Still not full? Don’t panic: we’ve put on our Santa Claus boots and set out to explore Paris, in search of the most unusual and stylish boutiques for your Christmas gifts. Here you’ll find tasteful addresses, with artisanal nuggets, colorful objects and lovely surprises. Something for everyone, something out of the ordinary… and something for everyone. Let the Christmas gift hunt begin!
1. Marin Montagut
Just a stone’s throw from the Jardin du Luxembourg, illustrator and designer Marin Montagut unveils his poetic universe. A store of marvels where home-made products, fine materials and craftsmanship are king. Illustrated decanters, delicate porcelain, cushions, candles, glassware, handmade stationery… Each object celebrates the French art of living and beautifully reflects the capital. Paris souvenir gifts you won’t find anywhere else!
📍 Where? 48 rue Madame, 75006 Paris
🎁 The gift we’re putting on our wishlist: a silk scarf as beautiful as a painting, like the “Paris merveilleux” we never tire of admiring.
2. Bazar d’Alger
How about a second-hand Christmas gift? But not just any second-hand gift: tableware found in France or Europe, delicately sublimated with gold or platinum paint at Le Bazar d’Alger. A former illustrator, Arnold d’Alger created his “bazaar” to revive forgotten ceramics. His dreamlike designs, often inspired by flora and fauna, transform plates, mugs and vases into veritable works of art to be slipped under the Christmas tree.
📍 Where? 11 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin, 75010 Paris
🎁 The gift we’re putting on our wishlist: kintsugi-style plates or – in our wildest dreams – huge vases with marine motifs, Persian amphora-style. Sublime!
3. Taschen
In the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the Taschen bookshop transforms books into works of art. Nothing less! As you enter the store, you almost feel like you’re in a modern art museum, surrounded by Philippe Starck’s design decor. It’s the ideal place to browse through books on architecture, travel or fashion, depending on your recipient’s favorite subject… who will then proudly display his or her Christmas gift on the coffee table.
- 📍 Where? 2 rue de Buci, 75006 Paris
- 🎁 The gift we’re putting on our wishlist: a photo book on Paris by Robert Doisneau: iconic photos we’ll never tire of seeing again.
4. Fleux
Fleux, a well-known Marais concept store for decor lovers, needs no introduction. Located on Rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie, Fleux is divided into 5 boutiques: Fancy Goods, Children’s, Urban Lifestyle, Furniture & Lighting and Nature. As you browse the shelves, you’ll be charmed by colorful, trendy and even irresistibly kitsch items. You’re bound to find what you’re looking for in this Instagrammable Ali Baba’s cave, teeming with gift ideas for young and old alike.
- 📍 Where? 39, 40 and 52 rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie, 75004 Paris
- 🎁 The gift we’re putting on our wishlist: multicolored wine glasses to put a little color in the winter grayness.
5. Image Republic
To warm up interiors (and hearts), there’s nothing like a pretty decorative gift for Christmas. For that, we recommend a trip to Image Republic. Their 6ᵉ boutique is brimming with posters, with multiple themes: graphic art, photos, vintage drawing… Colorful visuals that come in postcards or puzzles. And for your Secret Santa from the office, why not opt for a mug with a phrase heard by Loïc Prigent? “What’s terrible is success. What a way to impress at the coffee machine!
- 📍 Where? 4 rue du Cherche-Midi, 75006 Paris
- 🎁 The gift we’re putting on our wishlist: a poster of “The Parisianer“, an imaginary magazine with sublime, multi-faceted covers, sometimes poetic or humorous.
6. Miyakodori
Head for Japan without leaving Paris! At Miyakodori, you’ll find hundreds of items based on Japanese craftsmanship: traditional tableware, incense holders, furoshikis… But the address is especially devoted to the “maneki neko”, the Japanese cat that catches happiness with a swipe of its paw. It’s everywhere, in all its forms. The ideal gift for fans of Japanese culture and the superstitious! Definitely one of the most unusual boutiques in Paris for Christmas gifts.
- 📍 Where? 1 impasse Guéménée, 75004 Paris
- 🎁 The gift we’re putting on our wishlist: a maneki neko (obviously) or a pretty metallic bento box to sublimate our lunches.
7. TWINS – unusual boutiques Christmas gifts Paris
Promoting French brands and young designers: such is the credo of TWINS, an elegant concept-store nestled in the heart of 3ᵉ. On the menu? Clothing, designer homewares and pretty accessories. Enough to fill your hood for the whole family, before treating yourself to a coffee break at the Paris-Lisbonne counter. Pasteis de nata included, of course!
- 📍 Where? 7 rue Béranger, 75003 Paris
- 🎁 The gift we’re putting on our wishlist: a TOPOGRAPHIC wine decanter featuring Mount Everest, for aperitifs at the summit.