Diptyque ✻ 34 Boulevard Saint Germain

Diptyque is a French parfumeur based in Paris which started the fragrance business in 1963.  We received two Diptyque candles (bougie) as a gift from Tracy a while back.  One was a colored version of the Baies scent which is described as a bouquet of roses and blackcurrant leaves (above).  The other scent is Violette – violet leaves releasing the plant’s radiance and body, and traces of powdery iris (according to the catalog).  We loved it – the fragrances are natural, complex, and sensual – that’s all I can say in words.  Smell is a very potent reminder of people and places.  It is always surprising how vivid your memory can be when it is triggered by a smell.

Over Christmas, IT and I came across their own store on Bleecker Street in West Village.  The store has all their fragrances and candles.  As expected the atmosphere in the store was very fragrant, but not overpowering.  IT bought some small candles and a special scissor-like device for trimming the wick.  I bought a scented candle called Cuir (“leather”).  This scent is being discontinued (but not discounted) so there is no description of it in their most recent catalog.  This leather fragrance smells to me “rounded”, warm, and luxurious (without being specific about what it is that is luxurious).

The walls of the store have heavy curtains which create a mysterious atmosphere.  The “chandeliers” hanging just above our heads are perfect for the store.  It looks to me like a surrealist’s idea of fragrance – in the form of feather and dripping liquids.