An innovative olfactory journey – Le Grand Musée du Parfum, Paris

Like a blink of an eye, it’s almost time to say goodbye to the long hot summer holiday, have you ever think of any way to refresh yourself a bit before starting your new work day? Well, I am sure the shopping spree throughout the summer sale has been a great reward to both your wardrobe and shopping therapy craving, what about having something that smells nice too? As my dear reader you all realize how much I like perfume (and elegant lifestyle, of course), and that’s exactly why I would like to take you to a very unique journey on appreciating perfume, in a more innovative, educational, and refreshing way.

During my vacation to Paris weeks ago, one of my ‘mission’ is to make a pilgrimage to a new ‘palace’ which dedicated to celebrate and honor the art of perfume making in France – Le Grand Musée du Parfum. Located in the sophisticated neighborhood in the 8th arrondissement, this grand museum is possibly one of the place that is very accessible to welcome all perfume connoisseurs and collectors to get into the culture and core spirit of the French perfume making in the heart of the city of light. Opened since late Dec 2016, Le Grand Musée du Parfum has embraced the magnificent history, and one the most beautiful achievement of French savoir-faire. The premises is formerly as a residence of master gardeners in the 17th century, then become home to bourgeois owners until most recently, the haute couture maison of Christian Lacroix’s.

©Isabelle Chapuis & Alexis Pichot

©Irene de Rosen

The first thing after entered to the museum, one can feel the artisanal atmosphere that exudes from the beautiful concept store that located right in front of entrance. The quintessential modern Parisian interior design with a cozy, harmonious, and luxurious aura; after getting the ticket, the journey starts right at the basement after going down to a spiral staircase. The museum in fact consists of three sections that takes the visitor to get to the core of perfume making from the bottom: with the first one as ‘Perfume stories and Histories’, then comes to the second one named ‘Sensory immersion’, and lastly, my favorite one, named ‘The Art of Perfumer’. Needlessly to say, ‘Perfume stories and histories’ is an introductory journey to showcase the origin of perfume, and some of the key legends that throughout the past few centuries that using perfume as a media to exude their beauty, style and in certain extend, power. Visitors can learn about all these incredibly mesmerizing stories in the ‘Gallery of seduction’, also, if you are interested with historic artifacts, there’s a little showcase that replicated the old time French perfumery as well as a selection of top French couturier who made their iconic perfume along with their beautiful couture history, as an intimate association of how significant that is in between high fashion and perfume.

©Irene de Rosen

Taking the staircase back to the upper floor, which lands my footstep to a very innovative section, the ‘Sensory immersion’, thanks to the modern technology and innovation, this section invites visitor to reconnect their sense of smell through a variety of enlightening assessments, also, as a participant to test yourself on identifying a variety of fragrance type, in an entertaining and creative way. The luxurious and comforting interior, matching with the wave-shape counter that showcasing different scent blotters, laying out tidily with clear explanation which makes one to comprehend easily and enjoyable at the same time.

As mentioned my favorite section, ‘The Art of the Perfumer’, to me personally, this section is literally the most interesting and artistic part of the museum (perhaps that’s the reason why it situates on the top floor, the best thing come in the last, right?), not only because its innovation once again, also the intelligent use of modern art and technology to bring out the spirit and effort of a perfumer, their sacred work that gives a little sparkle in our life of style with their distinctive vision, sensitivity towards scent, and professionalism of creating an unique perfume. Try out their artistic and sculptural scent display at the ‘Perfume Ingredient Collection’, to marvel the state-of-modern art that looks like a curtain of waterdrops still-in-motion, the display provides both the information of the major ingredient scent with sound and the smell of it through a sphere-like device, very advance and creative, then proceed to the ‘Perfumer’s Workspace’, a dark room that interprets the creation process of perfumer with an orchestrated setting, resembling the art and sacred work of perfume-making like composing music, having the performance right in front of you and the phantomic feel, which makes the experience much interesting with a mingle of the mystery of perfume savoir-faire and beauty.

©Irene de Rosen

©Tristan Bensaid

Of course, who doesn’t like to get a piece of dream back home as a little souvenir afterall? The spacious and luxuriously furnished concept store can possibly be your paradise of shopping for a one-of-the-kind perfume back home, or, as a gift to your dear friend, the sincere and professional retail consultants are very helpful to guide you the impeccable perfume collection available, don’t be afraid of sharing your preference and personal style in order to get the perfume that suits you the most from there. In addition, a wide range of informative books about perfume, from history to the art of fine perfume creation, is also can be found on the other side of the store, for those who are eager to explore more and dive deep into the world of perfume making, why not grab a copy as a little memory for yourself too apart from the perfume itself?

Right before making your trip to the home of perfume in southern France, now there is a ‘palace’ that is right in the heart of the Paris city, waiting for you to commence your innovative olfactory journey.

http://www.grandmuseeduparfum.fr/

My Modern Darcy

Refined & elegant lifestyle for fine gents

An innovative olfactory journey – Le Grand Musée du Parfum, Paris