Introduction
Begin: L’église de la Madeleine End: Musée du Parfum FragonardThe French expression marcher le nez au vent (to walk with one’s nose to the wind) is a synonym for flâner (See Walk 21), to stroll wherever the wind takes you. I am a big fan of aimless strolling in Paris. This time, however, I am repurposing the expression with a goal in mind. Your aim is to awaken the olfactory sense; to smell Paris—for better and for worse—as you have never smelled it before. If you have studied French literature, you may notice a literary connection in the name of the métro stop where we will begin our walk. In the most famous passage written by Proust, a sweet, buttery cake called the madeleine (sold in métro vending machines everywhere) serves as an involuntary trigger for childhood memories. Not coincidentally, the caramel-like scent that is piped into the métro is also called—you guessed it—madeleine. (Really, I am not making this up. You might get lucky and smell it one day.)Ironically, one of the least sweet-smelling stops of the entire métro system is Madeleine (at least the Line 14 part of the station). Wafting up from deep below the cavernous station, the sulfurous stench of underground waters makes the arrival to our walk a Dante-esque ascent for the nose: first stop, a smelly inferno. But doesn’t all of the métro stink? replies the tourist. Let’s be frank: The French do have a bad reputation in America when it comes to body odor, but why? Is it because they don’t notice the smell?—Perfume capital of the world? Unlikely. Too much stinky cheese in the diet?—I don’t think Americans are in a position to compare eating habits. I would argue that the French appreciate a wider range of odors than their air-freshener-consuming American counterparts do. Let’s use a food analogy: A typical American may enjoy steak (probably well done) but not brain or intestines. In general (and you, dear reader, may be the exception), we Americans have a relatively narrow palette when it comes to both food and smell. In other words, one person’s body odor might be another person’s alluring (or at least more bearable) scent. As for the French palette, Napoléon’s legendary letter informing his beloved Joséphine of his return from Italy says it all: “Home in three days. Don’t wash.”Marc Olivier
#1: The Flower Market
Begin the walk at the exit of the Madeleine station. You will see the enormous l’église de la Madeleine and a street (part of the place de la Madeleine) lined with flower stalls.Enjoy the sight and scent of the flowers. Some stalls will be open every day, but Tuesdays and Thursdays are the best for this little flower market.
#2 Église de la Madeleine
Rather than hurrying inside l’église de la Madeleine, pause to admire the monumental Corinthian columns that surround the church. Modeled on the architecture of an ancient pagan temple, the Madeleine is an unusual Christian church. Until the French Revolution and the campaigns of de-Christianization that followed, the site had been under construction as the future home of a domed Catholic church. In 1806, Napoleon demolished the unfinished project to make way for a monument dedicated to the French Army. After the restoration of the monarchy, Louis XVIII ordered the architect to transform the monument into a Catholic church. The result is a curious mixture of pagan and Christian influence that you may observe even at the building’s entrance. While the Corinthian columns evoke the glory of the ancients, the ornate bas-relief doors depict an allegory of the Ten Commandments, and the pediment above the columns features a sculpture of the Last Judgment.Inside the Madeleine, you will notice three domes leading to an altar that features a statue of Saint Mary Magdalene being transported to heaven by two angels. The interior structure was inspired by Roman baths. The church also features one of the best pipe organs in the city.
#3 Ladurée Royale
After you have taken in the beauty of the Madeleine, exit the church and enjoy the view of the Concorde Obelisk and the Dome of the Invalides. You’ll be heading in that direction. Walk down the steps and cross the street to rue Royale—the street that heads straight to Concorde. Stay on the left side of rue Royale, and you will soon reach Ladurée (16 rue Royale), a pastry shop and tea salon created in 1862 during the empire of Napoléon III.Ladurée currently has eleven locations in Paris (also, 17 boutiques in the Paris airports and a location in Versailles), but the Ladurée Royale is the original. Before entering, look at the drool-worthy window displays. Most likely, the displays will feature macarons (not to be confused with US macaroons)—the most famous creation of Ladurée. The macaron was born at Ladurée near the beginning of the twentieth century by a man named Pierre Desfontaines, but it is such a glorious creation that Sofia Coppola anachronistically surrounded her most famous pastry-loving eighteenth-century French queen with macarons in her movie Marie Antoinette (2006). And who can blame her? Macarons are the royalty of the sandwich cookie world. Crisp on the outside, soft and delicate on the inside, the cookie portion of the macaron is a deceptively simple combination of almond flour, egg whites, and powdered sugar. Sandwich two of these cookies together with a rich ganache and you have a macaron. But don’t go running to make your own just yet. The macaron is among the most difficult-to-make treats you will find in a pastry shop. If you see macarons in another shop, don’t even bother unless that shop is Jean-Paul Hévin or Pierre Hermé (the latter of the two has topped Ladurée in astonishing flavor combinations).Now that your mouth is watering, step inside Ladurée and give your senses the pleasure of a Ladurée specialty. I recommend that you purchase several of the smaller-sized macarons to sample the flavors. Some flavors are available year-round (chocolate, vanilla, pistachio, caramel, and more), while others are seasonal. In winter, you might see chestnut or licorice, while in summer you might try blackcurrant-violet or lime-basil. Resist the urge to try the other pastries on your first visit, but when you return, invest in (good pastries do not come cheap) a heavenly Religieuse rose, which as the name suggests, transposes the smell of rose into a flavor.At this point, you have experienced smells ranging from métro stench to sweet pastries. After one short stop, you will conclude your olfactory pilgrimage at a perfume museum.
