Musée du Parfum

In the heart of Paris near the Opéra Garnier, the Musée du Parfum is an instructive museum concept that brings the making of French perfume to life.  CIEE students were invited to follow the manufacturing process from raw materials to harvesting, extraction, distillation, formulation, industrialization and bottling.  We learned more about the creative process and work of the master “noses," whose perfume creation process takes months and sometimes even years.  The second section of the museum features a collection of ancient bottles retracing the history of fragrance from Ancient Egypt to the 20th century.  CIEE students were able to peek into a genuine Perfumer’s Apprentice workshop to discover the secrets of fragrance creation.  After the tour, some students decided to visit the Fragonard perfume shop set above the museum area in order to take home a fragrance that will forever remind them of their stay in Paris.