French perfume brands. Paris perfume brands
French perfume brands include Chanel, Guerlain and Fragonard. France is the world leader of perfumes since the 17th century. The Cosmetic Valley south of Paris, Provence and the French Riviera are the heart of the flourishing French perfume industry, the third most succesfull French export industry which produces 25% of the world perfumes. The success of the Fragonard Museum confirms Paris is the world perfume capital. French fashion facts.
French perfume
No country ranks higher than France for perfume. Many of the most famous perfumes, such as Chanel N°5 and Coco Mademoiselle and Guerlain Shalimar, are actually French.
Perfumes are a distinctive part of French elegance. Come to Paris to buy French fashion and perfumes. Discover French elegance and art de vivre.
French perfume brands: Chanel N°5
French perfume workshop in Paris
While in Paris, take an olfactory journey and discover the secrets of perfume-making during a guided tour of the Musée du Parfum Fragonard, located right next to the Opéra Garnier. After the tour, take part in a small workshop and become the creator of your own eau de toilette.
The "Flower of the Year" olfactory workshop will enable you to create and personalize your own eau de Toilette, 12 ml in a spray.
Attend a French perfume workshop in Paris
French perfume brands
Chanel (Chanel N°5), Dior (Miss Dior) and Guerlain (Shalimar) are the top French perfume brands.
Fragonard, a well known perfume brand originating from Provence in south of France, has its own perfume museum.
L'Occitane and Yves Rocher, are specializing in affordable perfumes based on natural products. The very Parisian and lesser known perfumes of Goutal and Lolita Lempicka are also women's favorites in France.
French perfume brands: Guerlain Shalimar
Stay in top Paris hotel
Champs-Elysées hotel
Hôtel Barrière Fouquet's is the only hotel overlooking the Champs-Elysées. This 5-star hotel features a spa with a swimming pool and sauna, 3 bars and 2 restaurants, including the historic Fouquet's brasserie. All rooms have been decorated by top designers. Most rooms offer views of the Champs-Élysées, Avenue George-V or the hotel's interior garden. Champs-Elysées hotels.
Paris 75008 France
Hotel Barriere overlooks Champs-Elysées
Top 10 women's perfumes
France has always established itself as an undisputed reference in terms of fashion and skincare. But its influence does not stop there: it also dominates the world of perfumery with a unique know-how that crosses borders. Between iconic houses and timeless creations, French perfumes remain unbeatable and continue to seduce on a global scale.
The Cosmopolitan magazine reveals the list of best-selling fragrances in the world, and one thing immediately stands out: they are almost all French. Further proof of the prestige and excellence of French perfumery.
Chanel – N°5
Already highly prized for its leather goods, the house of Chanel reigns with an iron fist over the kingdom of fragrances with an exceptional juice that stands out, the famous N°5 by Chanel. Created in 1921, this perfume has managed, a century later, to still be in demand. Elegant and assertive, this perfume is to this day one of the best-selling in the world.
Guerlain – Shalimar
It is impossible to think of Guerlain without thinking of its most iconic essence of all time, Shalimar. A legend in the history of perfumery, this deep and easily recognizable juice remains a must-have today to the point that it is one of the best-selling in the world.
Yves Saint Laurent - Black Opium Eau de Parfum
We then find another famous French fashion house, Yves Saint Laurent. It is the perfume Opium, launched in 1977, which enters the race. This essence stood out at the time thanks to its oriental notes and the success is still there almost 50 years later. Note that its revisited version, Black Opium is also very popular with the new generation.
Mugler – Angel
Yves Saint Laurent - Black Opium
It was in 1992 that the perfume Angel by Thierry Mugler was launched. Much sweeter than its competitors mentioned above, it seduces thanks to gourmet notes of dark chocolate, vanilla, caramel and praline.
Dior – J'Adore
The perfume J'adore by Dior is obviously in the ranking! Capable of conquering the elders and the younger ones, this perfume with luminous floral notes has entered the hearts of women... and its bottle also attracts all eyes.
