Fragonard

I (Tom) did something unusual Saturday -- I attended a perfume/aftershave making class at Fragonard, one of the oldest fragrance companies in France.  They're based in Grasse, which is where the  industry began, but have a large presence here in Paris.  And on Saturdays they run a 1 1/2 hour class in English. There were 19 of us.

Here's the setup that was provided at each workstation:


We were given good instruction about balance, top notes versus bottom notes, how to mix, how fragrances change over time, and the history of the industry.  The teacher shared a sample of a standard "Eau d'Cologne" and dissected the scent notes to help us understand what went into it.  She shared possible recipe ideas, then we were on our own to create a fragrance which we bottled and took home.

Class ended with the awarding of diplomas -- what would French education be without certificates?


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