A Foodie’s Tax-Free Shopping List for Paris: Gourmet Souvenirs That Travel Well

Paris delights the senses, especially for food lovers. Bringing a taste of the city home is part of the experience. Focus on shelf-stable, travel-friendly items and learn how to save money along the way to bring back even more.

Here’s a guide to Parisian gourmet souvenirs that travel well, with tips on how to keep them safe and smart ideas for bringing home more delicious treats without overspending. 

Discover our gift selection and where to find them: 

 Sweet Treats That Travel

• Caramels and fruit jellies: À la Mère de Famille (9th arrondissement)
• Biscuits and madeleines: La Grande Épicerie de Paris (7th arrondissement)
• Chocolate-covered nuts or fruits: Patrick Roger / Pierre Marcolini

Savoury Flavours to Bring Home

• Tinned sardines or mackerel : La Belle-Iloise (multiple locations, including 6th arrondissement)
• Truffle mustard & sea salts : Maison de la Truffe (8th arrondissement)
• Vacuum-packed saucisson : Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie (1st arrondissement)

Drinks Worth Taking

• Specialty teas : Mariage Frères (3rd arrondissement)
• Craft liqueurs : La Maison du Whisky (8th arrondissement)
• French wine: Nicolas (multiple locations, including 2nd arrondissement)

Tip: Discover how much wine can you bring back from France

Gifts That Impress

• Artisan chocolates : Jean-Paul Hévin (6th arrondissement)
  Try: Grand Cru dark chocolate bar (pure origin cocoa)
• Kitchen essentials & professional tools : TOC (1st arrondissement)                                  Try: chef’s knife, cocktail shaker for aperitif, precision kitchen scissors, and Baltaz lever corkscrew in basalt by Peugeot
• High-quality French wines : Lavinia (16th arrondissement)
  Try: Sancerre white wine (fresh and mineral Sauvignon Blanc)
• Specialty liqueur : La Maison du Whisky (8th arrondissement)
•  Try: Japanese whisky (light, floral single malts)

Packing tip: Combine smaller jars in a sealed pouch to prevent leaks, protect glass bottles with clothing, and organize items by weight to save space and avoid breakage.

Travel Smart: Make It Tax-Free

If you’re visiting Paris from outside the EU, you can make your gourmet shopping even more rewarding by claiming back VAT (value-added tax) on eligible purchases. This is called tax-free shopping, and it allows you to get a refund on the tax included in most retail prices.

A simple way to do this is by using  Zapptax, the app streamline the entire process. Instead of handling paperwork in each store, the app lets you collect all your invoice digitally and submit your refund request in the app.

Here’s how it works in a few simple steps:

1. Request an invoice in Zapptax’s name when shopping in France
2. Upload it directly in the app
3. Zapptax generates a digital tax-free form for you
4. Validate it at customs when leaving the EU
5. Your VAT refund on your bank account in a few weeks

You can even order gourmet products online, have them delivered within France, and still benefit from tax-free shopping, as long as you include your Zapptax invoice details at checkout.

Make the most of every Parisian purchase and download the Zapptax app today to shop smarter, travel lighter, and enjoy your gourmet finds to the fullest. 

Bon voyage and bon appétit!