What to Buy as Gifts and Souvenirs From France

Because food is such a big part of French life this is always a good choice for gifts and souvenirs. But you need to find something that will survive being packed in a suitcase and doesn't need refrigeration or protection (and will be allowed back in to your home country). We have a few suggestions that might surprise you. They are all icons of French cuisine, won't cost very much, and will travel well. 

Have you thought about mustard, vinegar or sardines? 

 

Mustard probably crossed your mind...Dijon style mustard is after all known throughout the western world. Try to get one from a small artisanal producer who uses French sourced ingredients and doesn't export.

Vinegar? What's so special about vinegar? Well you need to seek out the special vinaigre d'Orléans, now made by only one factory (Martin Pouret) but once the source of vast fortunes for certain 19th century businessmen in the Loire Valley. It is the French equivalent of the better known Italian balsalmic vinegar of Modena.

And sardines? Yes, you read that right. Sardines. The premium sardines come in colourful tins designed by contemporary artists and have a vintage, just like the finest wines. And they make a great souvenir because once you've eaten the contents, the tin makes charming decorative object and talking point.

If you take a tour with us we will be very happy to include a visit to an épicerie fine (high end grocers) who specialises in French regional products. Just let us know you'd like to buy some sardines for your friends back home...We and the staff in the shop can advise about the products on offer. 

 

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For details of our private guided tours of chateaux, gardens, wineries, markets and more please visit the Loire Valley Time Travel website. We would be delighted to design a tour for you.

We are also on Instagram, so check us out to see a regularly updated selection of our very best photos. You may also like to check out our YouTube channel. 

Sainte Maure de Touraine, a reknowned goats cheese in the Loire Valley.

Sainte Maure de Touraine is the name of a town in the Touraine Loire Valley. It is also the name of one of our local fromages de chèvre (goats' cheeses), the others being Pouligny-Saint-Pierre, Selles-sur-Cher, Valençay and Chavignol. We've found that even people who have not liked the goats cheese they've tried in the past discover that they really like Sainte Maure de Touraine.

 

Sainte Maure de Touraine is an AOC (Appellation d'origine contrôlée) which roughly follows the boundaries of the old Province of Touraine. It has to be made by traditional methods - this means that all the cheese is made by hand from fresh ingredients, either on farms or in dairy co-operatives. If you would like to include some goats cheese in your itinerary with us, just let us know. We can arrange a tasting or a visit to a farm.

Discover What is on the Forest Floor in the Loire Valley

The extensive forests in the Loire Valley are dominated by the oak trees that have been used for centuries for building  chateaux, houses and barns, as well as boats. Many of these forests have been managed for centuries, for hunting, timber extraction and some foraging of wild edible plants. As a consequence they are stable environments with a rich biodiversity. There are many species of moss for example, including the Common Striated Feather Moss, which often makes rather fairytale scenes with its habit of growing up small saplings and forming spongey carpets. Very photogenic!

 

If you would like a walk in one of the Loire Valley forests accompanied by a knowlegeable local naturalist and guide, let us know. We can open your eyes to both the bigger picture and the amazing detail in these wonderful natural environments. Note that you will need waterproof hiking boots as the trails can be muddy, but there are no difficult climbs or extremely rough ground to contend with. The forest trails are mostly flat natural clay and gravel. They can be a bit uneven where heavy forestry machinery has been using them.