If you love Paris but don’t live there, have you ever just wanted to take it home with you? Bundle the whole thing up, put it in your suitcase and pull it out when you need a ‘Paris fix’? What if you could “buy Paris”?
I like to believe that anything is possible when it comes to France so it got me thinking about various ways to purchase the French capital. Of course, one can always buy an apartment there but that is a WHOLE other project. There are more reasonable items whose style just shouts Paris such as a beautiful scarf from Pétrusse or a gorgeous art book from the Louvre or a luscious box of almond macarons from Ladurée or Pierre Hermé. Then there are small trinkets you can pick up around town that say Paris—literally.
Les cartes postales (postcards)…
Les caleçons (boxers)…
The Eiffel Tower seems to be the quintessential visual image of Paris and for good reason. So a small version for your desk or even a porte-clés (key ring) might be nice. Then you can drive around with Paris in your car.
You can also buy an artist’s view of the city. This vendor regularly offers her wares along the Rue de Rivoli on the Right Bank. She is on board with the Tour Eiffel motif for sure.
I think chocolate versions of Paris are nice—only they don’t last as long. Miam (yum, in French)! Chapon and Debauve & Gallais on the Left Bank each have their versions.
Or maybe a bread version of the Eiffel Tower is more your speed.
There is always the light-up version of the Eiffel Tower. Our Paris trip group picked up a few of these last week. Perfect for holiday decorating.
But they have a hard time competing with the real thing at night, n’est-ce pas?
Don’t forget the French folks at the Paris airport duty free venues. They are the ones who have elevated buying Paris to an art form. If you need some cognac in an Eiffel Tower glass bottle, they’ve got it.
Or I like this current holiday offering of chocolates in an glass Eiffel Tower keepsake complete with Santa hat on top. Maybe one year at Christmastime, the City of Paris should put a faux Santa hat on top of the real Eiffel Tower. Can’t you picture that? But I’m thinking that wouldn’t mesh with the ‘sophisticated Paris’ image near and dear to its residents. Tant pis (too bad)!
So with all these ideas in mind–and with a budget of 100 euros (as long as the euro currency lasts!), what would YOU do to “buy Paris”? Send in your thoughts in the comment section of this post. There is no end to creativity when it comes to putting Paris on sale or to buying it.
French Take-Out – La France à emporter
If all this Paris paraphernalia makes you want to rush out and buy something, you can find some kitschy Paris items at Target.com under “Eiffel”. Eiffel Tower centerpieces, posters, wall clocks, pendants—it’s almost like being at a souvenir stand in Paris. Almost.
Just know, though, that if you do a search on their web site for “Paris,” you’ll mostly get items for “Paris Hilton.” Hélas (alas), signs of the times. Bon Paris shopping!