9 French Mother’s Day Gifts for a Francophile Mom

Happy mother's day, beautiful breakfast, lunch with cup of coffee

Mother’s Day manages to sneak up every year, rife with potential for sibling one-upmanship and last-minute searches for the perfect Mother’s Day gift. But don’t worry–Frenchly has you covered with a roundup of the best French-inspired Mother’s Day gifts for your mom, from Mother’s Day gift boxes, French cosmetics, French books, French wine, and more.

French Cuisine Petite Box

The French Cuisine Petite Box
The French Cuisine Petite Box

The French Cuisine Petite Box ($99) from Best French Forever is a collaboration with food blogger Le Chef’s Wife, and a great gift for foodie moms who love French cuisine. The box includes a White and Blue Cotton Tablier exclusively handmade by dressmaker Karine Meger, a Hand Carved Olive Wood Mortar and Pestle by Provence Olivier, Authentic Herbes de Provence by Le Chef’s Wife, and two delicious Provençal Recipes by Le Chef’s Wife.

French Blooms by Sandra Sigman

French Blooms cover
Photography by Anne Soulier

Buying flowers for Mother’s Day is just fine, but what if you could give your mom the tools to create her own gorgeous bouquets year-round? French Blooms ($31) by florist Sandra Sigman is a beautiful guide to arranging flowers like the French, full of stunning photos and useful decorating tips. Perfect for moms who love gardening and picking out fresh flowers.

La Box Mother’s Day

La Box Mother’s Day
La Box Mother’s Day

Best French Forever has also put together a gift set specifically for Mother’s Day, La Box Mother’s Day ($99). This Provençal-inspired collection includes a “La Vie” candle by Love in St Remy, the “Douceurs de Provence” box filled with delicious treats from le Roy René, “Jolies Mains” almond and shea butter hand set by Panier des Sens, and a special playlist of French music.

Snow Flower Chic Organic Facial Products

Organic Fresh Cucumber Mask
Organic Fresh Cucumber Mask

A company called Snow Flower Chic based in the U.S. now imports small-batch organic skin care lines from all over France that are responsibility grown, harvested and created. Check out their unique line of facial oils, creams and more–all part of their ethos of Slow Cosmétique. Our choice? This refreshing and hydrating organic cucumber mask ($30), from Beauty Garden, the ingredients for which come from a small garden in Auriac, France. Beauty Garden is committed to zero waste.

French Books (In Translation)

Old books on a Parisian flea market
French books

There is nothing that makes a mom feel more pampered than a morning (or afternoon) in bed, a nice coffee by her side and a great book. Even better a short book that everyone in France is talking about. We have lots of French books on our site ready to be ordered for the special day. But we’d recommend two from Debra Spark’s “Les Bouquins” series, where she reviews French books in translation for Frenchly. Both volumes are short and moving, giving mom the feeling that she accomplished something (and wasn’t just given another chore) and a moment to feel her own emotions. The first is Eastbound ($16), which Debra calls, “a beautiful jewel of a novel,” is about two strangers, a young man and an older woman who meet on a train. Another, The Disappearance of Josef Mengele ($15), is about the infamous Nazi doctor who escaped prosecution by living undercover in South America. Again, a short, moving volume, which blends fact with fiction, this book has been widely reviewed with high praise as an adventure story and a lesson on evil.

Mother’s Day French Goodies Pouch

Mother’s Day French Goodies Pouch
Mother’s Day French Goodies Pouch

French Wink has designed a Mother’s Day French Goodies Pouch ($50) as a treat for francophile moms everywhere. The set includes a Maman Candle (with notes of Dogwoods blossom, fig, walnut, violet, pine bark, iris, amber, cedarwood, and tonka bean), Organic Bonbons Coeur (heart shaped lemon & cherry gummy candies made in France), a Chocolate Crispy Crepes tin by Angelina Paris, a Water Power beauty mask by Payot, and a French Wink organic cotton pouch.

French Chocolates

Valrhona chocolates
Valrhona chocolates

We might just be gilding the lily here, but chocolates and a new book? You’ve got a Sunday planned for Mom. On Frenchly we have a list of great, high quality chocolates easy to order in the U.S. that will arrive in time. Check them out, here. But it’s hard to go wrong with a gift box from Valrhona ($16-54).

French Soaps from Nuxe

Nuxe
Nuxe

Nobody makes soaps quite like the French. And Nuxe makes an organic bar ($11) that has been Frenchly tested. In fact, Nuxe soaps are EIC Caitlin Shetterly’s go-to Mother’s Day gift for her own mom. Nuxe has lots of oils, box gifts sets (like the Rêve de Miel collection pictured above, at $88) and more. French people buy their  Nuxe products at the local pharmacy and revel in the 3-in-1 oils for hair, body, and face every day. Give your mom the gift of a long bath with her book this Mother’s Day.

A Bottle of French Rosé

Fleurs de Prairie
Fleurs de Prairie

Named for the free-spirited wildflowers carpeting the vineyards of the South of France, Fleurs de Prairie Rosé ($20)  is a bright, acidic wine from the Languedoc with notes of red fruit and lemon, and a subtle note of tropical fruits on the finish. Perfect for brunch with mom. Prefer a non-alcoholic option? French Bloom ($44) makes a premium, award-winning zero-proof French sparkling rosé with notes of rose petals and freshly picked berry aromas, with a delicate minerality and stone fruit finish.

Caitlin Shetterly is the Editor-in-Chief of Frenchly. She is also the author of 4 books: Fault Lines, Made for You and MeModified and the upcoming novel, Pete and Alice in Maine, which will be published on July 4th, 2023 by Harper Books. She is a native daughter and she lives with her two sons and husband in an old house on the coast of Maine.

Catherine Rickman is a writer and professional francophile who has lived in Paris, New York, and Berlin. She is currently somewhere in Brooklyn with a fork in one hand and a pen in the other, and you can follow her adventures on Instagram @catrickman.

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