Many visitors wonder what souvenirs from Lorraine to bring home or for their family and friends. You’ll be spoilt for choice during your visit, from Longwy enamels to Meisenthal Christmas baubles. Not forgetting the region’s many local products (Munster cheese, mirabelle plum, bergamot, madeleines, Moselle wines…). To help you decide, I’ve compiled a shortlist of 15 souvenirs from Lorraine. If you have more ideas, please leave a comment below!
Souvenirs from Lorraine in the crafts section
Lorraine has many handicrafts, which help reinforce the image of a region proud of its traditions.
Longwy enamel
Longwy is associated with Lorraine’s industrial history on the border with Luxembourg and Belgium. But the border town reveals itself in a different light with its UNESCO-listed Vauban ramparts and its Manufacture des Emaux de Longwy, founded in 1798. From the outset, the manufactory created magnificent pieces commissioned by the elite.
Today, the Manufacture de Longwy works with famous contemporary designers to create new designs for its fascinating sphere vases and other ceramic works. These rare, limited-edition collector’s pieces are art in their own right.
Learn more about Longwy enamels on our French blog.
Glass Christmas baubles from Meisenthal
Since 1998, the Centre International d’Art Verrier (CIAV) in Meisenthal has been reviving the tradition of the glass Christmas bauble!
The CIAV has created around twenty models of glass baubles in two collections:
– The traditional line, baubles directly inspired by old models, and
– The contemporary line, created by contemporary designers and artists.
During the Christmas period, these glass baubles are such a hit at Christmas markets and tourist offices in Alsace-Lorraine that we often come close to running out of stock!
The Daum collections
Paris, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore and… Nancy! That’s the list of boutiques owned by the prestigious Daum company. The world-famous Nancy crystal maker offers a wide range of top-of-the-range gift ideas in its Place Stanislas boutique, including decorative objects, jewellery and art editions.
Lunéville earthenware
Founded in 1748, the Lunéville-Saint-Clément earthenware factory is one of the last major manufacturers in Lorraine. Today, it perpetuates its great expertise and unique creativity to design top-of-the-range tableware and decorative pieces.
Images of Epinal
Images d’Epinal are among the most original souvenirs from Lorraine. As the name suggests, these brightly coloured prints with a popular subject originated in the town of Epinal, the prefecture of the Vosges département [88]. It was in 1809 that Spinal entrepreneur Jean-Charles Pellerin helped to make Epinal imagery a national institution!
Among the products of Epinal imagery were the famous “riddles” in which you had to search for a hidden object.
Wall decorations, stationery, old images and art prints are all available from the online shop.
Coffee table books from Lorraine
Beautiful books bring back fond memories of holidays with these large-scale colour illustrations. Carefully printed and usually in a large format, the beautiful book is often given as a gift… whether you’re reading it or leafing through it, it has a special place in your library.
There are many fine books on Lorraine, particularly on the cities of art and history, Nancy and Metz. This choice changes according to printing availability. Sometimes, for example, a beautiful book is no longer available for sale and has to be found at a flea market or second-hand bookshop.
Souvenirs from Lorraine in the food section
Lorraine is particularly rich in gastronomic products, from beer to sweet treats. Here’s a quick round-up of gourmet souvenirs from Lorraine:
Craft beers from Lorraine
Few people know it, but Lorraine was Europe’s leading beer-producing region in the 19th century. Today, it ranks third in France after Alsace and Flanders. In fact, Lorraine has a long tradition of brewing.
The Champigneulles brewery near Nancy is now the last industrial brewery in Lorraine. However, the brewing tradition continues in the region thanks to 54 brewers and 75 craft breweries.
Before you leave the region, pack your bags with a selection of craft beers to suit your tastes: brown, blonde, red, mirabelle plum or bergamot… yes, the beers of Lorraine are sure to surprise even the most discerning consumers!
