Bottle Design:
Pierre Dinand

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..... ein Mini - ganz wild auf Wein ;)) .... (wilder Wein im Herbstkleid) .... (by IrisNobile)

Calandre Rabanne Eau de Toilette

8.0 / 10 85 Ratings

A popular perfume by Rabanne for women. The release year is unknown. The scent is floral-chypre. It is being marketed by Puig.
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Main accords

Floral

Chypre

Green

Woody

Citrus

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Bergamot

Citrus notes

Heart Notes

Lily of the valley

Hyacinth

Base Notes

Powdery notes

Woody notes

Ratings

Scent

8.085 Ratings

Longevity

7.373 Ratings

Sillage

6.775 Ratings

Bottle

7.478 Ratings

Value for money

7.226 Ratings

Submitted by ExUser · last update on 11/03/2025.

Source-backed & verified

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Rive Gauche (2003)

Rive Gauche (1970) Eau de Toilette

Chant d'Arômes Eau de Toilette

Masumi Eau de Toilette

Coriandre Eau de Toilette

N°19 Eau de Toilette

Reviews

5 in-depth fragrance descriptions

07/26/2021

6Scent 8Longevity 6Sillage

Kurai
388 Reviews

Kurai

Helpful Review 5

Squeaky clean

Aldehydes. Funny how we use the name of an entire group of chemical compounds as if they share the same olfactory characteristics. Oh well.. Typically we refer to the fizzy note somewhat reminiscent of soap. And that’s exactly what Calandre is all about.

Calandre is very similar to the well known YSL Rive Gauche. I feel that Calandre is a bit lighter, with a metallic glare and less moss. From a distance it seems pretty hard to tell them apart. Note that I’m comparing current version of both.

After a strong citrus opening, the scent is a straight-forward aldehyde floral. More aldehyde than floral, really. Projection is modest but steady for a whopping eight hours easily. It gives a powdery soapy clean feel from beginning to end. Modest, inoffensive and long lasting, ideal for office settings.

Updated on 07/26/2021

01/24/2025

Thewrongbeth
110 Reviews

Thewrongbeth

Pillow-soft oakmoss and green florals

Yay! Got my hands on an older bottle containing bona fide evernia prunastri (it's right there on the box)! IMO, the real McCoy makes all the difference in terms of depth and performance. Beautiful soap-bubble aldehydes to open, effervescent white-green florals (LOTV and hyacinth) in the heart, and pillowy-soft oakmoss to finish. The overall effect is a silky, semi-neon, chartreuse powder. Despite the presence of aldehydes, Calandre is timeless and completely at home in a "modern" wardrobe. Such a love!

Updated on 01/24/2025

09/06/2019

9Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

SchatzSucher
107 Reviews

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SchatzSucher

Top Review 53

What else can be done with Paco Rabanne....

The name Paco Rabanne is like a red rag to many perfume lovers. One initially thinks of fragrances like One Million, PureXS, and Invictus, which hardly receive any praise, and it seems to be a guilty pleasure to tear apart these cleverly produced and marketed scents (and their wearers). I admit that not every new creation appeals to me either.
Nevertheless, the mouse does not bite off a thread of the fact that these ridiculed and despised creations sell very well in real life out there. No matter how much we complain.

However, alongside these flashy, blunt fragrances, there is also a fragrance world from Paco Rabanne that is subtler and appeals to different perfume lovers or clientele.
And at this point, I would like to chime in.

Paco Rabanne first became known and famous in the mid-60s as a fashion designer with groundbreaking futuristic creations. He was the first to use industrial-looking materials such as cardboard, metal, plastic, and fiberglass, earning him the nickname "plumber" or "metal worker" (as Coco Chanel liked to call him).
In 1969, in collaboration with the company Puig, the first fragrance was launched, "Calandre," which translates to "grille" in English. At first glance, it seems like a ridiculous name.
However, in light of his fashion creations, the name doesn't seem so inappropriate to me.
At some point, Calandre was replaced by this still-available version.
And I must say that I really like Calandre.

This fragrance indeed has a metallic, cool aura. And it is an excellent interpretation of the Chypre theme that I adore so much.
This fragrance family has captivated me for quite some time, and I still believe that many Chypre fragrances originally intended for women can be wonderfully worn by men.
Calandre is one of them. This fragrance is not sweet or playful at any stage of its development.

The structure corresponds, in my nose, to the classic Chypre pattern, with a start featuring citrus notes that do not come across as intrusive or artificially imposed. They form the foundation upon which the floral notes rest. These floral notes are also not sweet by nature; they come across as rather herbaceous, cool, and somewhat brittle. Light woody accents and a distinct powderiness add to this, which almost seems like fine metal dust and further emphasizes the shimmering coolness of the fragrance. I also believe that a portion of aldehydes has been used.

