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Portia
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Hey there APJ Crew,
The HONEYMOON! We have arrived in Europe!
Thailand, France, Estonia and Finland in one week. AMAZING!!
France
Saturday Question: What 3 Scent Stops Would You Make In Paris?
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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.
Eau du Sud by Annick Goutal for Annick Goutal 1996
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Anne-Marie
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Hi all,
It’s summer in my part of the world and my citrus colognes are helping me push through the dog days.
I own a number of classic and wonderful citrus colognes, and while I always enjoy trying more, I rarely add to the collection of full bottles these days. After all, there is a certain sameness to them, and I tell myself I have most bases covered: 4711 (of course); Eau de Givenchy (my first citrus cologne); Dior Diorella (never dates because it always surprises); Eau de Rochas (lime and wet stones); Calyx (not really a traditional cologne, but wonderful in humidity); and Hermes Un Jardin sur le Nil (cleaner and more modern than the mossy citruses of yore).
I’ve many times NEARLY bought Chanel Cristalle, Ô de Lancome, Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin, Eau de Patou, and Dior Eau Sauvage. For one reason or other, I talk myself back from the brink each time.
But THIS: Goutal Eau du Sud.
Eau du Sud by Annick Goutal 1996
Eau du Sud: My first impressions
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Mandarin, basil, grapefruit, bergamot
Heart: Mint, lime, lemon verbena, jasmine
Base: Vetiver, patchouli, oakmoss
I gave myself a single spritz of Sud at the airport today on the way home from holiday. About four hours later, before I’d unpacked my suitcase, I hopped online and ordered a large decant.
Full bottle? Not ready to commit yet. But oh my how I enjoyed that single spritz of Sud! It lasted all afternoon and survived a shower (just). I’m not up to analysing notes yet, but what I loved was the mossy, aromatic and yet also dry and almost salty qualities I got as the fragrance developed. Citrus fruit, herbs, and the smell of sunshine on hot stones.
I’m looking forward to figuring out and reporting back on what it is about Sud that clicked the ‘buy’ button for me, when I have rejected those other great colognes. Yes, I’m as susceptible to marketing as the next person, but this really does make me dream of the south of France. The fact that I have never been there makes me all the more suggestible.
If you read romance novels you might know Mary Stewart’s Madam Will You Talk. This was her first novel, published in 1954, before she got into that Arthurian stuff. It takes its heroine, Charity Selborne, on a wild chase through sun-baked Avignon, Nîmes, Les Baux and finally Marseilles. Eau du Sud made me think of this book, not just for the scents, but the effect it achieves of bright sun and deep shade in an ancient, bare but beautiful landscape.
Well, I suppose it’s mostly motorways and apartment blocks now? Hopefully Eau du Sud will help me maintain the romance. I expect it has been reformulated over the years, but please don’t tell me. I’d rather not know.
Further reading: Now Smell This and Portia on APJ
FragranceNet has $80/100ml before Coupon
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3/ml
What fragrance conjures up your ideal summer?
Until next time keep spritzing everyone!
Anne-Marie
The Osmotheque: Versailles: France 2014 Photo Essay
Hey Gang,
I wanted to share the most wonderful photo that was taken of Jean Kerleo, Patricia de Nicolai, Michael and I at the end of our incredible time at the Osmotheque. This is one of my life highlights. Meeting the perfumer, Jean Kerleo, that created 1000 and Sublime for Jean Patou and Knowing for Estee Lauder and Patricia de Nicolai, one of my favourite independent perfumers in a place that keeps many fragrances that have been lost and the memories of how they were produced. I cannot tell you enough how moving and magical the day was.
Anyone can book a course at the Osmotheque, we booked an English course (which was very easy to organise) and it was an incredible afternoon. Our contact was Florence Crenn info@osmotheque.fr and Florence could not have been more lovely or helpful. We organised to pay cash on the day but there are other ways to do it.
We chose to spend the morning at Versailles Palace and do the Osmotheque in the afternoon. Perfect choice. We caught a train from Paris to Versailles and then a cab from Versailles Palace to the Osmotheque. From the Osmotheque we walked to a different station to catch the train back to Paris, don’t buy a return ticket.
The Osmotheque: Versailles: France 2014
Well, how was our day? What went on? Jean Kerleo, ex Helena Rubenstein and Jean Patou perfumer and founder of the Osmotheque, was our host with the help of his buddy and translator Will. It was completely mind blowing and the work they do at the Osmotheque to archive and house the world’s most famous fragrances in their original formulations is not only extraordinary it is necessary for the continuation of perfumer knowledge. Also, the Osmotheque needs people like you and us to go and do the classes so they have money to continue the great work they are doing.
If you are a French speaker you can buy a ticket to many forum classes with the teachers at the Osmotheque, including Jean Kerleo and Patricia de Nicolai. If you have English you must book a class with an English speaking teacher. We were asked to pick a number of fragrances that we’d like to smell in their original form (L’Origan, Iris Gres, Shocking and Patou Pour Homme were among out favourites today) and your teacher will bring a few others that they think may be of interest (Suprise sniffs included nearly 60 year old deer musk, Crepe de Chine, L’Heure Blue and 1000). You get a 2 hour class and it was just Michael and I. One of the most incredible fragrance experiences of my life.
I got the feeling throughout the day that Michael’s incredible ability to smell nuances and notes in fragrance got us so much extra lovely treatment. Jean Kerleo and Michael were really having a great old chat and I was a bit of flotsam eddying in their fragrant streams of consciousness. It was like watching two science geeks talking shop and I think I learned more in that afternoon about smells, scents, perfume and fragrance than in my whole life leading up to it. A lot of it pops back into my head if I am reading something on a blog that has something to do with their conversation. Finally a piece of puzzle will fit or a concept will become clear.
We got a touche wit every fragrance named and individually wrapped in a plastic paper bag. Also we bought an Osmotheque book each which is FULL of interesting and useful history and classification knowledge.
As you can see by the end of the day Michael was completely stuffed. Stuffed, satiated and full of the joys of adventure.
Want to read more about the experience? Bois de Jasmin and Versailles Tourism
The Osmotheque is a must do for any perfume lover. Get in touch with Florence Crenn info@osmotheque.fr
Portia xx
Australian Perfume Junkies 