Saturday Question: What 3 Scent Stops Would You Make In Paris?

/ AustralianPerfumeJunkies

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Portia

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Hello Fellow Fumies,

At APJ we have a Saturday Question. Everyone gets to chime in with an answer, chat with other responders and it’s a fun event each week. Taking sides never means taking offence and everyone keeps it respectful and light, even though we can sometimes trawl the depths.

The idea is you’ll see it on the weekend or chime in through the week. Hopefully you will come back regularly and see if anyone has responded to your comment and you can reply to them. The aim is to generate real conversation and connection even though we are scattered around the globe.

 

Over 100 responses I will draw a Secret Scent Sample Pack (from my collection)

Last Weeks Winner:

eMail me at (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with your address please

Saturday Question: What 3 Scent Stops Would You Make In Paris?

Paris! The city of lights and love. That dream destination for almost every perfumista. Not just for its amazing centre of the perfume universe-ness but everything else that goes along with the city. History, art, architecture, couture, parklands, shopping, food and people; Paris has it all. Today let’s imagine you have three days in Paris and you’re allowed only one scent stop per day. Jin and I are starting our honeymoon there May 6-10 and we’ve scheduled a small crew of buddies to be there at the same time. Come join us if you’re in the area. I have been frag curtailed to only one scent-ual experience per day. Jin has quite rightly pointed out that I’ve had at least four nights in Paris every year since we first went together and many many visits before that. This time we are there for our friends and to celebrate our marriage last year in the city of love.

My Answer:

Pierre Guillaume Parfumeur Boutique 13 Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 75001. Pierre Guillaume’s stand alone store is #1 on my list. Last year Pierre was out of town so I couldn’t meet up and see his new premises. I was totally bummed because we had the big perfume crew and they all would have LOVED to spend some time there talking to him, hearing his take on some of his fragrances and shopping like mad people. I have kept some money aside for this adventure and expect to drop a packet.

Guerlain Place Vendome. I know, it should be the Champs Elysees but the last few times I’ve been in there it’s been impossible to get served, even though I knew exactly the three or four bottles I wanted. It would have taken them 5 minutes. Place Vendome is smaller, and they don’t have the whole range, but I’d rather shop there where they will at least have enough staff to help. I also know we are going to the Ritz for High Tea so hopefully I can get there an hour early and do my Guerlain shopping.

Divine Parfums 240, rue de Rivoli, 75001. Last year in Paris I was with Tara and Francesca and I really wanted to grab L’Homme Sage but didn’t. Since then I’ve been obsessing about it. I know I could have bought it online but getting it in person is fun and creates a very special scent memory. Every time I wear it I’lll think about the time I didn’t buy it, they year I spent wishing I had and then the final grand purchase. I get shivers even thinking about it. YAY!

 

My Saturday Question to you is:

What 3 Scent Stops Would You Make In Paris?

104 thoughts on “Saturday Question: What 3 Scent Stops Would You Make In Paris?”

  2. oh, tough call! Dior was top of my list last time because I was after that bottle of Mitzah, but unless I was after something else that had been quarantined to Paris only I’d skip it.

    So, probably Oriza L. Legrand because lovely shop, lovely people, and a few more things I’d like to get my nose into, particularly now they have 50ml bottles as well as the 100mls, and their soaps make luscious gifts.

    the Malle shop on Rue des Francs Bourgeois is super-stylish and opposite a very nice little Guerlain boutique, in a little cluster with Diptyque and Atelier too. That counts as one, right? They are *right there* together…

    …and just around the corner from Marie Antoinette. Tiny, but a lovely range of stuff, and makes a change from Jovoy or Nose, and there are a couple of tasty restaurants in that square.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. I was a teenager when last in Paris, a family visit and pre-perfume obsession. A trip to Paris would be a dream-come-true and I will make it happen one day.
    Congratulations on your honeymoon travels Portia and Jin. I am so excited for you and wish you the most special time together!
    I don’t know Paris well enough to really know what my choices would be; however, a visit to a perfume museum would be at least one day. I believe there is the International Perfume Museum, but in Grasse so not sure if that counts. And definitely Guerlain (either location), a Chanel boutique, and Dior.
    I’m looking forward to reading posts to get to know the perfumers with shops worth visiting!

