How to shop for perfume in Paris like a Parisian

French perfume expert Clémence Pelle lives and breathes fragrance. Here, she shares her favourite perfumeries in Paris, plus her tips on how to buy scent the French way.

For Paris-born fragrance expert Clémence Pelle, perfume is more than a job: "It's my life, it's my hobby, it's in my DNA."

Born in Paris, Clémence Pelle studied fragrance chemistry in Brittany before moving to London, where she became a fragrance expert for Chanel. She has collaborated with brands like Dior and YSL and offers masterclasses. Pelle reviews perfumes and explores fragrance trends on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.

(Photo by: Hervé Lassïnce)

It's not a bold claim – perfume has been embedded in the Parisian identity since the "perfumed court" of Louis XIV. By the 18th and 19th Centuries, parfumeries had spread throughout the city, helping establish it as the global capital of fragrance, just as it was emerging as a fashion centre.

"[In Paris], you had that mix of fragrance and haute couture very early on, [with Coco] Chanel," says Pelle. "In 1921 she created [Chanel] No 5 to match her vision of modern femininity."  

Contemporary French style is often associated with a "less-is-more, spontaneous vibe", says Pelle. "[So we prefer] a very simple eau de toilette that is usually laid back and effortless."

Today, there are hundreds of perfumeries across Paris, ranging from heritage houses like Houbigant and Guerlain to opulent department stores like Galeries Lafayette and Samaritaine.

Pelle favours shopping in the vibrant Le Marais neighbourhood, home to a high concentration of perfume boutiques. Niche fragrance brands like Maison Francis Kurkdjian and Jeroboam sit alongside classics like Chanel and Dior. The sheer choice can be overwhelming, admits Pelle: "At the same time it's inspiring because now we can choose something that really makes us feel unique".

Here are Pelle's tips on how – and where – to shop for perfume in Paris.

What's the "French" way to wear fragrance?

It's very effortless – we don't like complicated, don't like too heavy. In France, when you perfume yourself it's going to be on the pulse points, where the vein is so it can warm up the scent and make it blossom on the skin. One or two sprays maximum on each side of the neck, and that's all. Coco Chanel used to say, 'wear fragrance where you want to be kissed.' [In France, we kiss] when we say hello so you would put fragrance behind the ear so everyone can smell you when they say hello to you. But it's also very, very light. 

What are the current French "it" fragrances?

You still find Chanel No 5 in so many bathrooms.  

My signature scent is Jeroboam Gozo. It's a tuberose smell, so it's a very creamy white floral, but it has a plastic accord. If you remember the smell of the skin of a Barbie doll, it smells like that. Every time I wear it, people buy it. [Then], Piano Santal from l'Orchestre Parfum – [it's] a sandalwood fragrance with milky accords so it's versatile for all year long.

French people are still very attached to their designer........

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