Hey Gorgeously Fragrant People.
Le Temps d’Une Fête (Time for a Party) is a fragrance I discovered through The Muse In Wooden Shoes, who adores it and writes so lovingly of it that I really felt I would like to know it but it was always shunted out of the Shopping Basket at the end of an online shopping extravaganza in favour of something more pressing. Then came the news that it would be either discontinued, or made limited distribution, and I realised it may be now or never.
Le Temps d’Une Fête by Parfums de Nicolaï 2007
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Galbanum, opoponax
Heart: Narcissus, jasmine
Base: Oakmoss, sandalwood, patchouli, woody notes
Phwoar!! Just recently I was lucky enough to grab an old bottle of Le Temps d’Une Fête and the difference in opening sequence is astounding. Here I find immediate and awesome ZWOOOSH of narcissus, like you’ve crushed a flower in your hand with back ups by the resins creating a feeling of leaf pulp too, maybe even a bit of bulb. I also get a fruity, fun and waxy vibe floating through. More intense and deeper than my current edition, which I like very much BTW but they are like two similar sisters. If you were to meet them solo they would look alike but to see them together there are a bunch of differences. Patricia de Nicolai has made this very spare note list work super hard and Le Temps d’Une Fête is a full bodied sensual diva of a fragrance, in both old and new forms but now I completely understand where The Muse In Wooden Shoes is devastated at the changes.
Photo Stolen WikiMedia
Someone on Fragrantica describes Le Temps d’Une Fête as having “pollen like skankiness” and I think that sums the earlier hour or so but as it starts to head into its late heart/early dry down that skankiness becomes the clearest ringing bell of narcissus, so lovely and so innocent smelling. Like a young person on the verge of discovery, restrained, pretty, sweet even but underneath beats a heart just learning its power.
The base reads warm, soft and buttery for me. It may be the summer heat that gives it that feeling. What I do get through the whole life of Le Temps d’Une Fête is a shine, luminescence, radiance, a feeling that something wonderful could happen while wearing it. Time for a Party? Yes indeed!
Photo Stolen Wikipedia
I get around 4-5 hours from Le Temps d’Une Fête, though the last hour is not really fragrance but a hint that I smelled quite good earlier. First two hours had good projection and sillage before in moved to a quieter register and began the fade. Where would I wear Le Temps d’Une Fête? Date night, as a pick me up, reading, shopping, cleaning. Anything that could be enhanced by smelling beyond incredible is a good time for a sneaky spritz.
Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and Now Smell This
LuckyScent still has it $45/30ml and $115/100ml
Surrender To Chance starts at $3/ml
Have you spent some time with Le Temps d’Une Fête? Did you think it was time for a party?
See you tomorrow,
Portia xx
Australian Perfume Junkies 
It has been said that this (well, the original Temps)shares vibes with Guerlain’s Chamade, and that both are perfect promises of spring. I guess Temps is less sweet than Chamade, and maybe slightly less sophisticated, but both are beautiful. I haven’t smelt the reformulated version and don’t want to! Another sad loss …
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Hey jillie,
There is a certain Chamade-ness but Temps is way better on my skin.
I like the reformulation too but they are quite different. Now it’s discontinued the point is moot.
Are you a green lover?
Portia xx
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I am getting my sample of this today! I had no idea that it was being discontinued…now I’m glad I have a chance to sniff it and not wildly blind buy! Though if I did have to blind buy I am glad it would be Nicolai, because I have never smelt anything from them that was less than beautiful!
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Hey Shawna,
I like the PdN too. Some people have trouble with a note in their base but I am blissfull with a hefty spritz of any of my PdNs and meeting Patricia de Nicolai last week was a complete BUZZ!
Portia xx
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I blind bought this last year and I love it but have never smelt the older version. I only have the 30ml bottle so don’t want to use it up. Apart from Chamade are there other perfumes that are similar? I really like her perfumes – they feel quite old school and elegant to me.
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Hey MeganInStMaxime,
People on Fragrantica note De Profundus and Antonia Puredistance as dopplegangers but I don’t have them here for comparison and haven’t spent enough time with either of them to give you an honest opinion.
Portia xx
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I love Le Temps d’une Fete – though I don’t know if what I am loving is the old or newer version as what I have is a decant. I don’t think either De Profundis or Antonia are really doppelgangers, though all are green florals and somewhat similar in feel. De Profundis has earthier and more mineral notes than the other two. To me it smells of sweet fresh mown grass, just-cut flower stems and turned earth. The PdN has a honeyed, waxy pollen note that I don’t get at all in De Profundis. Antonia is closer than De Profundis but smells denser and strong than Le Temps d’une Fete. If Le Temps d’une Fete is the scent of a dewy wreath of spring flowers, Antonia is the concentrated essence of those flowers.
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Thanks sarah,
You give extremely good descriptions. If you ever think of writing posts get in touch.
Portia xx
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I’m not sure if I like this perfume orjust want to like it… I thought it was great when I tested it – so I got a decant. Since then I wore it once and it didn’t feel right. I’ll give it another try (and then another) but fo some reason PdN’s perfumes that I tried keep playing shape-shifting on me.
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Wow! That is so interesting Undina. Which others have played this naughty game with you?
I think we often try too hard to categorise things, sometimes like and dislike aren’t totally relevant, I have a couple of easy wears that sit right on the border and I wear them quite a bit because they stay interesting.
Portia xx
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Odalisque was definitely one of them. I love the name. I even like the opening. And I really wanted to like it. But I hate it on me every second time (luckily, all I have is a sample).
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I stumbled upon LTdF when working my way through the greens as it is supposed to fit in that category, but on my skin it’s all hyacinth and headiness with nary a blade of grass in sight. Lovely stuff, and there’s nothing else like it in my collection.
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Hey Dionne!
Do you wear it much? I’m interested that your skins gives it such a different shine, sounds luscious.
Portia xx
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I only find myself reaching for it in the spring, oddly enough. It’s strange, but I find that when I wear certain perfumes “out of season” it’s jarring. When I wear florals in the wintertime hey actually taunt me ie. “heeheehee, it’ll be months ’til spring, MONTHS!” Evil little beggars.
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