Balenciaga Balenciaga 2010

I didn't think I liked violets until I smelled Paris. Probably because, but for musk, this fragrance has the classic chypre accord, which I like a lot (citrus-labdanum-oakmoss-musk). The carnation/violet note is appealing and pronounced. Cedar and patchouli do the dank grounding. This fragrance does somehow remind me of Paris in the spring, of strolling through the Tuileries or the Auguste Rodin museum garden, the passing French women smelling as good as the flowers, except slightly funkier (if you know Paris, you know what I mean). This is a sophisticated rather than a gaudy scent. For gaudy go to Florabotanica (for me, a definite immediate buy). Paris is a likely buy. For different reasons, I love them both.