All of this stuff will be way cheaper in the US than in Paris - and much better quality.

The issue is the size of the bed. towels and a blanket should be fine - but the mattress size may be different than in the US and the bottom sheet (at least) might not fit.

Degriff Blanc, 51 av La Motte Picquet, sells quality bedlinens at a discount. Not Ikea cheap, but you get good quality and French design at a "bon rapport qualité prix".
http://www.bellos-degriff-blanc-75.com/

There's also Blancorama, 88 rue Lecourbe.

There is a Descamps store on 319 rue de Vaugirard, but they're fairly pricy - you're better off at Degriff Blanc which sometimes has Descamps bedlinens.

<i>All of this stuff will be way cheaper in the US than in Paris - and much better quality.</i>

I can understand an addict of the wastefully plush American bath towels saying that, but I totally disagree concerning the quality of the bedding.

Kerouac's suggestion for Zola Color is a good one. So is Avalon's suggestion of the street markets.

If she has the address for the housing they'll use, perhaps they could order from an IKEA or other catalog and have it delivered directly to them in Paris.

Since we stay in apartments and they never seem to have enough towels and no washcloths at all. I usually put a few of my oldest ones in my suitcase and then leave them in the aparmtent. I suppose you could do that with bed linens too.Send your oldest and leave them behind.

As for quality I 've never compared, however, I have a friend who lives there and she stocks up on that stuff when she is over here and has it shipped back. I think it has more to do with price over quality.

At any rate, it will be interesting to hear what you decide to do.