Vol de Nuit

Ohh Jacques Guerlain. How did you compose this masterpiece symphony of the sky and resignation? I wonder... Because that is what I feel and smell wearing it. I have a fear of flying. The first time I entered the plane I said to myself "Either I do it or I die." I beat the fear with resignation. Giving up, because there is no other way...and flying, through the night and clouds. Till you feel sadistic muscles relaxation... That's what this perfume is. Someone said "To understand this perfume you must sleep with it..." Truth. It is a scent that puts you to sleep. Flying you through other places. It's a masterpiece in every single perfumery art aspect. The resignation begins like this! Just look at that! Amazing. Top notes: orange, orange blossom, basil, mandarin orange, rosemary, mint, lemon, bergamot, galbanum, sage and petitgrain Let's just say that this itself can be a nice, fresh and aldehydes flash perfume. I can't describe how much I love Rosemary and Bergamot together. You can literally smell it. Inhaling. So beautiful. Fresh. Like air is. After you beat the fear of entering the plane. Because I am (was) scared of flying. To beat fear you need resignation. No, that is not "giving up." It is accepting the challenge and responsibilities. It's totally surrendering. Middle notes: lavender, wild thyme, dittany, rose, carnation, violet, aldehydes, narcissus, jasmine, bay leaf and nutmeg... I love herbal elixirs. I love it when herbs show their power. Love how they cooperate with flowers! Love how Guerlain put Narcissus and Jasmine under control. Like magician. Putting the spell on them. To follow him and herbs. Again. Flying you to muscle pain relaxation. Sniff some lavender, and let me massage your skin with thyme tonic... The magic of storytelling of the master perfumer. Lost. Long-lasting lost. You won't even notice base... You can't... Do you see anything? No. Night flight. Sharp, cold air. Till you leave your body. Opening your eyes flying into warm sun and clouds. Your nose is penetrated by Base notes: myrrh, spikenard, civet, cascarilla, castoreum, musk, orris, oakmoss, iris, vanilla, ambergris and Sandalwood... Waking you... Have you ever seen an English patient film? I hate Hollywood. It's one of the rare films I have seen. From Hollywood. Ohh the soundtrack is nice. Remember? Ralph is so...resignant. Carnal enough as Germans are. Ralph plays that German spy. This is not Exupery romanticism. It's not. This is real love flying you to death... German flying you. (Ladies knowing German men will understand this.)) "The bottle, which I find quite masculine, was created by Raymond Guerlain in collaboration with Baccarat. The square bottle is made of smoked glass with eight chamfered corners. On both sides, the decoration in relief represents the motif of an aircraft propeller in motion. The name in gilded metal, die-cut, forms the belt of the propeller on a surface. Between the wars, the sky was considered a place of mystery and excitement, evoking exoticism and distant destinations. The square, golden metal cap is a symbol of modernity, as it evokes a famous piece of machinery, the triumph of machinismo and the conquest of the air. This bottle, like many others by Guerlain, is avant-garde as it is the first time it combines metal and glass: it is very much in keeping with its Art Deco period. Its box is lined with an imitation zebra skin. The original bottle is only available in the 60 ml size. For smaller sizes, the fragrance comes in the Jicky bottle. " (Sylvaine Delacourte) The bottle is one of my favourite ones. Robust elegance. So beautiful... P. S: this is not a perfume for girls. Or guys. This is feminine submissiveness. Perfume for females, that adore their pilots... inhaling night flights between their breasts... Because you know. Perfumes should be worn where your natural smell is the strongest. Fly with me, Josephine... Fly

This first one is for Vintage VdN (See edit 1 for perfume): Got my nice sample from STC of "Vintage VdN" and it simply is of a certain time. My first thoughts were: Oakmoss!!! OMG Oakmoss! Then it was the resins, the spices, the citrus-bergamot, all wafting through with the bitter galbanum and oakmoss. Pungent. Within minutes though, what I was smelling on my wrists was a bit different from the wafts coming up from my decolletage, which was "peachy-citrus" sweetness (a tiny bit Coco on me). Then my second thought was "Tabu"! (Don't hate me out there), but this smells like the "old" vintage Tabu--not Walmart--the "good stuff"). So it reminds me of a time when many of these scents had the oakmoss, citrus (orange/flower and bergamot). This took a while to settle down, and when it did it became a gorgeous primarily amber and civet (to my nose) dry down, some of that famous "Gourlinade" vanilla-esque warmth and skin scent which I suspect is actually the superior sandalwood I'm picking up. This is an absolutely lovely perfume. Now, I do not think it is necessarily "one of a kind"--but it is definitely one for its time; other scents do remind me of this one, and I agree with Rasputin 96 who said that a lot of Guerlain fragrances have a similarity to them. This is not L'heure Bleue, but there is "familial scent tree" on which this is a branch--a very lovely branch on which to perch a while. This an absolute "try"--an "anchor" perfume, and it really reminded me again of the power that is "oakmoss" (yes, it tickled the nose). Silage is moderate after two hours (more than a skin scent) but lasting longevity. I have a 3 ml sample, so I'm half-way through that with one try! If one had "the bottle" I suspect a few spritzes would knock 'em over for an hour or two, and then it would linger more closely. PS - I smelled this the next day on my wrist--longevity quite good. Edit 1: Perfume (new version): While the Vintage is AMAZING...the new PERFUME formulation from 2010? is "good" I'm wearing that today, a sample (large sprays) from STC. The difference between vintage and reform is really evident. No oakmoss but a "leather" smelling sub? Really no galbanum. Nothing too sharp and astringent save for the citrus--more "orange and mandarin"; it goes on warmly spicy ambered, a whisper of its former self and disappears. The myriad notes, the complexity, not there. It's very nice, very warm, still reminiscent of Tabu with leather, and much easier to wear. It disappears in hours and is a skin scent within 20 minutes. Honestly, if I didn't look at the bottle, I wouldn't necessarily think they were related or "the same"--and they are not. If you already like the perfume or the new edt, it would be worth your while to get a sample of the vintage--or take a chance on Ebay even. What there is to like about this one, is going to be considerably more complex, richer, deeper, nuanced, longer lasting in VINTAGE. I was all set to buy a bottle of whatever Vol de Nuit I could find. Now, I'm not. I'm holding out for vintage only....unless, the EDT proves better (that's tomorrow's sample! I'll be re-posting...

