French-inspired gifts for Mother’s Day

If you’re seeking ideas for Mothering Sunday on 22 March, we have put together our top 10 list to suit all budgets

Hampers from Ladurée

Who could resist an exquisite box of French fancies from Ladurée? The pastel macarons, icons of French patisserie, feature in many of the chic hampers. Order online and you can have a bespoke Ladurée box delivered to your mum’s front door. Open the pink hat box of the Versailles hamper (£110) and she will discover the following treats; a green gift box of six assorted macarons, a gift box of four chocolate macarons, one mini chocolate bar, one box of biscuits Bâtons de Maréchaux, coconut meringues, rose marshmallows and a jam of your choice along with a book. Click onto the website and find out where you can enjoy a special Ladurée afternoon tea for £45 per person Laduree.co.uk

Merci bracelet

Any mum would be thrilled to receive a cord bracelet bearing the word merci. At only €4 youngsters can treat mum on her special day to this thoughtful gift from Paris. You can order one of these chic bracelets from the concept store aptly- named merci-merci.com

Vintage posters

They say a picture paints a thousand words, so if your mum has a passion for France an art deco a poster from Pullman Editions could be the answer. The striking original limited-edition posters capture the enduring appeal of this style. If you’re willing to push the boat out a bit (the posters cost about £395 each) you could surprise her with an original print capturing the magic of the Cote d’Azur or mountain life in Chamonix. Call 020 7730 0547 or view and buy online at pullmaneditions.com

Lavender soap

The perfect pocket money present for mum is a bar of fragrant French lavender soap costing £4.95. The traditional Lavender Savon de Marseille cube contains no parabens and is rich in vegetal oils and shea butter and is made with Provencal Lavender essences, perfumes and flower pieces.

Made in Provence you can buy this 300-gram block of natural soap online just in time for the big day. frenchsoaps.co.uk

Lipstick from Hermès

Treat your mum to a lipstick by French luxury house Hermès. The first collection from Hermès Beauty is a variety of lipsticks called Rouge Hermès. The line is now available in 24 shades inspired from the label’s archives in Lyon which has over 75,000 silk swatches and 900 shades of leather.

You can choose from two different textures: a matte inspired by Hermès fine-grained suede and a satin that imitates the gloss of box calf leather. Each lipstick comes in a canvas pouch, encased in the brand’s signature orange box. There is even a handcrafted lip-brush to perfect the look. Cost £55. hermes.com

Rick Stein’s Secret France

For anyone’s mum who enjoyed the recent TV food odyssey from Normandy to Provence with celebrity chef Rick Stein you can now treat them to the follow-up recipe book. The hardback book offers a taste of true rustic French cooking from chicken stuffed with mushrooms and Comté to the most perfect raspberry tart and fig and frangipane tarts.

The 120 easy-make recipes range from eggs and cheese dishes to soups and salads to fish, poultry to meat and desserts. Bon Appétit! Available from BBC books £26.

French cookery class

If your mum enjoys cooking, why not treat her to a lesson at the prestigious Alain Ducasse Cooking School in Paris? Classes cost from 90 and are run from a contemporary space in the heart of the city’s 16th arrondissement. English-speaking lessons are available and students learn everything from baking a baguette to wine tasting. ecolecuisine-alainducasse.comCloser to home, day or evening classes are available at the famed cookery school Le Cordon Bleu in London. The perfect place for learning to make handmade truffles and bon bons. Prices vary per class. cordonbleu.edu/london/home/en

FRANCE Magazine subscription

Why not treat your mum to a subscription for FRANCE Magazine? This is the perfect gift which lasts a whole year. Each month the glossy magazine will be delivered by post and she can sit back and read the inspiring features by our award-winning travel writers. Learn more about the history, culture and language and dip into the world of good and wine with our experts. If you subscribe before April 31, 2020 you can receive five issues for just £5 (terms and conditions apply) Subsave.co.uk/FR or call 01858 438840 quoting CFR20MAR

Wonderbox gift set

Why not treat mum to a spa day or wellness break courtesy of Wonderbox, a French company that offers a delightful range of gift boxes.

If your mother is planning a trip to France for Easter, or during the summer holidays, you could surprise her with one of the wellbeing gift box sets. This could include a simple massage, spa day at a thalassotherapy centre or even a wellness break with the hand-picked partners of Wonderbox across France.

According to the team at Wonderbox they offer everything from an oriental ritual in Biarritz with hammam, black soap scrub and argan oil massage to thermal baths in the mountains of Hautes-Alpes. wonderbox.fr

Time for a pink G&T

Pick up a bottle of rose-tinted gin for that special day. Did you know France is making its mark on the craft gin scene with a collection of tipples for all palettes.

If you’re looking for a reasonably priced bottle that you can pick up locally try Mistral Gin. This gin is infused with botanicals including basil, pink pepper and mint. It is the first rosé craft gin from Provence and offers a fusion of flavours. Mix with a tonic and sprinkle of basil leaves on Mothering Sunday and your mum will enjoy a taste of the Mediterranean.

You can also buy it in individual cans mixed with Franklin & Sons Premium Indian Tonic Water – perfect if you are planning a picnic. Mistral Gin and Tonic Provence £2.25 Tesco.com