Bastille Day is Saturday, July 14, and to celebrate France’s national day, we’re dedicating the week to the very best French things. You may be familiar with stories we’ve done on French pharmacy products and cookbooks, but we’re going even deeper this week, from the best books on Paris and French baking to the greatest French pantry essentials and lesser-known French beauty products. Welcome to Made in France week.
Pamela Druckerman is the author of Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting and There Are No Grown-Ups. To discover the best French things for babies and toddlers, we asked her to share her picks from the country where she now lives. Below, her suggestions, from the teething toy every bébé uses to the egg cracker that makes breakfast fun.
Yes, it’s a classic, but there’s a reason why generations of babies have been soothing their gums on this rubber animal’s neck.
A drugstore basic, this is what French infants smell like when they’re fresh from the bath. Perhaps its soothing scent helps explain why France has one of Europe’s highest birth rates.
Klorane’s oat-milk shampoo is nice for both kids and their parents.
This Parisian brand, founded in 2011, describes its inspiration as “from Versailles to the moon.” The soft cotton top also comes in a version embroidered with coucou (French for peekaboo).
This colorful book (The Book of Sounds in English), by beloved French author and illustrator Soledad Bravi will teach your child that Parisian ambulances go pinponpin and that glou-glou is the sound of a French kid drinking.
A colorful nesting place for your child’s Sunday-morning oeuf á la coque (a.k.a. a soft-boiled egg), to be eaten with a spoon or dipped into with mouillettes — skinny slices of toasted bread.
“But,” you ask, “how do I remove the top of the egg shell without making le petit mess?” Voilà, there’s this spring-loaded contraption that lops it off. Okay, it’s Swiss, but it is sleek, functional, and fun to use whether you’re 6 or 46.
Wondering how to make crêpes for the après-school snack? Try this reasonably priced and lightweight pan, from a French company that’s been making cookware for nearly 200 years. Just add Nutella. On days when you’re feeling less French, it works for pancakes, too.
Les 400 Coups meets Carroll Gardens in this soft take on the classic French cartable.
Nothing says French schoolkid like a trousse (or pencil case). This one is designed by Bakker, a brand founded by a Frenchwoman who lives in Bali.
Even if your family doesn’t spend August on the Côte d’Azur, you can dress like they do. This ultimate retro summer shoe comes in petite and grown-up sizes.
Because the French team has made it to the World Cup final, and there’s never been a better time to shout “Allez les bleus!”
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