Paris is a Great City to Learn About Perfume

The French play a big role in the history of perfume, and Paris is a great city to learn more about that history and enjoy special scent workshops.  The renowned Guerlain line of perfumes has been in existence since the 19th century, when Pierre-François Guerlain created custom fragrances for members of European royalty. Today, at the Guerlain boutiques on Place Vendôme and the Champs-Elysées, you are invited to select the perfume that best suits your personality (at a hefty price).

(The photo is of the Guerlain boutique on the corner of Rue St.-Honoré at Place Vendôme, a great neighborhood to explore.)

Another good resource is Chandler Burr's book, THE PERFECT SCENT – A Year Inside the Perfume Industry in Paris and New York (Henry Holt and Company).

If you’re a scent addict, as I am, Burr’s thorough description of how modern-day perfumes are created and sold is very revealing.  He tells the story through two new perfumes – one in Paris for Hermès and a celebrity perfume for Coty in New York tied to Sarah Jessica Parker.  Burr was given firsthand access to observe and report on how these fragrances, Un Jardin sur le Nil and Lovely, came to be.

In writing that puts you on the scene, Burr covers the major players in the perfume industry, how a scent is created (from the plant to the laboratory), the debate over the design and creation of the bottle and stopper (with an eye on the cost), and the launch and marketing campaign (in the millions of dollars). 

This is art and industry, all rolled into one.

(For more detailed information, there is a special section in my new book, Every Woman's Guide to ROMANCE IN PARIS, on Shopping for a Scent, When to Apply Perfume, Perfume Workshops, a Perfume Museum, and recommended stores where you can splurge on your own scent.)