    Liked by 1 person

      • I look forward to hearing about your perfume adventures in Paris Portia! I hope you have time to visit everywhere you hope to!
        I would so enjoy the perfume museums! I saw the website for the Fragonard museum. xx

        Liked by 1 person

    • I’m a bit grumpy with Jovoy currently TaraC. They can sit on the chill list.
      Hopefully we will get to the Palais Royale, bdk Parfums are there and I’d like to see them in situ. If we get there then a whip around Serge is inevitable.
      Portia xx

      Liked by 2 people

      • Well, Jovoy did not exist the last time I went to Paris, so I really want to get a look at it, but from your tone, it sounds like the service is shite, so I might not spend any money. I prefer to give my money to nice people.

        Liked by 4 people

      • It’s funny: I decided to answer first and then read everyone’s responses, and as I was writing mine, I thought about complaining about my Jovoy experience but then decided just to leave them out of the list. And now I see that I’m not the only one who didn’t enjoy shopping there. My complaint is simple: I was buying a relatively expensive perfume (Bombay Bling), and all I managed to get was, I think, 1 sample. And even that felt as if they were doing me a favor. I know, I was a visitor, and they didn’t think they’d see me again. So, there’s a good chance now they won’t.

        Liked by 1 person

      • The first time I went to Jovoy was in 2016 with my daughter. Service that time was attentive and delightful. We received one sample for every bottle we bought. Plus the lovely SA gave us plenty of bubble wrap to make sure our glass was not damaged in our luggage. We returned this past December and were completely ignored. And yes, I said my “bon jours” when we entered the shop. After spritzing a bunch of testers we decided there wasn’t anything we didn’t already own or that couldn’t be obtained stateside, so we left.

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Tough question! Guerlain Champs Elysees was a great experience for me, the museum bit upstairs where I was the only person there.
    Jovoy was wonderful and gave me lots of samples to share with our frag heads here.
    Le Jardin Retrouve…Michel opened up his shop for me even though they were on holidays and talked me through the collection.
    Now you are making me feel nostalgic. Le sigh.

    Liked by 3 people

  8. I am SO going to cheat on this! My stops would be: Palais Royal neighborhood, which would scoop up several separate stores; the entire Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré; the Champs-Elysees avenue and neighborhood. Putting on my walking shoes!

    Liked by 2 people

  10. Have a wonderful honeymoon! I was in Paris last summer and carved out a little time from my family. I visited Jovoy, Guerlain (Vendome), Annick Goutal, Fragonard ( i happened to walk by and their shops are so colorful!) and Nicolai on rue Richelieu. (Second visit to the Nicolai Poincaré store – closer to our hotel – because I didn’t feel like I was done shopping 😳 – lovely home fragrances too.) I chose based on my limited time and budget this time. Next time I will branch out for sure!

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Paris is absolutely crazy today with the protestors out again. More police everywhere than you could believe. Avoided some of it by going to Monet’s garden this morning, wonderful, but our bus was stuck in traffic for ever coming home, and then our driver got totally lost in spite of his satnav, so not much precious shopping time left…did walk through the Marais and tried a few Chanel les exclusifs but sadly not excited by any though I do like Coromandel. A visit to Guerlain would have been lovely.
    Have a marvellous trip Portia and Jin!

    Liked by 1 person

      • No one seems to have a clue where they’ll be on a Saturday until they suddenly all arrive somewhere in Paris…and then the entire French police force (!) arrives…result, total chaos, traffic doesn’t move etc.
        Yes Giverny we thought was well worth it, we booked online. 1 1/2 hrs each way in bus or 3 coming home if protestors are about… and about the same time there.
        Sorry late reply, we were in deepest rural France! But now doing 280kph on TGV. Try that, Australian Railways!

        Liked by 1 person

  14. Guerlain, Parfums Dusita & Caron. I haven’t been to Paris yet so when I go, a dozen more stops will be added to the list. That is, if I have the time and energy after the museums 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Jovoy and Guerlain/Vendome absolutely. Malle in the Marais just to see the interior, it’s amazing. Nose also in the Marais, Christian Louis in the Marais for Provencal scents you don’t see outside of France, Nocibé the french Sephora) on Champs Elysees (right next door to Guerlain) for the commercial brands and france-only exclusives and and and……… If time permits, a short trip out to the Dorin Chateau for a bottle of Dorina (one of the most beautiful isis perfumes ever!)

    Liked by 1 person

  16. If I had a choice, I would choose London over Paris any day! But if we’re going to Paris, I’d take your #1 & #3 – just because where I live I do no have access to those lines. And the third one would be Parfums de Rosine (I assume they have a store in Paris) – for the same reason. But then I’d go to Guerlain and SL stores – not to buy anything but because both these places were closed on my previous visits.

    Liked by 1 person

    • The PdR is right next to the SL, so you’d have to go to both! Did we just do this or can you tell me your faves in London. I have a day free during a work trip and although I know London some, it was pre-perfume days.

