Gem De France

They have nice goods. The French woman who runs the place literally won't leave you to browse. There is no browsing, she picks up things and tells you about them while you're trying to shop. I have a feeling if I had stayed there any longer, she would have picked up each and every item in the store and brought it up to me, trying to get me to purchase. She hawked her wares in your face harder than they do at the Shoba Bazar in India. Thoroughly unpleasant experience, which is just too bad because the store has such nice things. Calm down, French lady-you're killing the vibe of the place. Prices are what you'd expect in the French Quarter, expensive but not outlandish.

Good selection, horrific customer service. My husband and I spent about $500-600 on table linens and two trivets. They were sold as trivets by the attendant (about $30 each). After using the trivets for their intended purpose a few times one randomly cracked from the heat, which is the whole purpose of the trivet. I figured since I had spent such a large amount I could call the store and get another shipped and I could ship back the damaged one for them to return to the manufacturer. There was a miscommunication with the sales attendant and I was led to believe that no problem, she had spoken to the shop owner and they would send one at no cost (I was going to buy 3 so they'd be shipping 4). A few days later the shop owner gets in touch with me was incredibly rude; throughout the entire conversation consistently cuts me off to tell me she's not sending a free one and that she's a small business owner and that'll put her under. My husband and I are also small business owners, we know the cost of things - she most likely paid $10-15 for 1 trivet. I was purchasing 3 more, I had already spent over $500. And as a small business owner I know that when you have a good relationship with your vendors when things like this happen more often than not they will warranty the items for you as a favor on occasion. If I sold an item that didn't perform the one task it was intended for I would take responsibility for said item and exchange it for a customer. Terrible business practices, spend your money elsewhere.

Great selection of household items all sourced from France. My first visit here was on a really wet September day, looking for absinthe glasses for a birthday present. I lived here at the time, and had scoured the Quarter antique shops for such a thing, only to discover that they could only be had at breathtakingly high prices. Like, really? kind of prices. The realization that what I wanted could only be had at a price that far exceeded my pocketbook led me to start thinking of looking for reproductions, a concept I once would have found odious, but what, considering this rather large discrepancy between what I wanted and what I might have, I was increasingly embracing. When I stumbled, drenched and disheartened, upon Gem de France, I was really happy. They have lovely absinthe glasses. And absinthe spoons, both which I purchased quickly and happily.My second visit to this shop was today. I remembered my good luck at finding it the first time, and went in looking for nothing in particular, but leaving, a half hour later, with some beautiful cloth napkins. The woman who owns this shop is enthusiastic and knowledgeable, so casual shoppers, you've been warned. When her sales tactics became too high pressure for my husband, who wanted to talk to me about our purchase without intrusion, he only had to say a word and she left us to work out our negotiations alone. I would remind all shoppers that knowledge of this quality is priceless. Enjoy!

Great, authentic items from France. But holy cow, y'all! I've never felt so pressured to buy a tablecloth in all my life! Get that sales lady a job at a car lot! I'm just a tourist browsing around town in a rainy day, not really in the market for a teflon-coated tablecloth. When she couldn't sell me on that, she had some napkins..then some knives made by the guy who made knives for Napoleon. We are trying to browse...

Lovely selection of gifts and home items from france. I love the soap from provence, as well as the washcloths they sell. I also have one of the traditional pepper grinders from here. The staff is always very friendly, and as a local they treat me well.

I thoughtfully enjoyed speaking with the store attendant and browsing their selection of authentic good. Very attentive and pleasant. I bought a cool piece that is a bee you hang on the wall and put dried lavender in as a sign of good luck. Really glad I stopped in.

A very cute shop full of French imports, and the French woman working there was sweet and very proud of her store. The products were pricy, although cute. If you're into French culture, stop in. If not, you're not missing much.

Great shop, beautiful pieces from France & Spain, mostly France. Linens, table coverings, absinthe piecesAsk for Sonia the owner who speaks with an authentic French accent

The owner is very rude!!! I was about to make a purchase, trying to decide between two sets of table cloths with napkins; I was already looking at them (her employee had unfolded them and laid them out for me to see), then she barged in with other customers and practically pushed me out of the way. And then she had the nerve to tell me that I was rude! Her employee was very embarrassed and very apologetic. She was even rude and pushy with her employee. I was going to refer my mother to the website -- not anymore! I was going to make a pretty hefty purchase -- not anymore! (June 2019)

I am of two minds about this store: on the one hand they have some truly lovely things: great selection of soaps and colognes; beautiful tablecloths; Little Prince dishes, etc. On the other hand the woman who works there, Sonya, drives me crazy. She will follow you around the store and if you pause in front of an object she'll give you a 10 minute spiel about it and she is aggressive about hawking those French tablecloths. When I've bought stuff there (and I HAVE because they make wonderful gifts) it's been when Sonya's not around.