My Paris Perfume Tour: A Scented Pilgrimage
Last week, I went to Paris on a personal pilgrimage—not to see the Mona Lisa or climb the Eiffel Tower, but to follow my nose. This was a fragrance journey, long-dreamed-of and soul-stirred, an exploration of the boutiques and maisons that shape the world of scent. This guide is part memoir, part map—a trail of petals and patchouli for anyone who wants to smell their way through Paris.
Arrival
I arrived by train from London, journaling as the countryside blurred past in streaks of green and gray. After five days with family in London and three in the Cotswolds with my husband, this final solo stretch in Paris was the closing chapter of my journey before heading home to California.
To be honest, I was tired. I’d visited Paris three times in the last nine years, and after my 2022 trip, I’d declared I had no reason to return. But the best flights were out of Charles de Gaulle, and I couldn’t resist two uninterrupted days of perfume pilgrimage. So I pressed on, ambivalent but curious.
The moment I stepped into the taxi queue outside Gare du Nord, that ambivalence vanished. Paris hit me like a slow exhale—familiar and beautiful, even from the train station sidewalk. As a stylish man passed by, I snapped a photo and thought, how could I ever not want to come back here? My excitement bloomed as we rolled toward my hotel in Le Marais.
Day One
📍 Dover Street Parfums Market
📌 11 bis Rue Elzevir, 75003 Paris
✨ Vibe: Cool, industrial, stripped-down. The kind of place you can go slow and breathe it all in.
Armed with my umbrella and Apple Maps, I headed into the rain toward my first stop: Dover Street Parfums Market. Sleek, minimal, and airy, the space felt like an art gallery of scent. The staff were warm but unintrusive, giving me freedom to explore. I was delighted to find Regime des Fleurs, Fischersund, and Commodity—all beautifully curated. I left with no bottles but plenty of excitement, already buzzing with what was to come.
📍 Officine Universelle Buly 1803
📌 19 Rue Vieille du Temple, 75004 Paris
✨ Vibe: Witchy apothecary of the 1800s. Where voices are hushed, spells are cast, and magic clings to your coat hem as you leave.
I waited nearly thirty minutes to enter Buly 1803, the rain miraculously pausing just long enough for my turn. Inside, it was less shop, more time capsule: 19th-century apothecary counters, handwritten labels, eau triple perfumes, balms, and brushes like talismans. They were out of my desired scent—Scandinavian Redcurrant and Peruvian Tomato—but I found a divine body lotion (Lait Virginal Eritrean Myrrh) and a pin-tail comb I couldn’t resist. They engraved it on the spot. My purchases were boxed and sealed with hand-calligraphed stickers bearing my initials. I’ll return every time I’m in Paris.
📍 Kilian Paris
📌 40 Rue Vieille du Temple, 75004 Paris
✨ Vibe: A modern apothecary disguised as a champagne bar.
The next stop, Kilian Paris, was small and a bit too quiet. Both associates were busy, and the scents didn’t sing to me, so I made a graceful exit, unspritzed and unclaimed.
📍 Shakespeare & Company
📌 37 Rue de la Bûcherie, 75005 Paris
✨ Vibe: Bohemian. Literary. Timeworn. Sacred.
Crossing the Seine toward my final destination of the day, I paid homage to a different kind of fragrance—the musty magic of old books. Yes, Shakespeare & Company is touristy. But it’s also iconic, and this was my first visit. I waited just five minutes before being ushered into the storybook atmosphere. No photos allowed, but I swooned over the upstairs nook and left with a canvas tote and a slim book of poetry in my hands.
That night, I sat at a corner bistro with a pint of beer and a hot, well-earned pizza. Back in my hotel, I unpacked my treasures, re-read my itinerary, and fell asleep eager for more.
Day Two
📍 Sézane
📌 1 Rue Saint-Fiacre, 75002 Paris
✨ Vibe: Your favorite French girl’s impossibly chic apartment.
Though not a perfume house, I couldn’t resist popping into Sézane. I’ve shopped online before, but the physical space is charming—intimate and styled to perfection. I left with three belts, two sweaters, and a darling travel makeup bag.
📍 Nose
📌 20 Rue Bachaumont, 75002 Paris
✨ Vibe: Refined and immersive. A cathedral of scent.
At Nose, I lingered long. The walls were lined with treasures: Chambre52, Ex Nihilo, D’Orsay. I moved slowly, reverently—until catastrophe struck. While removing a cap, the atomizer popped off and a geyser of perfume splashed across my face, into my mouth, and all over my right shoulder. The scent? A noxious, grandma-esque cloud that clung with determination. I left reeking of regret and vintage talc, laughing (and gagging) through my horror.
📍 Astier de Villatte
📌 173 Rue Saint-Honoré, 75001 Paris
✨ Vibe: Like you’ve time-traveled to an artisan’s chateau.
I sought refuge at Astier de Villatte, where handcrafted ceramics and small luxuries made everything feel sacred again. I bought a serving dish for my upstate kitchen and an incense holder that felt like it had been waiting for me. This place is a ritual all its own.
📍 Maison Francis Kurkdjian
📌 5 Rue d'Alger, 75001 Paris
✨ Vibe: Polished, pristine, and popular.
