Paris – Biarritz

Good grief this is lovely. Paris-Biarritz is so far my favourite of the few Les Eaux de Chanel I have tried, and to me is something of an Aqua-Allegoria-esque remix on *an* Eau de Cologne, albeit not Chanel EDC itself which I find to be quite different smelling them side-by-side. Paris Biarritz opens with a diurnal, bright citrus complete with acidity and slight harshness, but almost as if in embarrassment immediately loses its tart opening and begins waxing in a manner not dissimilar to something like Pamplelune or Mandarine Basilic. I mean to say here we have, after the 15 second opening fades, a citrus which is polished and non-acrid, rather like eating the peel (and meticulously avoiding the flesh) of a kumquat. The greenness and florals are minor (and perhaps to me marginally too minor) players here, whilst the adulterated citrus meanders aimlessly for around half an hour or so on skin before vanishing with a wink and a voice-cracked chuckle. PB is lovely to smell, and I think is a stellar example of a "dumb reach" summer spray which provides momentary lift and the illusion of coolness. I'm happy to own it and, on account of its fleeting nature, have already made a substantial dent in it. That said, next time I want such a fragrance as this I'd sooner peruse the Aqua Allegorias, which I think maintain the unburdened summer feeling but generally with more creativity and intrigue. A great citrus burst overall though.

Got an official sample with some makeup I bought. This is a musky lemon fragrance with that Chanel-aide in the base and definitely some patchouli. Quite refreshing and very beautiful. A tiny bit of neroli in the heart. Chanel website only talks about lily-of-the-valley, yet I get literally none of it. Can’t believe they don’t even mention lemon, the most obvious note. Lasts a few hours on my skin. No issues with longevity for me in winter, but I this might evaporate quickly once the temperature becomes +80F. Sillage is what you would expect from a cologne. I love that this is so zingy, clean and elegant, yet it’s not a barbershop cologne. Truly unisex and so easy to wear. Brings back memories of the old Les Exclusifs Eau de Cologne, but I love this so much more. It’s more crisp and modern. It has patchouli in the base rather than woods, but the notes are nearly identical. And miraculously it’s more affordable! I reached for it almost daily and ran out of my sample, so I purchased a small bottle. It was wonderful in winter and it’s working perfectly for spring as well! I feel like it’s a lemony variation of my favorite of the line—the limey Paris-Deauville. Edit: Huge mistake, not buying the larger bottle!

If I were to choose a lemon zest scent to accompany me through the next few years it would be this, or Allure Homme Sport Cologne. AHSC seems to exude 90s spirit and embodies the perfect European man. Biarritz goes a bit more to the fields of any given land. Summer time, but it's not too hot and it's not too cold. I feel as though this is a coastal town surrounded by fields of flowers and grass. It goes a bit powdery, too, which is very lovely. This definitely seems more Olivier than Venise, but both seem to portray his view of Chanel's youth and history quite well. I don't think this is a bad thing, despite the puzzlement I felt from Gabrielle (cold, but not in the typical Chanel way). I think this is a glorious take on the traditional EdC, and will perhaps make it's way onto my 'want' list.

Truly unisex, burst of uplifting citrus fruits, airy vibe. It’s simply beautiful in a sense that it is simple yet gorgeous! Love at first sniff. I got a sample at Nordstrom in September while buying another perfume. Well I wanted it for all this time until I finally got a full bottle today. I can wear this year round. I have a big bottle 4.2oz and I know I will go through it. This is the only Chanel perfume that I can wear. I am usually not a fan of anything Chanel, especially all the popular perfumes on the market, all those Chanel classics (Coco, Mademoiselle, Allure, N5, N19, etc) - just a big no for me. But this is something else!

Beautiful from the opening to the dry down. The only patchouli scent I’ve ever worn. Definitely a cologne, so do not expect much on longevity and sillage. Boy, does it smell expensive! Also the only pricey cologne I repurchased in the past couple of years. If you like this one, try Aura by Brazilian house Phebo, more longevity and sillage for a fraction of the price. Not a dupe though, bear that in mind. Biarritz is probably the simplest and most minimal scent I’ve ever worn, one of the chicest too. On the second repurchase I got the lotion and the shower gel to make it last longer.