Our Au Pays de La Fleur Perfume Guide

We’ve partnered up with luxury, niche perfume house Au Pays de la Fleur d’Oranger this season to include their gorgeous fragrances within our V3: Celebrating Spring in Provence Box curation, on-sale now and shipping this April.

We chose Au Pays de La Fleur d’Oranger as one of our luxe perfume options for this season after testing many other local houses. We offer our VIP Annual Subscriber’s tailored curations each season. This spring, our lucky USA subscribers will have the opportunity to choose one full size bottle of either the Néroli Blanc, or Les Inédits Fragrances listed below (more exciting brands to be announced soon).

To help our clients and reader’s make an informed choice, we have asked Fragrance Consultant, Rebecca Amer of Irridessence, to offer her expert guidance in selecting their fragrances. We are pleased to share Rebecca’s APFO Perfume Guide with all of our readers, in case you, too, are curious to learn more about this luxury perfume house from Grasse. From Rebecca:

How to choose? I am a firm believer in connecting emotions to perfume. So you could choose purely by reading how these perfumes made me feel. Of course it is subjective. Other factors to consider are what your current taste in perfume is and how daring you wish to be.

There are several reasons we chose Au Pays de La Fleur d’Oranger for this curation. This perfume house is outstanding and there is plenty to choose from. The founders behind this brand have put their hearts and souls into making exceptional fragrances and it shines through. Their success hinges on many factors, not least the heritage linking them to orange blossom and the high quality of the local ingredients used. Even more important in my view, is the undeniable talent of their nose, Jean Claude Gigodot, who has spent a lifetime creating beautiful smells. He is a generous and delightful man and his body of work reflects this. I was fortunate to meet Jean Claude Gigodot in Grasse, it was fascinating to witness his creative process first hand and to hear his wonderful stories about the perfume world.

Néroli Blanc is the mainstay of Au Pays de la Fleur d’Oranger, this line is it’s heritage and showcases one of my favorite white flowers, the orange blossom. Let’s begin with the choices available from this line:

• Néroli Blanc eau de parfum – Super uplifting, this is a pretty, citrussy, orange blossom blend that will make you feel pretty. It is classical French perfume and in the easy to wear category. Great for day time; light and airy. Lasts about four hours on me. Emotionally it makes me feel lighthearted. If you like Jour d’Hermes or Anais Anais or even Cristalle you might like this. They are not similar as such but stylistically they are related.
• Néroli Blanc eau de parfum Intense – Luscious and glowing, similar notes to the above but a very different effect as this is definitely sweet and gourmande. There is a lovely helping of vanilla, administered with a sure hand so that the fragrance is not oversweet. A wonderfully balanced perfume. Emotionally the effect is a little naughty, like I have been eating cake when I shouldn’t have. Two of my friends have fallen hard for Néroli Blanc Intense and I would hazard a guess that generally it’s a people pleaser. If you like Bottega Veneta’s Knot and you’d like to amp up the vanilla, you may love Néroli Blanc Intense. All woman.

Les Inédits – This line is more complex, I would say it’s also more daring than the Néroli Blanc line. Each one is beautifully crafted and develops over time. Here are the options from this gorgeous line:

• Jasmin Rêvé – Sensual and joyful. Let yourself be seduced by this rich jasmine resting on a gorgeous sandalwood vanilla base. If you like Joy by Jean Patou this may be for you, it’s more “modern” and more approachable than Joy, softer and less “perfumey” perhaps.
• Rose Irisée – A perfume that is close to my heart. It represents tenderness whenever I wear it. Powdery with a subtle, shy rose, clothed in iris. You must like iris to choose this and if your man wears Homme by  Dior and you love it, this will be perfection for you. Rose Irisée captured my heart and I will never be without it.
• Violette Sacrée – Mystery in a bottle. Sophisticated and complex. Woody violets with orange blossom and vetiver peeping through. I know a man and a woman who wear it and it smells fabulous on both of them. If you like Balenciaga’s Paris you may well fall for this one. Voilette Sacrée makes me feel thoughtful, reflective.
• Tuberose Rosée – With the demure rose scented cotton dress you will find some silky tuberose lingerie. Not all-out stockings and suspenders but classy and sexy. Date night perfume. This is lush and opens boldly, über feminine. You will fall hard for it or not at all. Puts me in mind of Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia from Estée Lauder but I prefer this one. Made me feel daring.
• Figue Fruitée – An unusual woody, figgy, green and fruity fragrance with a soft leathery base. I have tested this on lots of people and it is popular; choose this if you know you like fig. If you like Philosykos you may like this. Empowered and fun is how it made me feel.
• Lavande Ombrée – Lavender feilds are symbolic of Provence although I personally struggle with the lavender note’s more medicinal/herbal facets. This lavender is elegant and refined, it has had the rough edges smoothed away and rests on a subtle leather base and I detect a wisp of smoke.  I am fascinated by Lavande Ombrée. If you like Caron’s Pour un Homme, try this, you will not be disappointed.
• Bergamote Boisée – Here is an aromatic masculine fragrance that is assertively woody. Delightfully uplifting grapefruit opening which melts into the woody cedar heart and cedar/patchouli base. Makes me feel happy then outdoorsy. If you like Terre d’Hermes you will love this. Insider perfume gossip; Terre d’Hermes is a masterpiece created by Hermes’ in house nose, Jean Claude Ellena, who just happens to be a lifetime friend and one time colleague of Jean Claude Gigodot. The latter admitted that Terre d’Hermes is the fragrance he wishes he had made. Perhaps this is his homage to it?

More About Rebecca, Plus A Special Offer Perfect for Valentine’s Day!

In addition, Rebecca has graciously offered a special 20% off until 29th of February 2016, on her Personalized Fragrance Consultations which can be done in-person in Aix-en-Provence, or for those reading from afar, by Skype. Rebecca is an incredible resource and guide to help those entering deeper into the perfume world, or to help you grow and layer your collections.

Visit her web site to learn more or contact Rebecca directly by email or phone at: +33 (0)6 72 68 00 51 to book your consultation today.