Gris de Toul and Moselle wines
Here’s a wine that many French people don’t even know exists. In the aftermath of the Second World War, a group of winegrowers from the Toulois (the Toul region) set about restoring the local vineyards. Their enterprise was crowned with success when Gris de Toul was classified as an AOC wine in 1988.
Today, the Toulois and its vineyards total some 100 hectares of vines, spreading around twenty winegrowing operations. The Lorraine vineyards include AOC Vin de Moselle (around Sierck-les-Bains) and Côtes-de-Meuse (IGP, around Hattonchâtel). These wines are available from the regional producers’ cellars or supermarkets.
Munster-Géromé
This cheese is emblematic of the Vosges region, shared by Alsace and Lorraine. It’s vacuum-packed so you won’t smell it in the boot of your car. We tried it on a plane journey, and the other passengers didn’t smell a thing!
Quiche lorraine
The authentic quiche Lorraine is a true icon of Lorraine’s gastronomy, a simple yet flavour-packed dish that perfectly embodies the culinary art of the region. It starts with a crispy shortcrust pastry, topped with a smooth filling made from crème fraîche, beaten eggs, and smoked lardons, all generously seasoned.
Unlike many variations that include cheese, the traditional Lorraine recipe stands out for its simplicity and authenticity, highlighting the lardons’ delicate flavour and the custard’s silky texture.
Baked in the oven until the surface turns a perfect golden colour, the quiche Lorraine is ideally served warm, revealing its full array of aromas and making each bite a genuine taste journey into the heart of Lorraine.
You’ll find authentic Lorraine Quiches in the best bakeries in Lorraine.
Bergamots of Nancy
One of Nancy’s must-try sweets, bergamots echo the gold of Place Stanislas! These translucent golden-yellow sweets, scented with the essential oil of bergamot, are available in bags or their emblematic tin boxes.
This is the only confectionery product in France to be awarded the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) label. The label has guaranteed the “Véritables bergamotes de Nancy” appellation since 2012.
You’ll find Nancy bergamots in several confectioneries in Nancy, as well as in supermarkets in Meurthe-et-Moselle. Here are a few addresses:
– Lalonde, 59 rue Saint-Dizier.
– Alain Batt chocolaterie and confiserie, 40 rue Saint-Georges.
– Maison des Sœurs Macarons, 21 rue Gambetta.
– En Passant par la Lorraine delicatessen (12 shops in Alsace-Lorraine).
Macarons of Nancy
Several shops in Nancy make the famous macaroons. Each of these Nancy pastry and confectionery shops jealously guards the recipe. And yet the list of ingredients is straightforward: almond powder, icing sugar and egg white. What makes the difference? The proportions, the skill and the cooking time… Personally, I particularly like the ones from the Maison des Sœurs Macarons, 21 rue Gambetta in Nancy.
Macarons of Boulay
What unique (and little-known) souvenirs can you bring back from Lorraine? Go for the Boulay macaroons, the recipe for which was perfected in 1854 by Binès Lazard and his wife Françoise.
Unlike the famous macaroons from Nancy, those from Boulay are still made by hand, one by one, using a silver spoon. This explains the slightly domed shape that characterises them. However, like Nancy’s, these delicacies from Lorraine have a soft, chewy consistency and a delicate almond flavour.
There’s only one place to buy them: the Macarons de Boulay shop, 13 Rue de Saint-Avold in Boulay-Moselle. The online shop means you can deliver them to your home without travelling to Lorraine!
Madeleine of Commercy
The Commercy Madeleine has spread throughout France, mainly thanks to Marcel Proust.
The little brioche cake is an integral part of Lorraine’s gastronomic repertoire.
Like many other delicacies from Lorraine, its origins can be traced back to Stanislas, Duke of Lorraine and former King of Poland in the 18th century.
To find genuine madeleines from Commercy, you must go to Commercy itself: La Cloche Lorraine. The online shop lets you deliver them to your home without travelling to Lorraine!
Madeleine of Liverdun
Some Lorraine residents prefer it to the Madeleine from Commercy: the Liverdun Madeleine may not be as famous, but it is just as delicious. Proponents of the Liverdun madeleine claim that it is lighter and more delicate. Thanks to a simple and efficient process, it is soft on the inside and crispy on the edges.
