When Guerlain chose the name Champs-Élysées for its 1996 fragrance, it was more than a nod to geography—it was an invocation of Paris itself. The name comes from the French words champs (fields) and Élysées (Elysian, or heavenly), together meaning “Elysian Fields.” In French, it is pronounced shahn-zay-lee-zay. The phrase originates from Greek mythology—the Elysium or Elysian Fields was a place of perfect happiness, where heroes and the virtuous found eternal peace. Thus, in the French imagination, Champs-Élysées came to symbolize beauty, luxury, and the dreamlike essence of Parisian life. Guerlain’s flagship boutique had long stood proudly on this legendary boulevard, making the name a natural and sentimental choice.
The words Champs-Élysées evoke immediate imagery: the wide, tree-lined avenue glowing under golden afternoon light, cafés spilling out onto sidewalks, and the scent of fresh flowers mingling with the faint aroma of luxury perfumes carried by the breeze. There is an air of romance and optimism—an atmosphere where elegance feels effortless and joy feels distinctly Parisian. To name a perfume after such an iconic location was to promise a bottled piece of this refined exuberance—a fragrance that could make the wearer feel radiant, cosmopolitan, and alive.
Launched in 1996, Champs-Élysées emerged during a time of transition in perfumery and fashion. The early to mid-1990s marked the end of the brash, power-driven 1980s fragrances—big florals, opulent chypres, and assertive orientals—and the beginning of a softer, more transparent aesthetic. Sheer florals and fruity-florals began to dominate the market, mirroring a cultural shift toward freshness, femininity, and lightness. Fashion, too, reflected this mood: minimalist slip dresses, pastel palettes, and a return to natural beauty after years of excess. Champs-Élysées fit perfectly within this context—it retained Guerlain’s refined craftsmanship and depth but presented it with a sparkling modernity that appealed to a new generation of women seeking something both elegant and easy to wear.
To a woman of the 1990s, Champs-Élysées would have represented the modern Parisian ideal—sophisticated yet spontaneous, graceful yet spirited. It suggested freedom and charm, the confidence of strolling down the avenue in spring, sunlight dancing on satin skin. The name alone would conjure a sense of belonging to a world of timeless beauty and effortless glamour.
In scent, Champs-Élysées interprets its name through a luminous, mimosa-centered bouquet. It opens with the tender green freshness of crushed mimosa leaves and rose petals, uplifted by cassis berry and almond blossom—an airy, joyful prelude that captures the vitality of morning on the boulevard. The heart unfolds around bright, powdery mimosa—a golden, honeyed flower native to southern France, particularly near Grasse, long beloved in perfumery for its soft, pollen-like sweetness. Here it’s paired with buddleia, lending a gentle violet nuance that enhances the floral harmony. The base, composed of almond bark and hibiscus seeds, adds warmth and texture, grounding the effervescent floralcy with a creamy, subtly gourmand tone.
Created by Jacques Guerlain and Jean-Paul Guerlain, Champs-Élysées bears no olfactory relation to the 1904 Parfum des Champs-Élysées, yet it shares its spirit—a celebration of French femininity and grace. In the crowded landscape of 1990s fragrances, it was distinctive for its sophisticated treatment of mimosa, a note rarely given center stage. Where many contemporaries leaned heavily on synthetic fruity notes or clean musks, Guerlain infused Champs-Élysées with emotional depth and craftsmanship, balancing innovation with heritage.
Ultimately, Champs-Élysées captured the scent of Paris at its most poetic—a luminous golden floral that seemed to smile, embodying the joy, elegance, and allure of the “Elysian Fields.”
Launch Party:
For the launch of Champs-Elysées, Guerlain orchestrated a presentation as luxurious and imaginative as the fragrance itself. Members of the press received a special promotional kit, conceived not merely as a gift but as a celebration of Guerlain’s artistry and heritage. The presentation arrived in a prestigious press box, crafted of fine cardboard and sheathed in pink and gold paper, evoking the luminous femininity and Parisian elegance embodied by the perfume. The box was both titled and illustrated, a visual prelude to the refined treasures contained within.
Inside, the press discovered an ensemble that spoke to both beauty and rarity. There was a 30 ml bottle of extrait, alongside a 30 ml spray bottle of extrait, each glimmering with the soft golden hue of the fragrance. A 100 ml spray bottle of eau de toilette accompanied them, allowing for the perfume’s radiant floral symphony to be experienced in its lighter, more diffusive form. Completing the set was a magnificent silk twill backpack, its surface illustrated in vibrant polychrome with depictions of Guerlain’s legendary and mythical flacons—a whimsical yet elegant nod to the house’s long lineage of perfumed icons.
The overall presentation captured the spirit of the Champs-Elysées fragrance itself—joyful, luminous, and unmistakably Parisian. Every element, from the tactile luxury of the silk twill to the glint of gold on the packaging, reflected Guerlain’s dedication to blending craftsmanship, art, and olfactory beauty. It was more than a press gift—it was a statement of identity, reaffirming Guerlain’s position as both perfumer and creator of dreams, unveiling a new fragrance with all the grace and grandeur of its namesake avenue.