Moreover, the similarity of Calandre to Rive Gauche by Yves Saint Laurent is more than evident.
Up to the base note, both fragrances are so similar that it becomes quite challenging to distinguish them. Only from the base do the two fragrances diverge again; Calandre remains more floral, while Rive Gauche develops an additional note reminiscent of fresh printer's ink.

Calandre has very good longevity; 8 hours should be easily achievable, and on clothing, the scent is still very noticeable the next day. It projects quite well but is not overpowering.
Calandre looks just as good with a suit and tie as it does with evening wear. The fragrance is the perfectly matching accessory. And seasonally, I cannot impose any restrictions. A cooler scent can also work very well in winter.
Unfortunately, I do not know the original version of Calandre; a comparison would be very interesting. But if the current version already smells so promising....
Looking at the "I-have-it" list, Calandre belongs to the lesser-known fragrances. I could say that’s nice, as it leaves more for the enthusiasts ;-)
But lovers of Chypre fragrances should definitely take a sniff here and enrich themselves with a beautiful and interesting scent experience.
Another very lovely representative of the lesser-known Paco Rabanne fragrance world is Métal from 1979, which perfectly embodies cool metallic and Chypre and which I find equally fantastic.
And it has certainly been shown here that there is more to the name Paco Rabanne than just launching blunt fragrances.
Calandre would definitely be a candidate for purchase for me, but I already have Rive Gauche in its current version, which I find magnificent. And since the similarity is very strong, I will stick with Rive Gauche.

I sincerely thank Yatagan for this wonderful scent experience!

Updated on 09/06/2019

06/18/2020

Mirimi
35 Reviews

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Mirimi

Top Review 16

Classy

Thanks to a generous perfume rediscovered. The opening is fresh, then really very Rive Gauche-like, in the heart Coriandre de Couturier winks, which, however, comes across darker and more sultry-sexy.
Now and then I thought the classic Scherrer flashed by..
Yes, I was looking for comparisons. But it doesn't work ;) Calandre is its own and unique.
It is definitely not an
old-fashioned or too soapy Chypre.
Something reminds me of Perles de Lalique.
In any case, I find it great.
Feminine without being too elegantly Madame. I also find Calandre more suitable for everyday wear than sister Rive G., as it is not as metallic-powdery as she is. R. G. has something that reminds me of a fork on an amalgam filling;->
I will now test Calandre extensively. Great also for summer evenings.. whether I would wear it at 37°C in the
shade, I don't know.. rather at 26°C and please in a 60s convertible :-)

09/15/2025

9Scent 8Longevity 4Sillage

AlphaGamma
35 Reviews

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AlphaGamma

Niche, for connoisseurs and acquaintances

The idea seems to be to combine aldehydes with indole and light-toned flowers to deviate just a little from the heavy-hearted jasmine. It also becomes sensual after I have overcome my acquired hypersensitivity due to a large, continuously blooming bouquet (jasminum nitidum) in the conservatory. Is Calandre 'niche'? Yes. And there’s also a woody undertone. Really nicely done, the cool blonde as a character, not at all foolish.

"Made In France" - I used sleight of hand to get exactly this sample bottle. The company now marketing it has lost my trust.

Statements

23 short views on the fragrance

Yatagan

6 years ago

9.5Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

One of the best chypre unisex fragrances that has apparently managed to retain its qualities despite reformulation: clear, cool, green-floral, woody.

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Gold

5 years ago

8.5Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

You are the warmest hood among perfumes, even if you always park on the left bank. Luckily, you can still be found there today.

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SchatzSucher

6 years ago

9Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

Great chypre with unsweetened flowers, bitter citrus, and a dry base. It doesn't fall short of Rive Gauche, and comes across less metallic.

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Verbena

6 years ago

9.5Scent 7Longevity 6Sillage

Chypre notes woven into a fragrance symphony. A powdery veil envelops the austere strength like cool flowing damask, making the soul sway.

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Heikeso

2 years ago

8Scent 7Longevity 6Sillage

Starts cool, herb-floral, and soap-clean. Becomes softer over time. Later, delicate lily of the valley, green-creamy, and beautifully effortless.

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Michelangela

5 years ago

9Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

An incredibly soft chypre, creamy-powdery, minimally metallic, delicately floral, and breathtakingly beautiful! It fits any occasion - stands out positively!

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Blödel

7 years ago

9Scent 10Longevity 8Sillage

Rive Gauche twin. Calandre is, however, the firstborn. It was overshadowed by its younger sister. Unjustly! Genius longevity.

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Fabistinkt

3 years ago

9Scent 9Longevity 7Sillage

Bright silver Chypre, cool aldehydes, relaxed elegance, even in the height of summer. The metallic theme perfectly executed in line with fashion. Adiós, Señor R.

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