Les Parisettes is a concept store specializing in Objets parisiens in the form of decorative objects, kitchen accessories, leather goods, jewelry, games... in the colors of Paris and the Eiffel Tower. Their shop is located in the 15th arrondissement.
THE OBJECTS OF Les PARISETTES: Les Parisettes is a creator of objects which are made mainly in France and Europe. They offer 2 collections: the Paris collection, centered on the Eiffel Tower and the Store Collection, eco-responsible and colorful. Les Parisettes is offers an elegant and colorful line of stationery and shopping bags for Paris lovers. Created by young designers and in collaboration with students from a major Parisian graphic design school, the patterns are relevant, offbeat, kitsch or refined... THE CREATORS: Maryse Bazzoli and Sophie Ollé-Laprune, two Parisians passionate about cities and in particular Paris, created this concept store more than 10 years ago to change the…Reflections from an old timer in Paris: Les PTT
Reflections from an old timer in Paris: Les PTT
One area in which France changed massively in the years I have lived here, is the Postes, Télégraphes et Téléphones, which were known collectively as Les PTT. The period from the pneumatique, public phone booths and boxes, and several postal deliveries a day, to the age of the Internet and the mobile phone, seems to have passed in the blink of an eye.
I regret to this day never having actually sent or received a pneumatique before it was suspended in March 1984. I remember such systems in department stores such as Harrods in London, where I once worked as a student. In Paris it was an ingenious and rapid intra-city delivery system, with the message arriving at the closest terminal to the receiver’s address and then being delivered by courier.
Of course, in the event of an urgent piece of news, be it good or bad, there was always the telegram. I have kept many of them, congratulating me on the birth of a chil…
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Quintessential French Objects
In nearly every French household you’ll find these quintessential French Objects...
LA CHARENTAISE
A charentaise is a generic French word for slipper. It refers however to a specific pantoufle, usually plaid, which came from the area near Angouleme in the Charente area of France about 300 years ago. The area had many paper mills. At the time paper was made from rags and leftover felt pieces from the papermaking were used to line wooden shoes, making them warmer and softer. A bit later a shoemaker from the town of La Rochefoucaud in the Charente had the idea to add a rigid sole to the felt clog liners thus creating the pantoufle charentaise. In the late 1980s the slipper industry produced 60 million pairs per year – that works out to one pair per Français -- and exported them all over Europe.
NUTELLA
Originally made in Italy, starting in 1964 Nutella is in every French person’s core and on their bread. Sometimes it is eaten right off the spoon out of the jar. Crea…
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Turning 90, the Air France anniversary
On 7th October 2023, Air France celebrated its 90th anniversary. To mark the event, the company has asked Xavier Ronze, head of the costume design workshops at the Paris Opera ballet, to create a collection of five iconic dresses embodying the company’s legendary history.
Created from the merger of Air Orient, Air Union, Société Générale de Transports Aériens, the Compagnie Internationale de Navigation Aérienne and Aéropostale, Air France was officially inaugurated on 7th October 1933. Ever since, the company has continued to create its legend by promoting the French art of travel around the world. Air France today offers its customers close to 1,000 daily flights to 200 destinations with a fleet of more than 240 aircraft.
In 2023, the Air France anniversary is celebrating 90 years of elegance. 90 years of technology, innovation and comfort on board. 90 years of travel, fine dining, design, haute couture, art and architecture. That's a lot to celebrate. Since its crea…
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A French Icon, the Citroen 2CV
A French Icon, the Citroen 2CV is probably France's most famous car.
The Deux Chevaux, or the ‘Tin Snail’ as it became affectionately known, was conceptualized in 1936 during a moment of frustration or the right man in the right situation. The inspired man behind the project was Citroen’s new boss Pierre-Jules Boulanger. The story goes he was driving in the countryside, stuck behind a farmer’s horse and cart. Rather than fuming with impatience, but still a bit frustrated, he wondered how he could better the situation. He pondered the possibility of creating analternative that a farmer would find hard to resist. A car that would better the horse.
His vision was an affordable car that would be accessible to farmers, winemakers and rural families. He wanted it to be mechanically simple, with room for four people or produce (at least 50kg or a full cask of wine) or even small livestock. The car needed t…
Silk Scarves
What do Air France flight attendants and Hermès shoppers have in common with cowboys?
