Can’t make it to the City of Light in time to see the chestnut trees blossom? Whether you’re hindered by budget, time, or safety concerns, you can still add a little je ne c’est quois to life stateside.

The Eiffel Tower — the universal symbol of Paris –– is enjoying a renaissance in Boston shops. At the Shop at the Union, you’ll find its image on oil cruets ($21 and $28), coasters ($35/set of four), and " Soirée " invitations ($11/set of eight). Black Ink has dramatic black Eiffel Tower–shaped candles ($14/large; $10/small), while Anthropologie carries a large calendar with an image from a 1953 postcard ($30).

The Eiffel Tower may lend a lofty look to housewares, but another, livelier French icon is popping up everywhere: the French poodle. The Shop at the Union has mini-pink-poodle toys ($2), poodle-topped " Cheri " pencils ($3), and pink- and white-striped poodle-doodled picnic and lunch boxes ($13 and $8.50). The shop also offers a white " Très Chic " apron ($22) featuring a Parisian walking her poodle. Meanwhile, Black Ink has poodle gift tags ($5/set of four) and thank-you notes ($12.50/set of 10), and Anthropologie has a pink-poodle juice glass ($8).

Of course, Parisians love their cats, too. At the Shop at the Union, le chat makes a most stylish appearance on French Kitty note cards ($12.95/set of 15), while childlike drawings of cats sticking out their tongues adorn the " La Boîte à Biscuits " tin storage box ($45). The shop also offers similarly adorable boxes for photographs and letters. And, at Sephora, you can pick up some silvery-lilac Kitten Goes to Paris shimmer dust ($24).

Imported French bath products lend panache to a mundane activity. Anthropologie has a fine selection of imported goodies by Bain Moussant, including lavender/black-currant, oak-moss, and vanilla bubble bath ($24); lavender, green-tea, and cucumber liquid soap ($20); and cucumber bath salts ($6). French-made Selleto shea-butter hand cream ($7.50), in either lavender or tuberose, can be had at Black Ink. And the Shop at the Union offers imported Blanc Lila body mousse ($21), along with white porcelain " La Parfumerie " or " Savon " soap dishes ($17) and " Hotel de Paris " liquid-soap dispensers ($18).

Eating French fries hardly screams " Vive la France " now that we’ve been politely reminded that pommes frites actually hail from Belgium. But surely garlicky, buttery snails would do the trick. At Shaw’s, you can buy a can of Roland escargots ($2.99). Serve them up on vintage-looking black-and-white Paris hotel plates ($20) from the Shop at the Union, or more rustic bistro-menu plates ($5.95) from Anthropologie. And skip the linens in favor of Chez Pastis restaurant paper napkins ($5/set of 20) from Black Ink.

Where to find it:

• Anthropologie, 799 Boylston Street, Boston, (617) 262-0545; Atrium Mall, 300 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, (617) 559-9995; www.anthropologie.com.

• Black Ink, 101 Charles Street, Boston, (617) 723-3883.

• Sephora, Prudential Center, 800 Boylston Street, Boston, (617) 262-4200; Mall at Chestnut Hill, 199 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, (617) 964-0800; www.sephora.com.

• Shaw’s Supermarkets, various locations; www.shaws.com.

• The Shop at the Union, 356 Boylston Street, Boston, (617) 536-5651, ext. 175; www.weiu.org/index.php?page=86.