      Liked by 2 people

    • Hey Undina,
      Jin hates London so I am trying to organise a trip there without him either later this year or early next. It’s a bummer because having lived there for a couple of years it feels like a second home to me.
      Parfums de Rosine is wonderful, right up the back of the Palais Royale. I do like to drop in and there has never been another customer in the store so I get to smell everything.
      Portia xx

      Liked by 2 people

  17. I am with Annabel that I’d rather go to the Monet gardens (lovely now, irisses in bloom) or Versailles at the moment, or best of all the Osmotheque…but if all not possible I think Hermes (because carré’s and windows), Annick Goutal and the Grande Musée du Parfum. We were in Grasse three years ago and had a good time in the Perfume Museum there (also Fragonard, but less so).
    I think one of the nicest places to buy perfume is Place Vendome in Wevelgem Belgium. Expert and generous personnel, making decants of what you wish, and giving so many extra’s on top of your purchase!

    Liked by 1 person

  19. Portia, we leave Paris on the 6th, after spending four nights there. I have plans to visit Versailles one day and the rest.. dinner at the blue train, musee d’orsay and a visit to guerlain for sure. I will be on the lookout for all other perfume stores but just as We wander about. It’s is our second visit to Paris, we were there 30 years ago. Hope you have a beautiful honeymoon.

    Liked by 1 person

  20. I’ve never been, but I’m enjoying reading the comments. Just based on what I’d like to sample I’ll say:
    Jovoy – to try the full Xerjoff range
    Dior – to try the full Collection Privee range
    Guerlain – To try everything that isn’t readily available in Australia

    Enjoy the rest of your trip Portia

    Liked by 1 person

  21. I don’t know much about Paris but at the moment it will be Serge Lutens, Guerlain, and maybe a fragrance museum (is Osmotheque close to Paris)

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hi Fazal,
      The Osmotheque is on the outskirts of Paris any Versailles, a train ride, very easy and then a walk. If you ever go make sure you book a class. You can’t just walk in. The two times we’ve had classes one was run by Jean Kerleo and the second by Patricia de Nicolai. Seriously, amazing afternoons.

      Liked by 1 person

  22. Ooh, Dusita has a standalone shop in Paris? Last time I was In Paris it was pre-perfumemania, and I was all “Look, it’s Yves Rocher!”

    Fazal, I think the Osmothèque is near Versailles…?

    Liked by 1 person

  23. Hard to answer this as I’ve not really thought about it. Guerlain would be my number one pick, and I’d pop into Charvet while I’m in the vicinity, for shirts and ties.

    Second stop would be Fragonard, more for the history than to buy thei fragrances. I understand they have a pretty good museum.

    There is a ruck of wonderful stores vying for third place so, rather than settle on one house, I’d head to Nose and get my “diagnostic experience” done, and then pick something unusual from their range to go with it.

    Liked by 1 person

  24. First and foremost id go to the closest french pharmacy to stock up. That out of the way Id go to all the perfume shops in Marais (LAP, Nicolai, Etat Libre, Marie Antoinette etc) and then I‘d like to finally out Nose, Jovoy, FM and Serge Lutens. Ive never been, too intimated to go in! Outside of Paris Osmotheque and a return to 1000 Flowers is on my list.

    Liked by 1 person

  25. I’m a big cheat and only going to one place: Pierre Guillaume. I’d walk in and shut and lock the door (because of course Pierre will be minding the shop). I probably wouldn’t emerge for a couple of days. And I’d be laden down with goodies and walking strangely😂 Then I’d go off and buy a magnum of Perrier Jouet rosé Champagne. And drink it in one go.

    Liked by 1 person

  26. I hope you and Jin have the most wonderful honeymoon!
    Hard to narrow it down to just three shops. I have mixed feelings these days about Jovoy so I’m not sure I’d go back as of yet. I always like going to Chanel mostly because I like exploring the other goodies they have in the shop as well. It doesn’t hurt to look even though I know I’d never spend that kind of money on clothes or bags or shoes. I’ve never been to Etat Libre, so I’d probably go there. Then it’s a toss up between Frederic Malle or Parfums de Nicolai.

    Liked by 1 person

  27. I would go to: SL in Palais Royal – I seem to recall that you went last time, but it’s decadent and opulent. Can’t get too much of that, plus unique and fabulous frags. Annick Goutal (I like the St Sulplice boutique, if it’s still there – it’s been nearly a decade since I was in Paris), and finally Caron. I do love the idea of the great glass flasks filled with scent just waiting for some haughty gorgeous Parisian to decant it!

    Liked by 1 person

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