French Cancan (1936)
by Caron

You are sitting at the bar in a small jazz club in Paris, where maybe at some point in the place's now-remote past, a few working gals once did a French CanCan. But the place was renovated a while ago. It's twilight in the spring, and the early flowers are finally here.
The piano player flips open a notebook. He starts the intro, laying out a thick carpet of chords. A waitress walks by with a tray. And the singer steps up. He's tired, but in voice, and starts..

"The scene is set for dreaming, love is knocking at the door.
But oh my heart, I'm reluctant to start, cause we've been here before..."

You are thinking, what song is this? I know this song. But what is it? You order a champagne cocktail, and go back to listening.
What is the name of it this song? The singer sounds good, and continues...

"The night is like a lovely tune,
Beware my foolish heart..."

Oh right. Of course. It's My Foolish Heart. How quaint. How romantic.Well, let's see if this guy can pull it off. You stare out the window into the flat blue twilight, wondering, is there a garden around here? The singer's pitch is dead on, and he's sailing over the high notes...

"How white the ever constant moon
Take care my foolish heart"

You wonder, who is this guy? Have I ever heard of him?
The wind carries the scent of some night-blooming flowers into the room, so delicate and intoxicating. Jasmine, Ylang-ylang.
You remember you're in Europe, not New York, and take a sip from the glass.
This guy is killing. He's right in the groove...

"There's a line between love and fascination
That's hard to see on an evening such as this
For they both give the very same sensation
When you're lost in the madness of a kiss"

And you just start watching him, now more like as a fan, than a critic. And you notice, man, the band is good too. The bass and drums are so solid. Locked in, they are just laying it down. He's at the top again...

"Her lips are much too close to mine
Take care, my foolish heart"

Oh, geez, violets. That's the smell that's blowing in from outside. Are roses is season yet? The singer is smiling at you, so you smile back.

"But should our eager lips combine
Then let the fire start"

And patchouli. You notice your face is flushed, maybe from the alcohol. But this band is so good it's embarassing. Baby powder is wafting up at you from inside your shirt. You glance around. The room filled up quickly. The piano player tosses out the last eight bars, and the singer drives them home.

"For this time it isn't fascination
Or a dream that will fade and fall apart
It's love, this time it's love
My foolish heart"

And you wonder what you just experienced, at first you think you might know, but still you can't really describe it. How can such an old song with these goofy lyrics be so alive to you tonight? How can a thing transcend time like that? But what you do know is that it was pretty, and more than that, it made you happy. And you finish the drink, pay the tab, and walk out into the fading light.

3rd January, 2012.

I have read that this was discontinued and re-introduced again about ten years ago. I don't find Cancan to be a hugely original perfume in today's formulation. To my nose this comes across as a mix of Pois de Senteur (the talced floral accord with a clearly detectable muguet) and Alpona. Sillage is rather strong initially and it smells undoubtedly very 'Caron' to me. What bothers me in its base is most likely the violet and I am almost certain what is patchouli here. It's more wearable than Alpona for my taste, but it is not original. Most of all, it is nowhere near the class and finesse of Pois de Senteur.

24th November, 2011.

The bitter-herbal opening quickly dies down, allowing powdery floral notes to come through. l get mainly violet & something like heliotrope, & in this phase it reminds me a little of L'Heure Bleue. There's an earthiness to this fragrance, reminiscent of my garden on a wet autumn day, complete with damp soil & leaves. lt doesn't smell anything like it's name to me; it's more of a contemplative fragrance than an upbeat one. lt fades after about 4 hours. l'm giving this a neutral because, although l don't dislike it, l can't see myself reaching for it often.

13rd February, 2011.

To me this is a soft, gentle scent in which the individual notes meld together so well that it's really hard to pick them out one by one. I do get the violet and rose, though, and then the oakmoss, and the overall blend reminds me quite a bit of "N'Aimez Que Moi", which is my absolute favourite perfume. If "old" means dreamy, nostalgic, retro-chic and harmonious, then, yes, it's an "old" sort of scent, but I think a better word would be "timeless". Anyone, any age, any season or occasion, could wear it and it would be appropriate. As you can see, I really love this scent and will be saving up for a bottle soon.

1st November, 2010.

There is only one aspect of this scent that keeps me from giving it a thumbs down and that is somewhere in the mid-notes there is a fizzy, sparkly champagne-like quality to it that I enjoy. That fizz reminds me of my Caron favourite Bellodgia but with more oranges and less cream. What I get from time to time with this scent is a stale musty odor and urine whiff combined-----that puts me off.

28th October, 2010.

Notes of jasmine, lilac, violet, lily of the valley, rose, orange blossom, patchouli, iris, sandalwood, amber and oakmoss.

A strange but compelling . slightly gassy- bitter opening - much like Diamond Water by JAR ( hmm ... I wonder where the inspiration for DW came from.. ) but then French Can Can changes into a soft skin sweet meld of violet,lilac, iris and rose. Womanly, clean skin. Creamy ,delicious and soft.

20th July, 2010.