You can recognise it by the image on the boxes and packaging: a wrinkled grandmother with a benevolent gaze! Liverdun madeleines come in three main flavours: plain, mirabelle plum and bergamot.
You can find them in the Liverdun shop (les Véritables Madeleines de Liverdun, 4 place de la gare) and several regional supermarkets.
Dragées of Verdun
Verdun is not only synonymous with the terrible fighting of the First World War. The Meuse town is also the birthplace of the dragée.
The dragée is said to be the oldest confectionery in France. For this reason, it is mentioned as early as 1220 in Verdun.
Today, the ancestral production of dragées is carried out by Maison Braquier, founded in 1783. Almonds from Sicily and Spain are rigorously selected before forming the heart of the dragées. Of course, the recipe has since evolved, and the dragée can now contain other ‘hearts’: hazelnuts, nougatine, chocolate, liqueur or marzipan.
Bonbons des Vosges
The Vosges mountains have developed undeniable expertise in sweets. These ‘Bonbons des Vosges‘ are made using traditional methods. The sugar is cooked over an open fire in a copper cauldron and then flavoured with natural aromas, essential oils, honey, plants or wild berries.
You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to flavours: Vosges fir, eucalyptus, poppy, bergamot, violet, mirabelle plum, mint, liquorice-aniseed, raspberry, blackberry, lemon, orange, mandarin… over 300 tonnes of Vosges sweets are sold every year!
While you’re in the Vosges, be sure to visit these traditional sweet shops:
– La Confiserie des Hautes-Vosges Plainfaing, 44 Habaurupt in Plainfaing.
– Confiserie géromoise, 680 route d’Epinal, Gérardmer.
– La Confiserie Bressaude, 3 route de Cornimont in La Bresse.
Fir-tree honey from the Vosges
The Lorraine side of the Vosges is also famous for its fir tree honey: ‘Miel de Sapin‘. Some say it’s one of the best honeys in France… and the rarest.
In 2017, the PDO was awarded to 18 beekeepers in the Vosges. Vosges fir honey is dark brown with greenish highlights. It has a malty taste and a woody aroma reminiscent of dark coniferous forests.
But be careful! To ensure that the honey you buy does have the “Miel de Sapin des Vosges” designation, there are two small details to bear in mind:
– it is sold liquid in glass jars and
– it contains the official seal of guarantee.
You can buy Vosges fir tree honey from beekeepers. See the list here!
Mirabelle plum by-products
The emblematic fruit of an entire region is available in several typical Lorraine delicacies (if you don’t know what souvenirs to bring back from Lorraine, this list of Mirabelle plum-based products should help you):
– tarts
– mirabelles flambéed in caramel
– jam
– candied mirabelles
– Mirabelle plum brandy and
– Mirabelle plum liqueur
These mirabelle plum-based products are found in the region’s confectionery shops and supermarkets.
Products from the Distillerie de Mélanie at the covered market in Metz © French Moments
As for the fruit, you’ll find it on the stalls of many Lorraine markets from summer onwards. Outside the region, check where they come from… some market gardeners buy Mirabelle plums from the southwest, which don’t have the same flavour.
Bar-le-Duc redcurrant jam
The “Lorraine caviar” is found in Bar-le-Duc. It’s a luxury product: Bar-le-Duc redcurrant jam. Mentioned at least as far back as the 14th century, Bar-le-Duc jam was served in crystal on the table of the King of France. In the 20th century, celebrities such as Alfred Hitchcock, Winston Churchill and President Raymond Poincaré loved it.
The jam is made by hand from seeded redcurrants using a quill pen. It can be eaten by the spoonful, with foie gras or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Today, Maison Dutriez (35, rue de l’Etoile, Bar-le-Duc) is the only establishment in Lorraine that traditionally produces this specialty.
Do you know of any other souvenirs from Lorraine? Leave a comment below!