11 Of The Most Popular Perfumeries In Paris

Welcome to the wonderful world of niche perfume.

While France isn’t the birthplace of perfume, it’s certainly the epicenter of the product today, with the highest number of international perfume sales in the world. When perfume was first brought to France, it was only available to upper class individuals. It became more widely used and accessible at the end of the 19^th century, once hygiene became more important to the general public and more brands were established. Today, French perfumes are set apart because they are still meticulously made with natural ingredients and traditional techniques, not compromising quality for mass production. If you’re looking for a truly high-quality perfume, here are 10 traditional French perfumeries to visit in Paris.

 

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Guerlain Champs-Élysées

Fragonard

Annick Goutal

Perfumer Annick Goutal started out as a pianist and model, before launching her first fragrance collection in 1980. Known as a leader of niche perfumery, Annick describes her perfumes as stories that one can “experience” on their skin. She wanted to make very distinct smells that would bring people back to certain times and places. While she lived, Annick created 25 delicate and fresh scents that differed from the popular fragrances of the time. Her daughter, Camille, runs the business today, taking inspiration from specific instances that brought her joy, such as “a stormy morning on a business trip to Tokyo.” Since the brand’s establishment, Goutal perfumes have maintained their reputation as simple yet sophisticated unisex scents packaged in elegant glass bottles that are refillable and recyclable.

L’Artisan Parfumeur

L’Artisan Parfumeur opened in 1976 as one of the first niche perfume brands. Founder Jean Laporte was a chemist, making fruit scented perfumes as a silly side project but quickly realized his passion for the fragrance world. The brand sells handcrafted perfumes with natural scents meant to showcase the beauty of nature. The number before the perfume name stands for the amount of times it took to get the concoction perfect, an inside look at the perfume making process at L’Artisan Parfumeur. Each perfume has a description that highlights the scent notes in a highly descriptive way, informing you on its emotional association, rather than just what it smells like.

Diptyque

Le Labo

Opened in 2006, Le Labo is a handmade unisex perfume brand that’s 100% vegan and not tested on animals. If you’ve ever wondered what goes into making perfume, Le Labo is the place for you. Here, you simply choose the scent you want and they’ll make it right in front of you in their in-store lab. You can even customize the bottle by choosing what’s written on the label. They also offer discounts for refills, encouraging customers to reuse bottles and contribute to their sustainable framework. The number in the name indicates the ingredient count, all of which are locally sourced from France whenever possible. Be sure to check out their City Exclusives collection, transporting you to different cities around the world with just a spritz.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian

Serge Lutens

Nose

Nose is a truly innovative perfumery dedicated to helping its customers find their signature scent. Take their online survey to find your “olfactive diagnosis” based on your past perfume choices, and they’ll pair you with 5 samples to do a blind smell test with. You’re not supposed to look at the packaging because the scent is meant to be your only deciding factor when choosing your favorite. With over 500 fragrances, the survey is designed to simplify the decision and leave you with a signature scent you’re sure to enjoy.

Nicolaï

By Killian