Yes, they make Baccarat Rouge 540, the love-it-or-leave-it caramelized cloud of band-aids and burnt sugar. I actually like the extrait version, but I don’t wear it—too ubiquitous. Instead, I rediscovered Gentle Fluidity. It smells like golden hour on vacation: sun-warmed skin, Aperol Spritz, a balcony overlooking Lake Como.
📍 Librairie Galignani
📌 224 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
✨ Vibe: Elegant, hushed, and wood-floored—like a secret library that welcomes you home.
Around the corner, I wandered into Galignani, the oldest English-language bookstore in continental Europe. It was quieter, more refined than Shakespeare & Co., and I was charmed by the art books and displays. I left with a guide on butterflies—written in French—to adorn my summer altar back home.
📍 Jovoy Parfums
📌 4 Rue de Castiglione, 75001 Paris
✨ Vibe: Like rummaging through your rich uncle’s mysterious closet.
Dark wood, amber lighting, glowing bottles—Jovoy is a world unto itself. I discovered Alien Fruit 30.03 by Neydo (redcurrant and musk, pure summer fun), Eve by Stephanie de Bruijn (a skin scent kissed with peach and sugar), and the showstopper: Magic Mushrooms by Bohoboco. Cypress, grapefruit, cannabis, vetiver, moss, and yes—mushrooms. Its bright pink hue belied its earthy strangeness. With nose fatigue (and the lingering horror of yesterday’s accidental dousing), I left with no bottles but plenty of plans to order samples.
📍 Bienaimé
📌 30 Rue Saint-Roch, 75001 Paris
✨ Vibe: Art Deco elegance with a hint of red lipstick and jazz.
My final planned stop: Bienaimé, a brand revived from the 1930s with dreamy packaging and an air of vintage glamor. Terrazzo floors, brass fixtures, pink and red accents. I picked up a hand cream, dry oil, lip balm, and left with a smile worthy of a powder compact.
📍 SAÏ Saint-Louis
📌 28 Rue Beautreillis, 75004 Paris
✨ Vibe: A witch’s sanctum crossed with a Parisian curiosity cabinet.
On my final evening stroll, I stumbled into SAÏ Saint-Louis—tiny, tucked away, and utterly magical. A single room brimming with vintage treasures, delicate jewelry, and strange, enchanting objects. I chose a ceramic rabbit head and a pair of vintage spice containers, packed them carefully into my new suitcase, and whispered my thanks to Paris.
Departure
At 5:30 a.m., my Uber arrived. The streets were still, the sky a soft gray. As I stepped toward the car, a flock of pigeons burst skyward with a thunder of wings—a cinematic farewell I’ll never forget.
To my surprise, I felt two longings at once: for home, and for more time in Paris. I made myself a quiet promise: I’ll return. Maybe for a vintage and flea market tour. Maybe for art and archives. Maybe just to wander. But I’ll come back, nose-first and heart-open, to a city that never fails to enchant me.
If You Go: Tips for Your Own Scented Sojourn
1. Go with a shortlist—but stay open.
Make a plan, but leave room for serendipity. Some of my favorite moments weren’t on the itinerary.
2. Wear fragrance-free clothing.
Your nose (and sweater) will thank you. A neutral canvas helps you truly experience each scent without interference—or disaster.
3. Carry tester strips and alcohol prep pads.
Some stores were out of scent strips, and having a stash came in handy. Use the wipes to remove scent from your skin so you can keep testing your favorites without mixing scents.
4. Take notes as you go.
You will forget which scent was in which bottle by the third stop. Jot down the names, notes, and how each one made you feel.
5. Embrace “nose fatigue.”
It’s real. Rest between shops, take snack breaks, and inhale the open air. A quick detour to a bookshop or café can reset your senses.
6. Step outside with your scent strips
Inside stores, it’s olfactory overload and can be difficult to smell anything. Find 3-5 scents you like, spray your scent strips, then step outside for a few moments. The fresh air will allow you to smell each scent clearly.
7. Don’t be afraid to leave empty-handed.
The magic often happens later, when you revisit a scent through memory—or order samples from home with fresh perspective.
8. Seek enchantment, not just purchase.
Let the whole ritual be the reward: the architecture, the storytelling, the quiet way a scent chooses you.
Saved for Next Time
There are always more doors to open. These spots were high on my list but didn’t make the cut—either due to time, location, or sheer sensory overload:
Liquides Bar à Parfums – A hidden gem in the Haut Marais with a moody, bar-like ambiance and niche scents galore.
Marie Antoinette Parfumerie – Said to be dripping in old-world charm and home to rare treasures.
L’Officine Universelle Buly at Bon Marché – A larger, even more theatrical version of the boutique I visited.
Diptyque (34 Boulevard Saint-Germain) – The flagship store of the famed candle and fragrance brand, complete with limited editions.
Annick Goutal – A house rooted in romance and French elegance, with a soft, feminine touch.
Sens Unique – A cozy shop with hard-to-find indie brands and a devoted following.
Ex Nihilo (Rue Saint-Honoré) – For bold, architectural fragrances in a luxe setting.
Parle Moi de Parfum – A family-run house tucked in the Marais, created by a legendary nose.
Maison Crivelli – Known for multisensory installations and striking, unconventional notes.
That was pretty cool and amazing.
Thanks for bringing us along.