and gives tours about Marais where she lives. You can get her bags on her website it is just a matter of choosing which one captures your heart.

Kasia Dietz Special Edition Bags

When I saw this special edition bag that Kasia created for Storie Paris I had to have it. The drawing is inspired by a book called The Paris We Love from 1950, a guidebook Kasia discovered when she first moved to Paris 10 years ago. But it also has special meaning for me as it depicts a typical table and chairs that you would find in a troquet, a friendly neighborhood bistro, and the name of the company Mr. Misadventures and I created called Troquet Media LLC. So not only is it a fabulous bag, but it has a special place in my heart now. You can only get it in Paris at Storie or you can order it online.

Jet Set Candy Charm

I’ve never been a huge fan of jewelry, but when I do where something I want it to say something about me. I love the charms from Jet Set Candy, particularly the Paris CDG luggage tag charm. It not only shows I love Paris (even their airport) but that I enjoy travel, I am expressing 2 of my loves at once.

Subscription Boxes

Why not get a little French delivered to your Francophile on a monthly basis? You will be their hero! Or pick a specific month for a birthday or anniversary surprise and delight.

Bon Appetit Box

French food anyone? Mais oui! Bon Appetit boxes can be purchased as a single box or subscription service and bring a little bit of France to your door. A little while ago I tried out the Provence Apéritif Box and it was a big hit for the office apéro!

There are multiple boxes to choose from so you are bound to find something to fit the unique taste of your favorite Francophile. I love the idea of having a regular box with all things France.

Oui Please Box

The Oui Please boxes are more of a lifestyle box, rather than food, although they do through in some epicurean delights from time to time. The products represent French jewelry and apparel, accessories, and beauty. You can buy the boxes a la carte or subscribe to their monthly service. I’ll warn you, this is a luxury gift, and the boxes are between $130 and $200 each if you buy them individually and $150 each if you do the service, but they are very popular and the boxes often sell out!

Frenchify The Home

What better way to feel French than to surround yourself with lovely items throughout your home? Whether your friend or loved one has a small apartment or a grand maison, they’ll love these small touches.

Parisian Vinyl Floor Mat

There is a reason why vintage French is still in vogue. If you can't have real French floors you can fake it with this gorgeous kitchen mat from Food 52! If I was building a home from scratch I would definitely have this floor!

Homesick France Candle

I’ll admit, when I first read the description of the France candle from Homesick, I thought “yuck!” but I actually LOVE it! They describe it as “warm, fresh croissants served en terrasse paired with un café latte. The bustling energy of the streets with faint touches of tobacco and lavender.” Whatever you call it, I like it and I am pretty sure your Francophile friend will like it too.

Paris Cross Stitch from Satsuma Street

Cross-stitching is something my Mom, sister, and I used to do while I was growing up. It was a fun hobby and I hadn’t thought about it in a million years until I saw a Paris cross stitch pattern from Satsuma Street. I bet I would love it just as much as I did before and if you have a crafty person in your life who also loves the City of Light, I am sure they would love this pattern.

Original Canned Air From Paris

This is a fun gag that you can give a Francophile for her office! A cute little can of air from Paris! It certainly is a conversation piece!

Félicitations! You made it to the end! Do you get as fatigue shopping as I do? Online shopping is my jam and everything in my gift guide for the Francophile in your life can be purchased without stepping foot out of chez toi. You are most welcome.

In all seriousness, I hope that you found something formidable for the friend or family member who is a francophile, we are pretty easy to buy for!

How about you? Did I miss something? Did you see something that caught your eye? Do share!

You can see additional French Finds for:  January | February | March | April | June 

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