Champs-Elysées by Guerlain, 1904

This is a review for the modern EDP. Honestly, the topnotes of Champs-Elysées alone are pretty much worth a thumbs up. It's a fruity mix of juicy apple and that Guerlain cherry, made sparkly with aldehydes and bright with violets while a lightly honeyed mimosa combines with a subtle suede note to give a mature "perfumey" core. Given time, the suede mimosa becomes the star, still sweetened with lingering fruits while a pinch of clove and Red Hot candied cinnamon spice up the background. By the base, it's a subtle tobacco with lingering clove and cinnamon (probably the most artistically weak portion of the scent - with candied cinnamon and clove, it's very easy to slip into the territory of cheap Christmas potpourri). Despite the lame base, the rest of Champs-Elysées is quite good. It's no Mitsouko, but it's kind of unfair to expect every single thing Guerlain touches to be a timeless masterpiece. Sometimes a well executed just-better-than-mainstream perfume is enough.

Lovely fruity-floral, feminine, sweet and extremely longlasting. A must for floral lovers.

I'd love to have a bottle of the vintage stuff, but this feminine, youthful, modern formulation has done very well by me. I don't get that fruity blast others have been speaking of--no pear, melon, etc. For me, it's a rather Pantene-Shampoo-esque blast that mellows rather quickly (thank God for that). The true gift of this frag emerges when I nap. My body heat warms the scent on my clothes, and what's left is the warm, mellow, delicious marriage of almond, mimosa, and rose in perfect harmony. To die for!

For a house that has given us many complex and memorable fragrances--some of the greatest perfumes of all time, in fact--Guerlain slipped into mediocrity with this one. It is a pleasant, light, soapy fragrance that is neither here nor there. There is a Mimosa note that is pleasant enough, but where is the counterpoint and overdosing that make Guerlain scents not just good but great? Where is that intangible element that makes your eyes roll back in your head and induces a swoon like you get with l"Heure Bleue, Shalimar, or Samsara? This was a big launch for Guerlain at the time and it had and still has heavy marketing and has spawned flankers, so it must have a following but it really pales next to the great perfumes of the house. It is more like an Aqua Allegoria to me (Mimosa Almond?) and not like a grown-up fine French perfume. A shame, I think, to waste such an important name (the address street of the mothership) on such an average scent.

Joyful, versatile, radiant and sophisticated blend of hibiscus, rose-mimosa, watery fruits and almond. The latter imprints a touch of booziness around that balances the lymphatic effect of the floral leaf and the scent is light, ultra feminine and subtle (although persistent and almost tasty and slightly powdery-eliotrope kind). The key element is the mimosa (in its chord with rose) in my opinion and the floral effect is so summery and subtle while soaring in the air. The link of almond and may be peaches produces that sort of "pear effect" some reviewers talk about. The hibiscus provides a spark of undeniable sophistication around. Not my kind of juice but a more than respectful one for sure.

Lots and lots of mimosa. In fact, that is pretty much all I get from this fragrance, which is nice. One good blast will last you all day and in very humid situations can be a bit oppressive and somewhat complicated. Definitely one you should try before you buy, because this is definitely a love it or hate it fragrance.

Not by any means my favourite scnet but this is one that makes a pleasant change. An occasional buy for me.

I have not encountered a good smell of the vintage, but this small bottle I have is, um, nice. It falls into my "white noise" category: white florals that just blend into the background and leave no real impression on me. I expected more from this Guerlain. It plays nice, though. I can see it being good for office or close-quarters (long train rides) if you are afraid of being offensive. Me? I care little for that and will wear Opium and sniff my own arm outrageously.

First off, Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez can bite me! I love this stuff. Watery, floral, and so refreshing. There is a distinct lilac note, which makes this a spring/summer frag par excellence for me. It's also gentle enough to wear to a meeting or if you are meting new people and don't want to overpower. This is Guerlain without Guerlinade. No spice, no vanilla, so it is a real change of pace for me. Love it.

As someone who isn't really into heavy scents, I found Champs-Elysees to be quite lovely. The top notes of this fragrance make me think of champagne, bubbly and perky! The middle note is reminiscent of clean laundry, if one were to use a floral-scented fabric softener (not a bad thing at all, I LOVE that smell) and gives way to a creamy, soft and warm hibiscus-almond wood combination, almost so light that it is hard to detect. The base note is actually the aspect that I like the most; I find myself constantly sniffing! If I were to make one complaint about the EDT, it would be that I wish the sillage was a little better. With that being said, I've received quite a few compliments so far. Perhaps some argue that it's a bit boring, but for people who are sensitive to some of the stronger fragrances out there, I find this to be perfect. I'm not as much of a connoisseur as the majority of people on here, and I may not have a refined taste in perfume---yet! But Champs-Elysees has really opened my eyes to the possibility of finally smelling like a woman, and not a girl.