Champs Elysees 1996

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 (IPA: /ʃɑ̃z‿elize/). 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.

   

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It is classified as a fruity floral fragrance for women.

• Top notes: aldehydes, melon, blackcurrant, almond flower, violet, peach, anise, mimosa leaves 
• Middle notes: mimosa, rose, peony, lilac, hibiscus, buddleia, lily of the valley, almond blossom  
• Base notes:  hibiscus seed, sandalwood, benzoin, vanilla, cedar, almond bark

Scent Profile:

As the first mist of Champs-Élysées settles onto the skin, one is greeted by a luminous bouquet that feels like stepping into spring on the grand Parisian boulevard itself—sunlight streaming through lime trees, laughter floating through café terraces, and the whisper of silk against skin. Its opening sparkles with aldehydes, lending a clean, champagne-like effervescence that lifts the entire composition. These aldehydes—synthetic compounds discovered in the early 20th century and famously used in Chanel No. 5—imbue the perfume with an abstract brilliance, magnifying the freshness of the natural ingredients while giving the impression of light refracting through glass. They act as both polish and prism, ensuring the scent opens with sophistication and radiance.

Soon, the sweetness of ripe melon and juicy blackcurrant emerges, their fruitiness balanced between dewiness and tartness. The blackcurrant note, derived from cassis buds, brings a green sharpness that feels simultaneously fruity and slightly animalic—a perfect counterpoint to the soft floral heart that lies ahead. The almond flower adds a delicate powderiness, its faint marzipan warmth weaving through the top notes like a whispered promise of the gourmand base to come. Violet, with its ionone-rich, candy-floral aroma, creates a nostalgic, powdery softness that softens the tart fruit notes, while a brush of peach lends roundness, a velvety skin-like warmth that makes the opening irresistibly feminine. A faint thread of anise—cool, aromatic, faintly spicy—adds intrigue, echoing the elegant unpredictability of the Parisian spirit. Finally, the green breath of fresh mimosa leaves ties everything together—a prelude to the golden heart that defines Champs-Élysées.

At the heart, the perfume blooms fully—lush, golden, and radiant. Mimosa takes center stage, its honeyed, powdery, and slightly green facets unfolding with a delicate yet opulent grace. The mimosa used by Guerlain likely hails from the hills around Tanneron, near Grasse, where the Mediterranean sun coaxes the acacia blossoms into their fullest expression. This French mimosa is softer and more floral than its Australian counterpart, whose scent leans more leathery and woody. The effect here is luminous, like sunlit pollen drifting in the air. It’s joined by rose—both the fresh sweetness of Bulgarian and Turkish varieties, and the dewy transparency of modern rose isolates, perhaps including phenylethyl alcohol and citronellol. 

Peony and lilac add a fresh, watery greenness that lightens the bouquet, while jasmine and buddleia deepen its sensuality with a creamy, petal-like smoothness. Lily of the valley brings a crystalline purity, created not from the flower itself (which yields no extract) but through materials such as hydroxycitronellal and Lilial—a hallmark of perfumery’s technical artistry. Almond blossom and hibiscus lend a soft, nutty warmth that transitions gracefully into the base, as if the flowers themselves were dusted with a faint sweetness.

As the scent dries down, Champs-Élysées settles into a velvety, comforting base that radiates quiet sophistication. Hibiscus seed, rarely featured so prominently, imparts a subtle, musky floral note—warm, dry, and faintly ambery. It melds beautifully with the creamy depth of sandalwood, likely of Mysore origin, prized for its buttery smoothness and gentle sweetness. Benzoin from Siam contributes its resinous warmth, with vanillic and balsamic undertones that blend seamlessly into the soft vanilla note—a balance of natural vanilla absolute and synthetics such as vanillin or ethyl vanillin, enhancing longevity and sweetness. Cedarwood provides structure and dryness, evoking polished wood and sun-warmed terraces along the Champs-Élysées. Finally, almond bark closes the composition with a delicate gourmand nuance—creamy, woody, and faintly nutty, reinforcing the almond-floral theme that threads throughout the fragrance.

In this harmony of nature and artifice, Guerlain’s mastery is evident. The aldehydes amplify the florals’ brightness; ionones in violet and synthetics in lily of the valley lend texture and radiance; vanillin extends the warmth of benzoin and sandalwood into an elegant, lingering finish. The result is a fragrance that feels both timeless and modern—a luminous floral symphony that captures the joyous, golden essence of Paris in bloom. Champs-Élysées is not simply worn; it is experienced like sunlight caught on the skin—a scent of optimism, femininity, and the eternal allure of the City of Light.

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