Fragrant Fun at the Fragonard Musée du Parfum

Sundays are usually pretty quiet around Paris. Many shops and attractions are closed, and it can sometimes be a bit challenging to find things to do outside the home. When the weather is nice, public parks are a great choice, but when it’s still a bit chilly, time is better spent indoors.

Looking for something original to do this past weekend, I came across the Le musée du parfum. I was already quite pleased to have found something open on a Sunday, but was even further delighted when I realized that entrance and guided tours are free.

Le musée du parfum, just steps away from Opéra

Located near Opéra Garnier, the museum occupies several rooms of a beautiful Napoleon III townhouse. Each room contains magnificent artifacts including intricate perfume bottles, antique production tools and vintage labels. 

A selection of fabulous vintage perfume labels

In 2015, Fragonard celebrates jasmine with a dedicated collection

An impressive perfume organ beckoning an expert nose

In just half an hour, a guide led us through the history of perfume and the Fragonard brand. We discovered the incredible quantity of flower petals it takes to create just a few ounces of essence (literally tons), learned about the training and career of a “nose” (There are only two schools in the entire world, both in France.) and even got to try our hand at identifying scents during a matching game.

Our tour concluded in the gift shop, where we gathered around a counter to sample some of their most notable fragrances. And although purchases were not obligatory, it was hard to leave empty-handed!


Le musée du parfum
9 rue Scribe
75009 Paris