#4 Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption
Cross rue Saint-Honoré and take a left, keeping on the right side of the street until you get to the église de l’Assomption. Step inside for a moment, but be very quiet and respectful of those who are here to worship.L'Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption does not get much tourist traffic. The chapel began as a convent founded in 1622 by the Cardinal de la Rochefoucauld, then renovated and consecrated in 1676. During the French Revolution, it was used as a store for decorative goods. During the empire, the chapel became the principal ward of the first arrondissement, but was overshadowed by the Madeleine’s completion in 1842. The fresco of Delafosse is notable, but otherwise, the charm of this church lies more in its relative obscurity than in its historical or artistic status.
#5 Musée du Parfum Fragonard
After exiting the chapel, cross to the other side of rue Saint-Honoré, and turn left onto rue Cambon. Turn right on boulevard (not rue!) des Capucines (which may be confusing because it changes from boulevard de la Madeleine to your left to Capucines to your right). At number 39 boulevard Capucines, turn right, and head into the free musée du Parfum Fragonard.The musée du Parfum Fragonard is the only perfume museum in Paris, and this small collection (and an even smaller version on 9 rue Scribe) also serves to promote the Fragonard brand. The friendly staff will give you a printed guide to the museum, or if you’re lucky, you may be able to tag along on a tour.The museum guide will serve you once you’re inside the museum, so instead of describing the museum, let me say a few words about the art of appreciating perfume. Perfumes are generally classified according to family. The family names have changed over time, but a few of those you are likely to encounter in France include:• les floraux:floral scents, such as jasmine, rose, and lily. Test Chanel Nº5 or Joy by Patou.• les ambrés: amber scents usually based in ambergris and vanilla, such as J.P. Gaultier by Gaultier or the men’s fragrance le Mâle by Gaultier.• les boisés: woody fragrances, for example, Guerlain’s Mitsouko or Dior’s Dolce Vita.• les frais: fresh, often citrus-based fragrances, such as Un jardin en Méditerranée or Eau d’Orange Verte by Hermès.• les fougères:an herbaceous scent more common in men’s fragrances usually based in lavender and moss. Try XS by Paco Rabanne or Hugo by Hugo Boss.• les gourmands: (my personal favorite) scents based in food smells, such as Thierry Mugler’s Angel and A*Men.The family classification is not an exact science because of the complexity of perfumes. Further complicating matters, a scent changes over time, like a play in three acts. Immediately after applying the scent, you have the notes de tête (literally translated head notes, but known as top note in English). Try, for example, Un jardin sur le Nil by Hermès for an exquisite top note of green mango. A common mistake among busy shoppers is to consider only the top note of a perfume. Just minutes after application, however, the scent begins to move into the notes de coeur (heart notes, commonly called middle note in English) and stays there for several hours. Finally, the lingering notes de fond (base notes or bottom note in English) remain when all else is gone. In keeping with our theatre metaphor, remember to experience the whole show before forming your opinion. What may start out looking like a comedy in the first act may become a horrible tragedy by act three.The perfume museum will help you think about the rich history of perfume. Note that I have been using the term generically. The degree of concentration will determine whether you’re dealing with an eau de cologne, an eau de toilette, an eau de parfum, etc. At the end of the museum tour, you will be directed to a gift shop where Fragonard hopes you will sample and then purchase one of its fragrances. Please sample, but do not feel obligated to purchase anything just yet. Much of the fun in choosing a scent is in the hunt. Take your time. Experience all the notes before buying. When you visit a store (such as the Champs-Elysées Sephora), use the strips of paper provided to test samples. Spray the strip and then wave it in front of your nose like a little fan. Write down the name of the fragrance on the strip so you don’t forget what it is when comparing it with others. Be careful to keep the strips separate so that one scent doesn’t contaminate another. Once you have a favorite or two, apply them to your skin (perhaps one scent per wrist) and then leave the store and live with it for the rest of the day. Kindly refuse help from the salespeople unless you have ventured into a chic boutique like Guerlain or Frédéric Malle. Let this walk initiate your sense of smell to Paris. If you let your nose become a flâneur, you will build memories of Paris that may be reawakened even years later by the smell of a fresh baguette, the damp scent of an old church, or a dab of perfume.
The End
To get back to the métro, exit the museum, then turn left and take boulevard des Capucines/de la Madeleine to rue Vignon. Here you will find the Madeleine station, where you started! Alternatively, exit the museum, turn right and continue down boulevard des Capucines to the Opéra Métro Station.After the WalkA nice follow-up to this walk may be done almost any time by visiting the Sephora store at 70–72 Champs-Elysées (on the right side of the street if you’re facing the Arc de Triomphe). This is the largest Sephora in Paris. It stays open every night until midnight. It is always busy, but it’s the best place to sample scents to your nose’s content. Try the Serge Lutens fragrances while you’re there. You won’t find these at department stores in the US. Also, if you have dressed the part and are serious about buying, venture into the opulent Guerlain boutique next door. I went inside during a summer heat wave and was directed upstairs, where a salesperson introduced me to the Guerlain perfumes by cooling me off with elegant black ostrich-feather fans freshly sprayed with perfume rarities available only at the Paris boutique. Moreover, since you’re in the neighborhood, another Ladurée is on the other side of the street at 75 avenue des Champs-Elysées. Finally, for another boutique experience, visit Éditions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, 37 rue de Grenelle (in the seventh arrondissement). Malle gives some of the best “noses” free reign to create unique perfumes to please the connoisseur rather than the masses.
