Marseille Souvenirs: Christmas Gift Ideas Made Here

The easiest way to waste money in Marseille is to buy a souvenir that has nothing to do with the city. The good news is that the real gifts are not hard to find, and most of them are things you can eat, use or play with. Here are ten ideas, plus a few rules for buying well.

Marseille soap

The classic. The traditional reference is a cube of soap with 72% vegetable oil. Read the label rather than trusting the shape or the name. We explain how in how to spot authentic Marseille soap.

A cube is easy to pack and easy to give, and it is a gift most people will actually use. Buy a few and you are done with several people at once.

Navettes and calissons

Navettes are boat-shaped, orange-blossom biscuits that keep reasonably well and travel easily. Calissons are a good gift too, but remember they are a specialty of Aix-en-Provence, not Marseille. Say so if someone asks, and buy them as a Provence gift rather than a Marseille one.

Check the date on the packaging and ask how long they keep if you are flying home a few days later. A box of navettes is also a safe choice for a colleague or neighbor.

Santons

Hand-painted clay figurines from the Provençal nativity scene, and a very local Christmas gift. They are fragile, so wrap them well. Ask who made them and whether they are handmade.

A single figure is a nice gift for someone who already has a crèche, and a good start for someone who does not.

Olive oil, herbs and tapenade

Provence olive oil is an easy food gift, and herbes de Provence (the dried herb mix) are light and cheap to carry. Tapenade, the olive spread, is another option. Look at the label for the origin and the maker so you know what you are buying.

If you are traveling with hand luggage only, choose a small bottle or buy herbs and tapenade instead, since oil in a larger bottle will have to go in the hold.

Pastis

Pastis, the aniseed aperitif, is part of Marseille's identity. Ricard was born in Marseille in 1932. It is a bottle, so see the baggage notes below.

It is an acquired taste, so ask the person before buying it. A small bottle makes a good gift for someone who likes the drink, and a nice thing to bring to a friend who knows the region.

Tarot de Marseille

The Tarot de Marseille is a historic card deck, and it makes a lightweight gift that fits in any bag, whether the person plays or just collects cards.

Look for a deck in a sturdy box, and check the print quality of the cards. Even for someone who never plays, it is a pretty object.

How to buy well

• Avoid generic souvenirs. If it says Marseille on the front and "made in China" on the back, leave it.
• Read the label. Ingredients, origin and maker should be there.
• Mind your luggage. Liquids over the cabin limit go in checked baggage, so pack bottles of oil or pastis carefully and wrap them.
• Watch the weight. Soap and bottles add up quickly in a cabin bag.

For where to browse, the Noailles market is a good place to start looking at food items.

If you want one more rule, buy food items last, so they spend the least time in your bag.