If you take wine, make it a good zinfandel--not grown in France. You could also consider several bottles of California dessert wines.

I'd do a lovely wine or a piece of pottery. I don't like coffee table books, as others have said.

Flowers are the nicest gift of all, and there are fabulous florists in Paris. You could easily blow your budget there without carrying heavy possibly unwanted books or leakable wine.

< As well as Washington Pinot Noir. >
Oh please, no.
<If you take wine, make it a good zinfandel--not grown in France. >
Excellent point.

Dessert wines are almost never drunk in France. That ended around 1970.

Update: I wound up bringing local wine, honey and organic almonds. Ran out of time to get a coffee table book, but it would have been a nice thing to leave in the apartment that he rents out for his clients. Next time! Thanks for all the great suggestions!

If you want to take Pinot Noir, choose a really good Oregon bottle. Washington doesn't hold a candle to Oregon in Pinot Noir (speaking as a Washingtonian!). I often take a really good bottle of Washington wine to a friend of mine - he has enjoyed meritage wines from Washington. I have to admit, I wouldn't inflict a Zin on a wine - lover. (I'm sure that will enrage some here, but that is my opinion,)

>>If you want to take Pinot Noir, choose a really good Oregon bottle. <<

Perhaps good advice -- but a bit too late since the OP's trip is over with and they took >>local wine, honey and organic almonds.<<

Well I would never bring wine unless you know what they like (personally I can't stand chardonney) whie I would always love a book. (I never cease to be amazed by people that don't LOVE books).

But I wold be much more likely to bring some sort of high quality local craft item (not a set of coffee mugs but something gorgeous they can't get in Paris) rather than a wine that may never be used.

Thanks for the update. How did it go? Hope you had a good trip. I think local food products from California were a good idea, hope the associate agreed.