Silk Scarves!
Both the fashionistas and the cowboys claim silk scarves as their heritage. Believe it or not silk scarves are important accessories in both France and the western United States. They are worn both for beauty and for necessity, there's no sacrificing substance for style. Silk scarves are a great way to stay warm or cool and elegant.
The face, head and upper chest are up to five times more sensitive to changes in temperature as other areas of the body, said Dr. Sessler in a New York Times inteview. This creates the illusion that covering up those areas traps in more heat, but clothing another part of the body does just as much to reduce overall heat loss.
And so we wear scarves around our necks and sometimes over our heads to stay comfortable. Silk is a particularly elegant and easy to wear natural material. It drapes nicely and traps in warm air. And of course it is very ligh…
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Essential France: Objects
In nearly every French household you’ll find these essential France items...
La Clé FACOM
1918. In a noisy workshop near the Gare de Lyon in Paris was born a small adjustable hand wrench under the code name “clé 101” or “Madame 101”. World War I changed the world and firmly established the presence of machines – which need repair. The perfect tool is the adjustable wrench by Facom which becomes indispensable for home and professional repairs and la société Franco-Américaine de Construction d'Outillage Mécanique, truncated as the French love to do, to “Facom”, becomes the leading brand of hand tools in Europe. (There is nothing American about it but the Franco-American name was a bit of marketing genius referring to the US troops during the war who were well equipped with the latest technological advancements.) Le 101 was manufactured until 1961 and is now a useful collector's item and the brand Facom is a worldwide (except in the Americas!!) success.
BI…
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Quintessential French Objects
In nearly every French household you’ll find quintessential French Objects...
French Objects #1 DURALEX
The invention of nearly indestructible tempered glassware in 1947 revolutionized tables in homes, schools, bars, hospitals and on boats. Even stacked tall in the cafeteria or high in the cupboard at home, Duralex (the name is a contraction of Dura lex sed lex) keeps those with butterfingers from being scolded. Kinds in the school cafeteria always check the mold number on the bottom of the glass - he or she who has the lowest number that day has to help clear the tables! The cult models, Gigogne and Picardie, have been seen in movies, used in sculptures and are popular in hip casual restaurants. Purchase Duralex limited edition glasses here
French Objects #2 SYNTHOL
The French family’s solution to bobos - the bumps, bruises, bites and scratches of everyday life. The amber magic potion always makes you feel better no matter the ailment. In 2014 the prod…
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History, Politics and… Camemberts
by Bernard Richard, Historian
Camembert is one of France's gastronomic emblems along with the baguette, champagne, coq au vin, wine and many other products that make up the French identity.
According to a well established, but undocumented, legend the cheese called camembert was created in about 1791 by a certain Marie Harel, a milkmaid whose statue was inaugurated by the French president in 1928 in the town of Vimoutiers, which is the administrative center down the road from the village of Camembert. Vimoutiers is in the Orme department in Normandy. The story goes that Marie, during the chaos of the Revolution, gave refuge to a priest who came from Brie, east of Paris, and that to show his gratitude the priest gave Marie the famous cheese recipe. But in fact much earlier, around 1705, Thomas Corneille, brother of the playwright Pierre, already wrote of the good cheese from Camembert.
The round boxes…
Unique reuseable gift wrap
Reuseable gift wrap
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Christmas Gift wrap rolls are so passé! Each year, the French buy 40 million rolls of gift wrap. These papers are largely non-recyclable because of their glossy or plasticized finishes. Moreover, being single use, they go in the trash as soon as the gifts are unwrapped, generating more than 20,000 tons of waste just at Christmas ... There are alternatives! Here's a few good ideas for reuseable gift wrap which are ecological, economical, reuseable for the most part and made in France.
A reuseable gift wrap bag hand made by Sac(k)s by Lisa. These simple drawstring bags are made from upcycled fabrics. They come in a variety of sizes and are perfect for books, socks and all sorts of goodies. They can be ordered on https://store.fusac.fr/produit/gift-bags/ 4€ each.
DIY Gift Wrap with recycled materialsMake your own gift wrap from old maps & atlas pages, or dictionary pages. Use rubber stamps or stenc…