The holiday season is one of the few times a year when pure sensory indulgence is not only allowed, but encouraged, and who knows luxury like the French? From designer clothes to regional culinary specialties, there are gifts from French brands for every budget and field of fancy. Here are Frenchly’s 2025 recommendations for holiday gifts for the Francophile in your life.
‘Chocolat’ by Aleksandra Crapanzano
Not only is this beautifully-illustrated cookbook ($29 on Amazon) a comprehensive guide to the world of French chocolate, but it’s also the key to unlocking easy but dazzling desserts to wow your guests with this holiday season. Skip the pie and make the Mousse Cremeuse or Pots de Crème the night before you host, and future you (and your in-laws) will thank you. Make sure to pick up some Valrhona chocolate while you’re at it, for a bonus stocking stuffer.
Degas ‘Little Dancer’ Ornament
Edgar Degas’ statue, “The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer,” is one of the French artist’s most famous works. Luckily, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is selling a striking miniature version as an ornament, offering Impressionism fans the opportunity to take her home in miniature for only $29.95.
Staub Mini Cocottes
The Alsatian brand known for its enameled cast iron cookware makes the absolute cutest cocottes, which are miles away cheaper than Staub’s full-size Dutch ovens. Get a set of three in your color of choice for $70, and then challenge your Le Creuset-obsessed friend to a brunch-off starring custardy eggs en cocotte.
Violette Holiday Gift Set
Violette, the French beauty guru reinventing the definition of effortless beauty, always has the best gift sets for the holidays. While you could go simple, with one of her cult-favorite lipsticks, splurging on a holiday collection like the Coquette Set ($74) or Lip Gourmandise Set ($69) is sure to get you in your giftee’s best graces—and it comes in the prettiest packaging you could imagine.
The Eater Guide to Paris
Eater, the food-centric site best known for its city-specific “38 Essential Restaurants” lists, published a new guide to dining in Paris this year ($14.49 on Amazon). An expert dive into the best places to eat in the world’s culinary capital, with input from top chefs and professional foodies, it’s sure to offer you a whole new world of dining options to consider for your next Paris trip.
Sézane Gaspard Cardigan
While a striped marinière top might be the obvious (if a bit on-the-nose) gift for the Francophile in your life, a classic French red cardigan (like the Gaspard model, $130) from slow fashion brand Sézane is the more chic and versatile option. Pair it with a blurry red lip and jeans and glide through the holidays with style.
Marrons Glacés
One of the most decadent French Christmas traditions is the serving of marrons glacés, or candied chestnuts. While you can make them yourself, it is a several-day-long process, which is why most people choose to buy gift boxes of the sweets instead. Goldbelly is currently offering a pack of Chef Daniel Boulud’s favorites for $64, but you can find a variety of different brands online or in specialty grocery stores.
A Set of Pétanque Balls
Pétanque, the beloved French lawn game similar to Bocce, is a thing of lazy summer afternoons in the South of France, often accompanied by a glass of pastis. Consider a set of boules, perhaps in their own adorable carrying bag, as a gift for the Francophile in your life who throws the best summer barbecues. You could go ultra-chic with a set from Jacquemus ($250), or professional with a competition-tier set from LaFranc ($62).
A French Digestif
While no one will turn up their nose at you bringing a bottle of wine to a holiday party or dinner, if you show up with a bottle of Cognac, they’re likely to be a little more interested. A contemporary classic like Delamain‘s Pale & Dry XO is a great place to start (prices vary by retailer). If you’re looking for something more unusual, however, you might turn to Redemption’s Cognac Cask Finish Bourbon, an American spirit with a bit of French flair.
Lingopie Subscription
While gifting someone French lessons might end up feeling more like homework than a present, Lingopie is one of the more genuinely fun language learning platforms on the market, and makes for an excellent gifting option. The platform allows you to watch foreign language TV shows with two sets of subtitles and extra tools to help you learn vocabulary and grammar while expanding your cultural horizons. Annual memberships cost $83.88, and a lifetime membership costs $229.
L’Artisan Parfumeur Discovery Set
L’Artisan Parfumeur, based out of Paris, makes the most elegant perfumes, soaps, lotions, and candles (in particular, I am a ride-or-die fan of their Mémoire des Roses scent). But buying someone a fragrance can be very personal, so a good way to get around that is to opt for something like this La Botanique Discovery Set ($139), which includes seven miniature fragrances from their collection—honestly, a steal when you consider that their full-size fragrances can cost upwards of $300.
Catherine Rickman is a writer, professional Francophile, and host of the Expat Horror Stories podcast. 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.
