Package Makes Perfect in France

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Shopping in France has its obvious pleasures. Creative window displays are a perpetual source of eye candy. Beautiful goods tempt in small boutiques and in les grands magasins (department stores). And when a French shopkeeper learns you truly appreciate his wares, he will bend over backwards to be helpful and informative whether or not you purchase a thing.

But there is an additional aspect to shopping in la belle France that is often overlooked–the gift wrap. The French can work a special magic with wonderful papers, ribbons, boxes and bags. I am so enamored of this part of life in France that I often request un paquet cadeau (a gift wrap) for my own purchases just for the pure bliss of opening the packaged “works of art” later.

Pastry shop compressed

Chocolate shop compressed

Les pâtisseries et les chocolateries (pastry and chocolate shops) in particular devote considerable artistic talent to their gift wrap offerings and even to their regular packaging. One of my favorites is Ladurée, the legendary pastry shop that has been in business since 1862. Their ribbons and boxes are a sort of ‘pastel heaven’ of sherbet-esque pinks and greens. After polishing off a small coffret of their famous macarons (almond macaroons) or a ballotin of chocolats, I use the delightful boxes to sort things on my desk or in drawers, making the packaging pleasure last that much longer.

How does the French gift wrap process work? In my experience, gift wrapping in France is always free for both expensive and inexpensive items. And even if there is a line of ten customers in a shop, the salesperson will not consider your sale complete until all your gifts are wrapped. But here’s the catch: You do have to ask for it–the salesperson cannot read your mind.

There are two common ways to ask for a gift wrap. You can say: “C’est pour offrir” (say poohr oh-freer) meaning ‘It’s to give as a gift.’

Or you can say in the super-polite French way: “Pourriez-vous me faire un paquet cadeau, s’il vous plaît?” (pooh-ree-ay voo meh fair uhn pah-kay kah-doh, see voo play?) which translates as ‘Would you gift wrap this for me please?’

If remembering this much French poses a challenge, you could communicate your desire for a French gift package simply by saying “paquet cadeau” (pah-kay kah-doh).

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but in France, I would say you can do pretty well with exteriors of the gift package kind. So keep the gift vocab handy, and try it next time you’re there. Bon shopping et bon gifting! 

French Take-Out ~ La France à emporter™

Ladurée has a great web site where you can check out virtually their shops, pastries, chocolates, books, home and beauty accessories, and more. There is even a page dedicated for ordering gifts and gift cards, which are known as “les bons cadeaux.”

Laduree web site 2011

You can also send a Ladurée-inspired postcard to your Francophile friends. Click here for an array of choices.

So far, Ladurée has shops in France, Switzerland, Monaco, London, Japan and several other countries. And the bonnes nouvelles for the U.S. is that a Ladurée boutique is opening THIS MONTH in New York City. Mark your calendar for August 27 at 1pm when the French macaron headquarters opens its first American doors at 864 Madison Avenue.

Main article originally published September 2, 2009 on www.frenchaffaires.com.

Laduree entrance site 2011

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