Heya Crew,
One of the most amazing things that has happened from finding the online fragrance blogging community, starting APJ and joining the Facebook fragrance groups has been the incredible people all over the world who I have been lucky enough to meet.
A Day In Paris with Denyse Beaulieu: Photo essay
Blogger, Author, Fragrance Muse & General Great Girl
Printemps rooftop restaurant
Michael and I went first to the Printemps rooftop on our way to lunch. It’s a great way to get your bearings and see where everything else is around Paris. Sadly they were renovating the terrace and we could not go out. Still it was good for Michael to see. So where do you go when Printemps verandah is closed? Laduree of course.
Laduree (Michael doing his serial killer look)
Palais Royal Gardens
Then we met the very fun and elegant Denyse for lunch. If you haven’t read The Perfume Lover (available now in paperback $14 delivered at Book Depository) then you MUST!! It is the story of a romance which became a fragrance by Bertrand Duchaufour, Seville a l’Aube for L’Artisan Parfumeur. Denyse has written a book both personal and informative that was so fun and enjoyable that I’ve now reread it a couple more times.
Last year in Paris with Jin he had sussed out the best Korean restaurant in the city, a tiny little hole in the wall restaurant with seating for about 25 people and the full BarBQ set up called Seoul Opera (6 Rue Danielle Casanova). If you are in Paris walking on the Ave de l’Opera from the Hotel d’Louvre to the Opera turn left at the Kusmi Tea and it’s about 5 shops in. Unless you knew you would walk straight past it. Denyse had heard of it but never been so I was glad to take her to a Korean that Jin had found completely authentic, and delicious. I don’t know why we didn’t take any photos of lunch, it was super fun. Lovely to catch up with Denyse and hear her stories of life in fragrant Paris, love and writing. NOBODY can drop fragrant names like Denyse and she has a wicked fund of fabulous stories that had us sniggering like dirty little schoolboys. It would be SCANDALOUS if she ever wrote her stories down, like Jackie Collins for fragrance. Food was awesome and very reasonable, Jin had sent us a menu of 5 dishes and we left nothing.
Jovoy
We then wandered up to Jovoy and Paris was putting on its kindest Winter face ever, remember that this was early February and we were expecting snow and freezing temps but to be honest it was merely cool and a jumper and scarf were all I needed during the days to be OK. The walk was beautiful and Denyse pointed out points of Interest for us. Michael was super thrilled as it was his first visit to Paris and he walked through in a completely fabulously overwhelmed daze.
Place Vendome CdG
The crew at Jovoy are so friendly and could not have been more helpful or interested in making sure we smelled and understood EVERYTHING. My nose gave out after a couple of hours but Michael and Denyse were indefatigable. They both are very interested in the nuts and bolts of fragrance and they were very happy parsing and comparing. To be truthful I was COMPLETELY over sniffing at this point and couldn’t wait to get out of there. I went and stood out the front for about half an hour to calm the pounding in my head.
We were introduced to a lovely set of Parisian bloggers in Jovoy and Denyse was able to give us a preview of the newest L’Artisan offerings which smelled rather like 100% artificial candies to me. Not my favourite of their offerings in the new milieu.
Then Denuye took us to the IUNX shop in the Hotel Costes on Rue Saint Honoré where I happily grabbed Splash Forte, a favourite warm weather frag for me, Olivia Giacobetti has done a lovely job with the line and Michael picked that she was the perfumer straight away. Very cool call. While we were there a couple came in and bough 5 x 150ml bottles of fragrance, didn’t even bat an eyelid. I was completely thunderstruck.
Costes/IUNX
Then we had a lazy beverage in one of the suit bars near the Costes Hotel. It was a great place to finish our adventure before wandering Denyse to the Opera Metro. Isn’t she beautiful?
Opera Metro
It was pretty late and Michael & I had not done our Galleries Lafayette fragrance shopping yet. We both grabbed a bottle of DIOR’s Mitzah (I got the last 150ml bottle) and I also grabbed Guerlain’s Mon Precieux Nectar which I had wanted before last years visit to Paris but didn’t buy it then. FINALLY got it. We were so late and in such a rush that we only managed to capture these two pics. It was all extremely fun though. By then end of this we were absolutely exhausted.
Galleries Lafayette
There you have it. A near perfect day in Paris with one of the fragrance world’s superstars. I hope you’ve enjoyed the ride. All photos were kindly donated by Michael and that’s why he is in so few of them, I know, he is rather lovely eye candy isn’t he?
Portia xx
Australian Perfume Junkies 
Next time …….. I’m coming with you.
LikeLike
You bloody well better.
Portia xxx
LikeLike
Wonderful day and pictures. I must get to Costes next time I am there. So glad that you picked up Mitzah and Mon Precieux Nectar. xo
LikeLike
Hey Sandra,
It was an excellent day. The guy in Costes is hilarious, you’ll love him. Such a grump and no time for anyone.
Portia xx
LikeLike
A day with Denyse?
That is truly a treat. 🙂
LikeLike
Oh my yes it was Ines. Denyse is a font of wisdom and anecdotes. we had a great time.
Portia xx
LikeLike
You guys look like you are having so much fun! I also like how well the color of your sweater goes with Denyse’s coat/scarf 🙂 A very stylish and well-scented trio, for sure.
LikeLike
We certainly did have a good time Nemo. It’s easy when you combine food, frags and excellent company.
As to the matching outfits, when I saw the shots i loved how our colours fizzed against each other, thank you for noticing too. we are like a gelato couple.
Portia xx
LikeLike
Oh, what a wonderful look into a day in fragrant Paris! What fun you all had! Thanks so much for sharing this, Portia.