So what does it smell like? Champs Elysees is classified as a fruity floral fragrance for women.
- Top notes: aldehydes, Calone, melon, blackcurrant, Cassis base, almond flower, violet, violet leaves, methyl ionone gamma, peach, anise, mimosa leaves, Mimosa Artessence base
- Middle notes: mimosa, rose, peony, lilac, hibiscus, buddleia, lily of the valley, almond blossom, Hedione, jasmine, Jasmonal H
- Base notes: Exaltolide, musk, hibiscus seed, sandalwood, benzoin, vanilla, cedar, almond bark
Scent Profile:
Champs-Élysées opens with a bright, modern shimmer that feels immediately expansive, like stepping into sunlight after rain. Aldehydes lift the first impression with a clean, sparkling airiness—cool, slightly metallic, and effusive—giving the fragrance its sense of polish and movement.
This radiance is joined by Calone, a synthetic molecule famous for its watery, melon-like freshness; here it smells translucent and breezy, amplifying juiciness without heaviness. Melon follows, watery and green-sweet, while blackcurrant adds a sharp, tangy snap—leafy and tart, almost catty at the edges. The effect is deepened by a Cassis base, a constructed accord that intensifies the fruit’s darker, wine-stained richness beyond what natural materials alone can offer.
As the top notes unfold, softer floral-fruity tones emerge. Peach is plush and velvety, its fuzzy sweetness rounding out the sharper fruits, while almond flower introduces a pale, creamy nuance—softly nutty, faintly powdery.
Violet and violet leaves add contrast: the flower itself smells cool, powdery, and slightly sweet, while the leaves bring a green, watery freshness reminiscent of crushed stems. This duality is reinforced by methyl ionone gamma, a violet-derived aroma chemical that adds a suede-like softness and bridges fruit and floral seamlessly.
A delicate licorice-like whisper of anise flickers briefly, giving sparkle and intrigue, while mimosa leaves bring a fresh, green, almost hay-like brightness. The effect is enriched by Mimosa Artessence, a refined extraction and constructed base that enhances mimosa’s honeyed warmth while keeping it luminous and airy.
The heart of Champs-Élysées is a glowing bouquet, tender yet confident. Mimosa blooms fully here—golden, fluffy, and sunlit, with its distinctive honey-pollen warmth that feels both comforting and radiant. Rose adds gentle structure, soft and dewy rather than dramatic, while peony contributes a fresh, petal-like translucence, lending a modern, almost watery floral tone.
Lilac, recreated synthetically because it yields no natural essence, floats through the heart with its unmistakable cool, springlike sweetness. Hibiscus and buddleia add exotic floral nuances—slightly fruity, slightly green—expanding the bouquet beyond the familiar. Lily of the valley, another flower requiring synthetic reconstruction, brings a clean, bell-like freshness that lightens the composition.
Almond blossom returns here, creamy and tender, blending beautifully with jasmine, whose soft indolic warmth is smoothed and diffused by Hedione, an aroma molecule prized for its luminous, airy jasmine effect and its ability to enhance projection. Jasmonal H deepens this jasmine impression, adding a fresh, petal-like realism that keeps the florals buoyant rather than dense.
As the fragrance settles, the base reveals a gentle, enveloping warmth that clings close to the skin. Exaltolide, a macrocyclic musk, forms the backbone—clean, soft, and subtly sweet, with a skin-like warmth that feels intimate rather than animalic. This is complemented by traditional musk, adding depth and sensual persistence.
Hibiscus seed lends a faintly nutty, slightly toasted nuance, while sandalwood brings its signature creamy, milky smoothness—calm and meditative. Benzoin adds a balsamic, vanilla-tinged resinous warmth, seamlessly blending into vanilla, which softens the entire composition with gentle sweetness. Cedar provides a dry, pencil-wood structure that prevents the base from becoming too plush, while almond bark echoes the earlier almond notes, adding a subtle woody-nutty finish.
Together, these elements create a fruity floral that feels radiant, feminine, and distinctly modern—sparkling at the opening, softly floral at the heart, and warmly musky at the base. The interplay between natural materials and carefully chosen synthetics is key: aldehydes and Calone bring light and movement, violet and lily-of-the-valley molecules recreate flowers nature cannot distill, and musks give the fragrance its lasting, skin-like presence. Champs-Élysées wears like a stroll through a sunlit avenue in bloom—fresh, elegant, and effortlessly luminous.
Bottle:
This fragrance was presented in the architectural Champs-Élysées flacon.
Fate of the Fragrance:
The Extrait was discontinued in 2018.
Champs-Elysees Eau de Parfum and Eau de Toilette were reformulated in 2021. They are both classified as a floral fragrance for women.
- Top notes: rose petals and mimosa leaves
- Middle notes: mimosa, buddleia and cassis
- Base notes: almond tree, vanilla, woody notes and hibiscus seed
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