Perfume, the emblem of French refinement

Where does this French attraction to perfume come from?

What role did France play in establishing it as one of the essential beauty rituals for Europeans?

How did French expertise in the cultivation of perfume plants and perfume creation gradually gain a foothold around the world?

This is what you will discover in this new article from the Mag Parfum by Estéban.

France, or the reign of perfume plants

If France is today considered one of the (if not The) world references for perfume, it is because it is readily recognized as having an exceptional horticultural heritage (cradle of many luxurious raw materials), talented master perfumers (sometimes world-renowned), and above all, unique know-how inherited from centuries of trade, technical innovation, and both political and economic investment. Even today, the perfume industry around the world retains a very French face. In fact, the know-how of the Grasse region regarding perfume was officially inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2018.

This award acknowledges the expertise of the region and its inhabitants, who have been practicing the cultivation of perfume plants and their processing, as well as the creation of fragrant blends, since at least the 16th century. At the time, the region was primarily known for its tanneries (an activity that released strong odors). To compensate for this, the nobility of Grasse organized themselves to encourage the cultivation (and use) of fragrant plants, as well as the concomitant development of the perfumer profession. While flower essences had previously been imported from Montpellier, Grasse deployed a dense culture of perfume plants; as a result, lavender, jasmine, rose, and rosemary could quickly be harvested on-site to meet the industry's needs.

Alongside Paris and Grasse, Montpellier played an essential role in the development of French perfumery in the 17th and 18th centuries: while the capital was of major importance in the creation and distribution of scented products, Parisian professionals mainly imported their ingredients from the Grasse and Montpellier regions (flowers and aromatic plants were then used to scent leather gloves, which high society was fond of). Beyond its unparalleled natural and plant heritage, the city of Montpellier, ideally located on the edge of the Mediterranean basin, imported spices, plants, and rare goods, contributing greatly to the growth of southern perfumery. The city once had up to 21 perfume factories.

Did you know? Connoisseurs of the Montpellier city center will be curious to learn that the current Grande Rue Jean-Moulin, which was its hub, is said to have borne the name "Rue des parfums" (Perfume Street).

Crowned heads and perfumed passions

The passion for perfume firmly established itself in the customs of the French aristocracy from the middle of the 16th century, under the reign of Catherine de' Medici (Queen of France from 1547 to 1559). This Italian woman, initiated into perfumes from a very young age (Italian products were the benchmark at the time and were already being exported abroad), arrived at the Court of Paris accompanied by her master perfumer (Renato Bianco, known as "René the Florentine"). Catherine quickly imposed the fashion of pomanders, perfumed gloves, and small scent bottles that could be tucked into clothing pockets. As for Renato Bianco, his fame allowed him to open his perfume shop in the capital (rue Pont aux changes), drawing many other perfumers in his wake. The perfumers of the Kingdom of France had been united in a guild since 1190, but their expertise remained relatively rudimentary at the time. Thanks to Renato and his business, French perfumery gradually earned its credentials...

But it was really from the reign of Louis XIV in the 17th century that the fame of French perfume took off abroad. The monarch, determined to lead France to its peak, gave considerable importance to arts, culture, and letters. Perfume, of which he was a great lover himself (he was nicknamed the "sweetest smelling King"), was no exception and became an instrument of the influence of Versailles abroad (Versailles was then called "the perfumed Court"). It was fashionable to appear there every day adorned with a different perfume, and all the Courts of Europe soon followed the French fashion. This was a boon for perfumers, who then created bespoke scented waters for their illustrious clientele.

Simon Barbe (a perfumer, skilled writer, and courtier in his spare time) described in his book Le parfumeur François the scented habits of the Court, where flowers with intoxicating trails perfumed the leather of gloves, where "Venus handkerchiefs" (fabrics impregnated with fragrant essences) were legion, and where it was customary to burn perfume braziers (the ancestor of room fragrance) in bedrooms to scent and purify the air. Indeed, at the time, the use of perfumes also had a hygienic and medicinal purpose (the line between the apothecary and the perfumer was then blurred). To benefit from its virtues, perfume even found its way into food: at the King's table, one could find wine infused with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, long pepper, and coriander. Amber and musks were then added to this nectar, along with citrus fruits, of which the King was fond.

During his reign, courtiers rubbed their bodies with Bologna soap, brushed their teeth with a preparation made of cinnamon, clove, and lemon, and coated their hands with a paste of iris, benzoin, and sweet almond to "gently remove dirt." Sandalwood, rose, or lavender oils that anointed the hair under the wig finalized the attire. Perfume plants (notably jasmine, roses, and tuberose) could be found even in the gardens of Le Nôtre and in the Hall of Mirrors, where potted orange trees bloomed all year round, much to the delight of diplomats and other prestigious guests, contributing to the renown of this "Perfumed Court" across Europe.

Political choices in favor of French perfumery

From the Renaissance onwards, numerous political decisions allowed France to position itself at the forefront of the trade and manufacture of perfumes.

In 1536, Francis I signed an alliance with Suleiman the Magnificent, leader of the Ottoman Empire, securing a choice position for the French on the perfume routes. From then on, France would play a strategic role in what were called "The Levant Scales" (a set of ports and trading cities through which travelers from Europe accessed the Orient). The war between the Most Serene Republic (Venice) and the Sublime Porte (Constantinople) gradually eliminated commercial competition from Venice, offering Marseille a clear path for the maritime trade of rare essences and spices.

Later, under the influence of his wife Catherine de' Medici, Henry II established the first perfume bottle factory in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, hiring the services of great Italian glass masters to create exceptional pieces for the Court, thus countering Italian glass production, which then dominated the market. Following him, Colbert would create the Royal Glass Works, which would later take the name Saint-Gobain. Gradually, French production surpassed its competitor in quality and renown.

Perfume manufacturing was, for its part, encouraged during the reign of Louis XIV by the creation of the "Métiers d’Art" (the origin of luxury in France), of which perfumery was obviously a part. The charter of the glover-perfumers was also expanded, allowing for the emergence of new processes that fueled the creativity of perfumers. The perfection of distillation and the capture of the trail of "mute flowers" through enfleurage, in particular, broadened the perfumers' palette and freed them from the seasonal constraints of essences. So much so that by 1673, the exceptional volume of perfume sales placed the perfumers' guild among the most important merchants in the Kingdom.

In the 18th century, French perfumery established itself permanently on the European scene.

Even today, perfume remains one of the finest banners of France and its refinement.

An expertise that has only been refined over time, making "made in France" a true mark of quality and authenticity around the world. This year, the country will be the center of all international attention due to the global sporting event being held there. For the occasion, Estéban has combined the emotion of sport and the French art of living in a collection of official licensed Paris 2024 products designed to scent the daily lives of thousands of fans. To be discovered in its entirety very soon.

Sources:

• "La voix du parfum" podcast by Isabelle Sadoux: "France on the perfume routes"
• "Marie-Antoinette's Rose Water and other voluptuous perfumes of History", by Elisabeth de Feydeau