We might be thousands of miles away from our beloved France, but there’s something undeniably alluring about the French way of life. Perhaps it’s the effortless style, the café culture, or the appreciation for everyday beauty. While a spontaneous escape to Paris may not be on the cards, there are plenty of ways to embrace a little French joie de vivre closer to home. We’ve rounded up our favourite French experiences for you to discover right across Australia.
From charming cafés serving buttery croissants and bustling markets filled with trinkets and treasures, to beautifully curated homeware stores and signature French fragrance emporiums, Australia offers countless opportunities to indulge in French-inspired pleasures. We’ve also included a few beauty and skincare staples adored by French women that have earned cult status around the world.
Whether you're planning a weekend outing or simply looking to add a touch of French je ne sais quoi to your daily routine, consider this the ultimate guide to discovering the best of France without leaving Australia. Your French-inspired adventure begins here, a bientôt!
Un petit resto
Bistro Elba Sorrento, Victoria
If you happen to be down in the Mornington Peninsula, Bistro Elba is just a few doors down from Blue Illusion’s Sorrento store. It’s the ideal spot for some post-retail therapy dinner. The menu is inspired by southern France with a heavy focus on seafood and subtle Mediterranean influences. We especially love the Griella pasta filled with blue swimmer crab, think giant tortellini with a brown butter sauce that’s to die for. Be sure not to miss half-price oysters for your apéritif dînatoire in the early evening.
Bistro Thierry Hawksburn, Victoria
With this ambient restaurant right here in Melbourne, transport yourself to a quintessential Parisian Bistro without having to endure the tedious 24-hour flight to Europe. Monsieur Thierry opened his namesake restaurant over 20 years ago and is very much present both front and back of house, greeting regulars and refining daily specials. Bistro Thiery is the ultimate French experience, from their carefully curated menu filled with French classics, such as Escargots à la Bourguignonne and Steak Tartare, to their guillotine-style bread board awaiting difficult customers... This is the perfect way to ring in Bastille Day!
Entrecôte Prahran, Victoria
Entrecôte is quite easily one of Melbourne's finest dining institutions. Dine like a true Parisian on their signature Steak Frites drizzled with their secret herb butter sauce; we’ve tried to coax the recipe out of them with little success. Or if you’re after a quick bite to eat for lunch with friends, their Prix Fixe menu is the perfect opportunity to try Entrecôte’s famous Cheeseburger – perhaps not the most traditional French dish, but it’s worth branching out for. Entertainment-wise, their in-house pianist is always on hand, taking musical requests to create a magical moment with loved ones.
Frenchie Melbourne CBD, Victoria
Frenchie is Collins Street’s latest addition brings refined French cuisine to an elevated dive bar in the heart of Melbourne’s effortlessly cool CBD. Described as “champagne in sneakers,” Frenchie revolutionises classic French dishes for modern-day appetites. With a menu of small plates at just $14 across the board, this dining experience is for bringing your close friends together and sharing a meal that tantalises all your taste buds.
Agathe Patisserie South Melbourne Market and Royal Arcade “Petite”
To any French person’s dismay, in recent years, there has been an ongoing trend to tamper with the original butter croissant. We’ve had the giant croissant, the “Crookie”, the cube croissant, even the flat croissant – if you don’t believe us? Give it a Google, it’s quite absurd… A croissant is to be enjoyed simply, or maybe with a bit of jam, and Agathe Patisserie has the best croissant in Melbourne. With a flaky crust and buttery centre, you’ll want to buy several to save for a sweet treat. Their further selection of exquisite patisseries is also worth trying for something a little more indulgent.
Comme à la maison
Manon Bis Hawsburn, Victoria
Much like their fashion, French interior design blends timeless elegance and minimalism with effortless comfort. Manon Bis in Hawksburn is a European emporium for all things homeware and the perfect destination to add the finishing touches to your next renovation or to spruce up a room in need of a little more love.
Sabre Paris Official Stockists are available across Australia
One glance at Parisian homeware icon Sabre Paris, and suddenly, your table setting feels like it’s missing something very personal, very chic, and very French. If you didn’t think you needed customised cutlery, you most certainly will now!
Sabre is internationally renowned for their exceptional quality stainless steel cutlery sets with coloured resin handles. In 1992, Francis and Pascale Gelb met and bonded over food, dining experiences and interior design. The couple challenged the notions of luxurious silverware and envisioned pieces that could be colourful, playful, and used every day. Today, the brand offers a fully customisable cutlery range that you can tailor to your own tastes and design vision. We could not recommend visiting their flagship store in Paris enough, even if you just design your own bottle opener!
Les Marchés
Bastille Day Market Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne (11-12th July, 9am-4pm)
The Bastille Day Market is an annual event showcasing local French-Australian businesses. The day itself is a family-friendly event perfect to add a little excitement to your weekend while exploring the wealth of French culture right in the heart of Melbourne.
