Suggestions for ultra cheap Paris Souveniers!
 

I'm going to be in Paris next week! I have a lot of friends who would like a gift, but of course I am on a budget. They would be happy with t-shirts, keychains, scarves, eiffel tower ANYTHING! I would really appreciate any suggestions on the rock bottom prices; of course would like to know the same about clothing! :) Thank you in advance.

There's a souvenir shop on rue Soufflot directly down the block from Le Pantheon. If you're back is to Le Pantheon proceed straight on rue Soufflot and it will be on your left almost near Blvd. St. Michel. It's packed with inexpensive, but rather nice souvenirs. I bought several different types of scarves there along with the usual tchotkes. Cross the street and make a right onto Blvd. St. Michel and there's a discount store a few doors down from the corner that sells a lot of different things. A couple of years ago I bought a singing Michael Jackson doll there that came with 2 of his famous outfits for the equivalent of $20 US. Not exactly what you're looking for, but the store is worth the visit. Also on this street a little further down is one of the Jennyfer stores if you are shopping for young girls or young women. It's not couture, but it is affordable. You may also want to go into any of the supermarkets in search of different types of candies, chocolates, cookies, etc. that aren't readily available in most areas of the US. I found that a lot of my friends really enjoyed those treats. Also very affordable.

I bought Florame room diffusers for friends -- French and took up no room in my luggage. All girlfriends loved them.

http://www.florame.com//boutiques-i-10.html

Cute tea towels with French verbage, don't take up any room in suitcase. I bought several in Provence and I think I saw similar towels in Bon Marche.

I have several tea towls, in fact I try to find them every place I go. I also look for frig magnets and I have a mouse pad from Giverney.

I many souvenier shops they have fake charcoal drawings or etchings of Paris scenes, I bought several last trip. The come in various sizes. My brother has some framed in his dining room and honestly, they look fabulous. They are very cheap and I'm not going to be buying a real Monet any time soon, LOL, and these prints will just do the trick.

I have some wonderful sox purchased and sent to me by some lovely posters here, to replace a pair I got a few years ago, and that I had worn out. They are great. If I'd realized how much I'd like them I would have bought half a dozen or so.

I still haven't been able to bring myself to throw them out even though they have a huge hole in them..LOL.

All the things listed are inexpensive, light weight, and easy to pack. The shop keepers will give you a cardboard tube for the pictures and then the tube is easy to slip along the side of your luggage or carry on.

A rule in backpacking is equally true in souvenir shopping==many small things end up being large and heavy and potentially expensive!!
What are you calling "cheap". I don't even bring back things for family all the time. Why would it mean something to them if they haven't been to Paris? Not trying to be nasty but something to think aboutl
All that said, I most often bring back some post it notes from the museums--beautiful art on it, useful, and can be very generic for anyone.

I stopped shopping for gifts for friends and family after my first trip, it CAN be a drag.

I didn't mention that because the question wasn't asked. The poster was asking for suggestions for purchasing inexpensive souveniers. That's what I felt was appropriate to respond to.

People who travel with find out about a lot of things the more trips they take.

My exception to the gifts rule was getting some Christmas gifts for my brother and SIL last trip. It was right before Thanksgiving and I saw some things that I knew they would like in various food courts and got some things for them as well as some adorable clothes for my SO's grand daughter, but if the time of year had been different, I probably wouldn't have bought those things.

Lots of things in Monoprix stores all over town. I especially like their kitchen gadgets.

Remember this, you have been to Paris not your friends. That said, gifts that have meaning to you may not have meaning to them... like the cute little Eiffel Tower. Also, keep those refrigerator magnets away from credit card magnetic stripes and electronics...they can be a problem. That all said, you know your friends best, cool gadgets from kitchen shops work well for mine....even the tiny little white dishes that truly hold anything.... Catsup, nuts, salt, etc.... here's an idea wander into a grocery store and buys some spices...even if they are a mystery, the jars are fun.... and in French... Bouqet garni in pre-made satchels is a favorite of my neighbor.

Here's another idea - a friend of mine did this once.... take one good picture, play with it, maybe change it to b&w add pastel etc....... Get prints made and by some inexpensive frames at home......or, buy some good quality postcards and frame them..... just watch the sizes

The Eiffel Tower keychains are 4 for 1€. But if you can find the Chinese wholesaler, the actual cost price is 50 for 2€.

I probably should not say this, but you can by the key chains on-line from home, it avoids the search and carry home factor....

I found some small pens in the shape of a baguette, smallest possible souvenir, and they were just around E5 or E7. Trouble is, I can't remember where! Possibly the Jacquemart-Andre museum shop, which is very very good, by the way.

Also good place for buying souvenirs is the rue Saint Louis en l'Ile, the main street on the Ile St. Louis. There are many such shops there, and I found things like bright colored knee socks, with PARIS written down the side, and cocktail napkins, depicting a variety of Paris symbols.

But the pens were my best find. You could buy a dozen and they'd still weigh nothing, and take up very little space.

Depends what you mean by souvenirs and who for, but I don't think most people want knickknacks from other people's trips. Something used in France/Europe but not in the USA would be fun - eg Labello lip balm - works wonderfully, great colors, cheap, you can pick it up in any Monoprix or wherever. Our daughters bought them for all their friends this summer and they were a big hit. Or something like that.

Forgot to say that Eiffel tower is everywhere in Paris, in every form possible. It will be hard to miss!

My preference is to buy gifts that are useful and that we know are from Paris or wherever but don't scream "souvenir". It's why I mentioned the little kitchen gadgets above, or scarves, tote bags, food. Things I like myself so buy several.

BTW, by food I mean tea and packaged things that are allowed through customs.

Small bags of Fleur de Sel might be a more welcome gift than Chinese-made items. (Note that I did not write "Chinese-made junk.")

Fleur de Sel is a great gift. Even cheaper are little jars of mustard that come in a four or five pack in the grocery store. They are cute jars and a nice, but cheap and tiny gift.

Anyway, in terms of souvenir shops with all manner of junk (which can also be treasures depending on your mindset), the major places are around Notre Dame (on the left of the cathedral), Saint Michel (left side of the fountain -- streets such as rue de la Harpe but also others) and around Sacré Coeur -- rue de Steinkerque leading up from the Anvers metro station, but (my own personal favorites when I am obliged to buy this sort of stuff) also up the hill on the left side of the basilica, on the streets leading to Place du Tertre.