LikeLike
Hey Ann,
I’m glad you enjoyed the post. It was an incredible day. I wish there were more photos but we forgot in all the excitement.
Portia xx
LikeLike
What a fun trip! I love Paris! So jealous you spent the day with Denyse, I would love to meet her. I’ve never been to Iunx or Jovoy. The DH keeps my perfume exploring/spending in check when we travel.
LikeLike
Your husband has his eyes fixed firmly on keeping the family home I would imagine Tatiana. It was a wonderful day and Denyse is everything you’d hope, and more.
Portia xx
LikeLike
What a fabulous day with a fabulous perfume lover! Thank you for sharing, Portia! (and good score on that bottle of Mitzah!)
LikeLike
Thanks Daisy,
That bottle of Mitzah was funny. They gave me a discount for it being the last one. Michael paid full price for his larger bottle. I haven’t opened it yet, still finishing off some samples & a decant.
Portia xx
LikeLike
thank you for taking me back to one of my favorite places on earth! ❤
LikeLike
YAY!! You are welcome.
Portia xx
LikeLike
What a beautiful day in Paris! Made me relive mine in my head, which reminds me, I really should get down to writing about my last 2 days in Paris! I am the Procrastinator Extraordinaire… And wow, I wish I’d bought more perfume when I was there, but I really restrained myself!
LikeLike
Heya Smelly Vagabond!
Lovely to see you. You are not “Procrastinating” you are “Percolating”. By the time you come to write the piece it will flow because you have already designed it in your subconscious. Many creatives have to add in “Percolating” time to their briefs because though it looks like procrastination it is really work time. Cool huh?
BTW I think I bought enough fragrance for both of us.
Portia x
LikeLike
Near the Jovoy Store, you also have the MFK boutique and a Frederic Malle one. The CDG store is not located where you took the picture (on the Place Vendôme, it is just the parisian office) but it’s also in the neighborhood 😉
5 “very large” bottles at IUNX on one shot : perhaps they thought it was just 5 kinds of a rare french beverage ?
How did you find the parisians ?!
LikeLike
Hey Nymphomaniac,
Thank you for your information. Next time I’m in Paris I may go check those stores. Michael wanted a photo at Paris CdG HQ. You can’t imagine how excited he was. We didn’t go in so no idea what was inside, he wanted the moment marked.
No, they knew it was fragrance. It was totally amazing.
Parisians were absolutely gorgeous. I love it there and as soon as they find out that I am Australian they are as nice as can be. In my trips to Paris I’ve only had a very few yucky encounters with the french and they have only been with crap SAs and a couple of hotel staff. Everyone else has been utterly charming.
Portia xx
LikeLike
Wonderful account – the essay proper as well as the photos! – of your fun- and ‘fume-packed day with Denyse. I bet you did have some great stories to tell – or not tell, rather. Korean restaurant tip noted. And I recognise Ronny in IUNX! I have one of their light sabres too…;)
LikeLike
Is Ronny his name? I wrote it down and then lost the paper. GRRRR
Vanessa, thank you for dropping in and saying hello. It’s nice to see you.
Portia x
LikeLike
What a wonderful day this must have been! Even vicariously, it was amazing. Must. Get. To. Paris.
LikeLike
O M G MUST GET TO PARIS MaggieCat,
It needs your sparkle.
My hint is travel in Winter. Hardly any tourists, queues are short and we saved over 50% on our hotels.
Portia xx
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing your fun adventure with us, Portia! Hooking up with other people can really make a trip memorable. You take terrific photos, too.
Warm regards,
Fifi
LikeLike
Thank YOU Fifi.
Yes, it’s the people that can make a trip extra special.
Portia x
LikeLike
Thank youfor sharing the pictures! It’s funny: after spendinginParis just 48 hours I’ve recognized a couple of places from your photo essay 🙂
LikeLike
YAY! I love that Undina. We were there so close together too. One day we’ll be in the same place at the same time. can’t wait.
Portia xx
LikeLike
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing this gorgeous day in words and images.
LikeLike
Denyse is a dear friend and she bought that fabulous rose coat in Montreal when she was staying with me – such a coup finding that! Love her to bits!! Looking forward to seeing her again in Montreal when she is here this August. Wish I could go to Paris again, it is my favourite city ever. I just snapped up a huge honker bottle of Mitzah at the San Francisco Neiman Marcus last month, and the previous month bought Mon Precieux Nectar, so we have similar taste. 🙂 Enjoy!!
LikeLike
Portia, I just spent a week in Paris and loved it. It’s the first time I’ve had time to wander, rather than race from one site to the next. The Parisians were gorgeous. And, yes, I too bought in Iunx. Ronny wasn’t grumpy, he was a hoot. And I took my daughters into JAR with me – just to experience it. So glad I did. Paris looked absolutely gorgeous in her spring finery – blossom, bulbs and new leaves. I’m so glad you you had a great time too.
LikeLike
Portia, you make me feel I wish I were there! I visited France quite a few times but never been to Paris. How odd is that?
LikeLike
It was a wonderful day, we were utterly exhausted by the end. SO MUCH to take in.
Paris is lovely, until Jin and I went last year I had never spent tourist time there only working odd weekends in the mid 1990s while living in the UK. I now love it and the people are excellent.
One day you should go see what the crazy hype is about Thinking Magpie.
Portia xx
LikeLike
Amazing! Paris is really fabulous and to have perfume company x 2 makes it just perfect.
LikeLike
PS I have only had amazing service in Paris by the way apart from the odd grumpy waiter and they seem to throw in a lot of perfume samples as well.
LikeLike
I haven’t had the excellent sample service you have but as yet haven’t had a very grumpy waiter either. Swings & Roundabouts.
Yes, I look back and feel incredibly blessed.
Portia xx
LikeLike