This Unique Experience In Paris Lets You Take Home A Beautiful, One-Of-A-Kind Souvenir

The beauty of visiting Paris is that it slowly reveals its treasures with time, layer by layer. The city dazzles visitors with its blend of artistic heritage, cutting-edge fashion scene, and legendary gastronomy. Trying to find a memento that captures the spirit of Paris can be challenging, so it is particularly special to find a keepsake that is both personal and handcrafted. Creating a piece of jewelry with your own hands under the guidance of Monsieur Paris' most skilled artisans is about as memorable as it gets.

The workshop is located in the Marais, one of the most charming Parisian neighborhoods, and one of the best places to stay for first-time travelers. The narrow, cobblestone streets wind past beautifully preserved historic mansions, trendy cafés, secret gardens, and quirky boutiques. On the northern edge of the Marais in the third arrondissement, the shop window of Monsieur Paris looks like one more charming artisanal shops, displaying elegant creations. But Monsieur Paris hides a secret Just a few steps away from its polished displays sits an intimate workshop, humming with the quiet rhythm of diamond files, polishing wheels, and the precise gestures of highly skilled hands.

What Monsieur Paris offers represents the best of what a modern traveler seeks today — meaningful experiences that connect with the place, and a beautiful way to remember the trip besides photos. The souvenir you take home is less about cataloguing where you've been, and more about remembering how it felt to be there.

Nadia Azoug, founder of Monsieur Paris, invites visitors to step inside their workshop for the "Atelier Olympe" experience. Born in Northern Algeria, Azoug grew up in Paris from the age of seven. An early business venture was a bar in the eleventh arrondissement, which led to the serendipitous encounter with a regular customer, an expert jeweler, who became Azoug's mentor. Fast forward fifteen years and Monsieur Paris expanded its boutique to include the bespoke workshops, with a mission to "continue to grow, while respecting its deeply artisanal, responsible and human identity."

The two-hour workshop is designed for anyone eager to discover the essential skills of fine jewelry making — and to craft one of Monsieur Paris' iconic pieces, a minimalist 18-karat gold Olympe ring. No prior experience is required. Guided by experts, your movements (and even the tiny mistakes that make it unique) are imbued with meaning as they will capture the memory of this special time spent in an intimate place in Paris that is not overrun by tourists.

The workshop honors the tradition of passing down know-how through generations. The session begins with a warm welcome coffee and sweet treats, followed by a step-by-step introduction to the fundamental techniques, culminating with the creation of your own custom Olympe gold ring. This hands-on souvenir carries a piece of Parisian artisanal tradition. Floral designer Sandra Sigman wrote about the workshop experience on a blog post, writing, "Guided by Maryam, their expert jeweler, I learned how to measure my ring size, cut the gold band, shape it, solder the ends, hammer it to size, and finally, polish it to a shine. Who knew so many steps were needed to create just one ring?"

Paris has long been synonymous with ultimate luxury, with the Place Vendôme remaining as one of the most prestigious jewelry addresses in the world, where you find storied houses like Chaumet and Cartier. The legendary names come with price tags to match this prestige, which may not be within reach for most visitors.

What makes Monsieur Paris resonate is not only its comparably affordable price range starting at $245 for their signature Olympe ring, or $500 for the workshop including the ring, but also its commitment to sustainability, down to its recycled packaging. Their contemporary creations are fully made in the Marais, reducing their carbon footprints, and are designed and crafted by women artisans, using noble metals and natural or select lab-grown gemstones.

This unique keepsake also carries an emotional element. As Siman said of the experience, "There's something so special about knowing that every piece is not only made in France but made with care for both the craft and the planet." Imagine handing down this heirloom to the next generation, saying that it was made with your own hands when you were in Paris. Or perhaps making it your wedding band (you can book two people in the same time slot for the workshop, so you could make your rings together). The ring would remind you of Paris every day. After all, the definition of the word "souvenir" in French is to "to bring something back to mind; something that belongs to a past experience".