Scents on Show
Fragonard, the Grasse-based perfumer, has opened its third Musée du Parfum (3-5 square de l’Opéra Louis Jouvet, 75009) in Paris, near the Opéra Garnier. Even though these museums are attached to a commercial enterprise (each has its own boutique), they are still fascinating for anyone interested in the history of fragrances and the art and technique of making them. Visitors learn many interesting facts – near the end of his life, for example, Louis XIV, at whose court everything, even wigs, had been perfumed, banned all fragrances except orange blossom (good choice!) – and see an impressive array of unusual artifacts, including a wealth of cunning and beautiful flacons from across the centuries. All three museums are free.
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