Bonjour Perth Festival Perth, WA
Bonjour Perth is an immersive cultural celebration that includes a bustling French marketplace filled with flavours of France, elevated fashion, lifestyle brands and quintessential French music. It’s a wonderful way to experience Western Australia’s French connection.
Le Marché Sydney, NSW
Sydney’s French community take over The Entertainment Quarter for Le Marché on the first Sunday of every month to bring more than just a market, but a cultural experience to any devoted Francophiles in Australia. Expect more than 45 artisan stores sharing fresh produce, handmade homewares and boutique fashion. Of course, there will be authentic French musicians providing the soundtrack to your new favourite Sunday outing.
Un parfum de France
Flâner Fragrances Fitzroy, Victoria
This perfumery gets its name from the French verb ‘flâner’, meaning to aimlessly wander, and is also central to the brand’s core values. In a world where everything moves a mile a minute, we are all guilty of missing important moments. Flâner believes that “slow is a luxury,” and represents this in their intentionally curated in-store experiences. They believe in confident minimalism and want their fragrances to be shared, not saved.
Fragonard Fragrances Official Stockists are available across Australia
From one family business to another, Fragonard Parfumeur is a cultural icon in France and is now beginning to infiltrate Australia. Founded in 1926 in Grasse, a historic hilltop city in the Provençal hills of the French Riviera, Fragonard has been passed down through four generations of fragrance fanatics. Much like Blue Illusion, Provence is an invaluable source of inspiration for Fragonard’s creations, often drawing on local materials and aroma experiences for their fragrances. We invite you to visit their historic factory and accompanying museum next time you find yourself in the French Riviera. If you can’t wait until your next French escape, we have plenty of Fragonard products available in our Blue Illusion Stores and online. From perfumes to hand creams, fall in love with your next fragrance or find the perfect gift for a loved one.
Peony Hawthorn, Victoria
Peony Melbourne is a niche perfumery in Melbourne that specialises in artisan and luxury fragrance houses, with a particularly strong emphasis on French perfumery traditions. Their own "Slow Perfume" philosophy focuses on craftsmanship, natural ingredients and brand transparency. The Hawthorn Perfumery itself is an innovative aroma experience. Set in Hawthorn’s shopping epicentre, Auburn Village, the boutique is surrounded by traditional Victorian buildings that feel almost European. The beautiful scenery makes shopping for your next signature fragrance that much more enjoyable.
Une œuvre d'art
Cartier: Melbourne Winter Masterpieces® 2026 National Gallery of Victoria (12th June-4th October 2026, ticketed)
Led by their father Alfred, Louis, Peirre and Jacques Cartier were at the helm of the most famous jewellery houses in the world. All of us long for the day we get presented with Cartier’s iconic rouge box with intricate gold detailing. For most of us, whose dream will unfortunately remain out of reach, the NGV’s Cartier exhibition presents a sweeping history of the jewellery house Cartier, from its early 20th-century Paris origins to its status as a global luxury icon. Across almost 400 dazzling objects, visitors are invited to immerse themselves in the world of Cartier, one diamond at a time.
Monet to Matisse: Defying Tradition Art Gallery of South Australia (11th July-8th November 2026, ticketed)
Opening just in time for Bastille Day, Monet to Matisse: Defying Tradition explores a pioneering moment in art history through 57 iconic works by European and American artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. The exhibition leads you through the various chapters of modern art that have all influenced its current iteration. Impressionism to Cubism and Surrealism to New York School Abstract Expressionism are vital influences of this memorable exhibition.
La beauté au naturel
A French woman’s approach to beauty and skincare is always less is more. A subtle skin tint, a flick of mascara and a quick dab of red lipstick, blurred to perfection, and you’re out the door. Most French woman will recall their mother drilling into them the importance of SPF on their face, hands and neck every day, not to mention a skin care routine from household beauty items that are just as effective as the top shelf serums and creams we are all guilty of investing in. We’ve rounded up our favourites that your vanity is calling out for.
Labatoires Embryolisse
In 1950, a specialist dermatologist from a Parisian hospital created Labatoires Embryolisse’s hero product Lait-Crème Concentré. Since then, this cult product has been recognised by the medical world for its effectiveness and is always found backstage at major fashion shows, photoshoots, and in bathrooms across the world. Described as a 6-in-1 this moisturiser tackles every skin concern under the sun. Including moisturising, priming, express mask, makeup remover, after-sun and after-shave care. We recommend buying several; you’ll get your fair use out of them. One for your bathroom, one for your handbag, one for your car and one just in case you unexpectedly run out!
Biafine
Self-proclaimed as “France's best-kept secret for skin comfort and recovery,” Biafine is a topical skin emulsion made for sensitive or stressed skin. In 1971, French chemist M.Wenmaekers experimented to create the formula for his daughter-in-law. As a model, her skin underwent constant stress and needed extra attention, and so Biafine became a household staple across France.
Mixa
For over a century, Mixa has stood the test of time as a popular French Pharmacy brand specialising in products for gentle, hypoallergenic skincare formulated specifically for sensitive and dry skin.