Kenzo - Flower by Kenzo
The Flower by Kenzo perfume is also one of the best-selling perfumes in the world. Soft and timeless, it has already crossed two decades since it was launched in 2000. Its floral and minimalist formula will certainly allow it to continue to seduce over the years.
While the perfumes mentioned above are “old” juices that have managed to not age a day, they are nevertheless in competition with recent essences that are doing well.
LancĂ´me - La vie est belle
We first think of the perfume La Vie est Belle by LancĂ´me, which is one of the recent perfumes, the best-selling in recent years, in all perfumeries in the world. Embodied by Julia Roberts, it is a fresh perfume with notes of jasmine, iris and orange blossom.
Guerlain - La petite Robe noire
Guerlain returns to the ranking with the perfume La Petite Robe Noire, which has been a real success since its launch. It offers a perfect blend of bergamot and raspberry notes to offer freshness and subtlety at any time of the year.
Chanel - Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum
With Coco Mademoiselle, Chanel has succeeded in offering a modern heritage to the perfume N°5. Coco Mademoiselle seduces the new generation thanks to its more modern and fresher composition while remaining classic and chic.
Dior - Miss Dior Eau de Parfum
The house of Dior also returns to the ranking with Miss Dior, a juice embodied by Natalie Portman in advertising spots that always leave a lasting impression... just like the formula that brilliantly combines modernity and elegance.
French perfume shops in Paris
The perfumes of L'Occitane and Yves Rocher can only be found in their branded stores. The many Marionnaud stores in Paris sell most French perfume brands and provide skin care and make-up services.
The famous Sephora stores (web site) also sell most French perfume brands in very large stores, including the flagship store at 70, Avenue des Champs-Elysees (Paris map).
French perfume brands: Goutal
Paris perfume museums
Opened in 2017 at 112, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré 75008, the Fragonard museum already attracts crowds of shoppers, many of them from Asia. Fragonard has a record of excellence in perfume. It was shortly before the First World War that Eugene Fuchs, an entrepreneur who had been seduced by the magic of perfume, set up his perfumery selling directly to the tourists who were beginning to discover the French Rivera’s charms. Parfumerie Fragonard was opened in 1926 in Grasse. Named after the famous 18th century French painter, synonymous with French way of life, Fragonard has opened new production plants and sales outlets in Grasse, Eze and Paris.
Not far in the city, the Grand Musée du Parfum is another exceptional perfume museum. Making the invisible palpable, presenting this intangible heritage of perfume in the rooms of a museum, is the challenge accepted by the Grand Musée du Parfum, sweeping visitors deep into an unforgettable experience of sense, emotion, pleasure, and understanding.
Paris 75008 France
Fragonard perfume in Fragonard Museum
High end Perfume stores in Paris
Paris department stores are very well know as great shopping venues for perfume with dedicated corners for most French and international perfume brands.
We love three boutique French perfume stores: Goutal, 12 place Saint-Sulpice Paris 75006 (Paris map), Guerlain, 68 avenue des Champs-Elysées Paris 75008 (Paris map) and, last but not least, Serge Lutens, 25, rue de Valois Paris 75001 (Paris map) under the Palais Royal arcades.
French perfume brands: Occitane
French perfume history
France quickly became the European center of perfume and cosmetic manufacture. Cultivation of flowers for their perfume essence, which had begun in the 14th century, grew into a major industry in the south of France mainly in Grasse now considered the world capital of perfume.
During the Renaissance, perfumes were used primarily by royalty and the wealthy to mask body odors resulting from the sanitary practices of the day. Perfume came into its own when Louis XV came to the throne in the 18th century. the King demanded a different fragrance for his apartment every day. Perfume substituted for soap and water. Aromatic plants were being grown around the city of Grasse. Today, France is the center of the European perfume design and trade.
The Cosmetic Valley south of Paris is another key region for the French perfume industry. Altogether, the French industry enjoys a position of market dominance in the world with 25% of the global market and a turnover of 11 billion euros (source: UN). Cosmetics are France's third biggest export, after aeronautics and wine.
Flower crop for perfume in Grasse