what gifts do the French like from the U.S?
Mar 9th, 2001, 08:14 AM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
what gifts do the French like from the U.S?
I'm going to be visiting some French aquaintences who are putting me up at their home near Paris. What sort of gift should I bring them? I'm from the Napa Valley area. Do you think a good wine from this region would work or would they be offended?
Mar 9th, 2001, 09:29 AM
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
If your friends like wine, i see no reason not to bring a GOOD bottle from a Napa Valley vineyard. My husband and I collect wine and would love to try wines not available to us in the US, so bring a bottle that is not widely available in France (most all). My advice, don't bring a chardonnay. I find that US chardonnay's are 'over oaked' and most French people we have encountered feel they are drinking a tree (IMHO - true!). I would bring a Cabernet - the 1997s are really good. Far Niente, Raymond, Caymus, Quintessa, Estancia are a few names that come to mind. Good luck
Mar 9th, 2001, 09:49 AM
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
I don't believe French people are "offended" by gifts of wine. It's just that you wouldn't bring wine as a gift if you were invited to dinner because presumably your hosts will have already selected the wine to be served. In that case, it might be a little awkward, but not (gasp!) offensive. I only mention this because another person here posted that he was afraid to offend his French friends by bringing them gifts of wine or flowers. And that's silly. Who could ever be offended by a beautiful bouquet of flowers?
Mar 9th, 2001, 09:57 AM
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
Ess, <BR>I posted the question about not wanting to offend with flowers. I was reading an anecdote in that Polly Platt book "French or Foe" where she specifically wrote about a dinner party where two sets of American guests showed up bringing big bouquets of flowers and the French hosts were surprised and a little put out because they had to spend 20 minutes finding enough vases to put the flowers in while the other French guests were in hysterics.
Mar 9th, 2001, 10:57 AM
#8
Guest
Posts: n/a
When I visit my Parisian cousins, I try to bring something regional from where I live (SF Bay Area), like handmade soap, candles or a jam of local fruit. Wine would be OK, but I would take pains to bring a good bottle (not because the French are snobs, but because they know a lot about wine!). I have noticed Europeans in general disliking wine with a lot of tanins. I wouldn't bother to bring chocolate, as they already have the best. <BR> <BR>When I was growing up, my cousins always brought perfume/cologne from Paris on their visits, which seemed incredibly exotic. I still have a great towel my cousin brought me about 20 years ago (when I was 12!). <BR> <BR>I can't imagine your hosts being offended by anything you brought; they do like to choose wine with meals, so yours might get set aside. <BR> <BR>You could also ask if there's anything they'd like -- you might be surprised by the answer. My cousin once asked me to bring her an Estee Lauder facial cream! Another wanted an English-language version of a book on WWII that wasn't easily available in Europe. <BR> <BR>
Mar 9th, 2001, 10:57 AM
#9
Guest
Posts: n/a
Chas, I don't know that book or the anecdote, but how rude! What's the big hassle with dumping the flowers in a jug of water to be arranged later? I wouldn't want to go to their house for dinner. Too fussy. Maybe there was some other reason they were howling at the Americans? I once brought a French friend (living in NYC) a beautiful big peach, and she loved it. It's the thought that counts, anyway. I have a bit of a temper sometimes. If someone went into hysterics laughing at me for bringing flowers I'd probably dump them on their head! Parlez-vous this mon ami!
Mar 9th, 2001, 11:56 AM
#10
Guest
Posts: n/a
I think a gift that is from the area in which you reside is always a good choice. Food gifts (being from Calif, I would select nuts (almonds or cashews, not the human type for which Calif is sometimes known), local made jams, especially one that might be made with ingredients not so common in France. A Calif wine, maybe, but I would probably get too obsessed about which one to bring, so I'd pass on that one) or a small vase or plate made from a local potter or some other item handmade from a local craftsman - candles are always great. Also, think about a CD that they might enjoy. The point is that it comes from the heart, not so much what it is or how much it cost.
Mar 9th, 2001, 12:05 PM
#12
Guest
Posts: n/a
This might be a good time to mention that Polly Platt, for all her popularity, is not the last word on etiquette in France. If you want to hear an anecdote about the French doubling over with laughter, here's one. I was in Bordeaux at a dinner party with a group of French people and I, of COURSE, brought flowers. When the hostess made a big fuss about how lovely they were and put them in a lovely vase in a prominent place in the salon, I mentioned to her what Polly Platt had to say about bringing flowers - the whole room erupted in laughter. Later that year, I did the same French family a small favor, and soon thereafter received a lovely bouquet of flowers with a note attached saying "Merci mille fois - Polly Platt."
<BR>
Mar 9th, 2001, 12:14 PM
#14
Guest
Posts: n/a
I go quite often to visit my former au pair's family in Epernay, France. I try to buy small items that are very USA. One year I brought them country placemats that had ducks on them with matching napkins. Also, things from craft fairs are unique to the USA, like the hand made soap, or small pieces of pottery. One time I went to Marshalls, and bought a basket and filled it with bagel chips, salsa, chips,jams and jellies made in the USA. Have fun, and you know they will like anything you bring!!. Arlene
Mar 9th, 2001, 02:30 PM
#15
Guest
Posts: n/a
My friends in Europe are nuts for American food products. One friend likes microwave popcorn. I once mailed him a case as a joke. Other friends are wild for Doritos. I never go to Germany without them. The last time we opened the bag and passed it around for a sniff before allowing anyone to dig in--sort of a pun on allowing the wine to breathe. I also brought salsa to go with them. They loved it. <BR> <BR>Since I live in Virginia outside DC, I bring apple butter on almost every trip. The French, who are wild about jams and jellies, love it. <BR> <BR>I also make a foray into the Smithsonian and buy some t-shirts and caps for the kids. They love that. <BR> <BR>French people who are seriously in to wine will be glad to have a bottle of good American wine for their collection. In fact, I home exchange a lot and always leave a bottle of Virginia wine for my foreign guests. They love it. It really isn't among the great wines of the world, but most people are unaware there are vineyards in Virginia.
Mar 10th, 2001, 11:01 AM
#18
Guest
Posts: n/a
I'm weighing in again. When we visited the House of Roederer last September, we brought the woman who arranged it all for us a Yankee Candle (these are scented candles made in New England) and a candle topper that was a wine bottle and cheese display for it. She seemed to appreciate it and even sent a thank you!
Mar 10th, 2001, 10:06 PM
#19
Guest
Posts: n/a
I agree, if a bottle of wine is too heavy or fragile for you to lug, why not foodstuffs from CA? Ghiradelli chocolate? I am from Hawaii and I always bring little packs of chocolate covered macadamia nuts and the French people I give them to always appreciate it. You Californians always have great foodstuffs.
Mar 12th, 2001, 10:19 AM
#20
Guest
Posts: n/a
<BR>If the family has pre-teens or teenagers bring T-Shirts especially if they say something very USA--like Hollywood---or a basbeball team shirt---or Harley Hog shirts etc. <BR>We brought a couple of black t shirts with Hollywood written in white over the front and the teenage sons of our friends went nuts.