Just bought a new bottle of the EDT from NEIMAN-MARCUS online, apparently the only place in the USA that still sells it new. The last time I'd smelled it was in 2006, from a bottle of 1970's vintage. I'm happy to say that it is still very much the scent I remember. Takes off on a brisk cool cloud of bergamot, petitgrain, sharp green galbanum, nose-prickling aldehydes, and lemon; neroli and sweet orange prevent the attack from being too astringent. A heart of iris, jasmin, possibly some ylang, and indefinable whispers of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. At the base, a decidedly oldschool accord of leather and "Guerlinade", that sweetish, vanillic-leaning, slightly Play-Doh like quality we know from L'HEURE BLEUE, with its characteristic notes of iris, almond, heliotrope, sandalwood, vanilla, benzoin, civet and tonka. As plenty have noticed, VOL DE NUIT is a comparatively straightforward, understated and evanescent smell. Not the dense, cascading symphony of L'HEURE BLEUE or SHALIMAR. What pleases me most now is that the indolic qualities of the leather (that slight mothball smell) have not been compromised... it still has that Art Deco, suede-y, leather purse-y quality that I prize. What I notice now that I didn't years ago, is how the almond note in the Guerlinade, with its slight "cherry" hint, is prominent. The spicy iris heart is indeed "carrot-y" as some have described. I also observe how aniseed, in far dilution, unifies the entire perfume. Yet it's so diluted that it merely confers a subtle herbal, "Sen-Sen" quality to the mix, harmonizing with the opening sharp green galbanum. I'm pretty sure the jasmin note has been updated slightly... it seems less "violet-y/winsome" now than it used to. In short, a marvelous oldschool leather, with dry citrus, herbal/aromatic qualities, and a graham-cracker-cozy, almost-sweet-but-not-quite, quasi-Oriental base. To this day, I cannot decide whether the fragrance is a Green, a Floral, a Chypre or an Oriental. It actually partakes of ALL of these qualities, and that is part of VdN's magic. It is probably the grandmother of later green/floral/chypre scents from the 1960's and 70's, such as YSL "Y", Chanel No.19, CREPE-DE-CHINE, DIORELLA and CRISTALLE. Highly recommended. Easily unisex. A tous-les-jours, "feelgood" fragrance. And a perfumery masterpiece. The EDT formula is light enough to wear in the warm months. It has been said that all the classic oldschool Guerlains-- JICKY, MITSOUKO, SHALIMAR, L'HEURE BLEUE, VOL DE NUIT-- are basically variations upon each other, riffs on a common theme, and that's true.

Years ago, I was on historical Guerlain trip and this one was the most intriguing and mysterious of them all. Still in production but only die hard guerlanophiles know about it. So when I saw it, I bought it. The perfume lady told me that they receive one or two bottles per year and that she had no idea how it smells, no tester. I had no choice but to open it right then and there. She politely said that it was for an acquired taste and I said that I loved it. I had the impression of finding the long lost friend. You must love your greens and appreciate the developing character of the oldies to be able to enjoy this gem. After few hours, I had this feeling like when you're in the presence of an old married couple that is still crazy in love. You bathe in their deep understanding, acceptance, love. It's not the endorphin, hormonal, fleeting or blind. It's still an acquired taste, it smells classic, or dated, and the complexity is staggering. I always discover new facet when I'm wearing it. Over the years I shared several samples with a note "It might take some time, be patient. It's worth it." And every time, sometimes after months, people understood what I'm talking about. So yes, it's challenging. When you are in owe, it's almost impossible to describe the subject. The words seem inadequate. The opening is galbanum citrus bite. Old fashioned and quite perfumy. It's difficult to distinguish separate notes because they are blended seamlessly. The flower bouquet is very powdery with dominant iris, orris and narcissus. The drydown is plush woody delicately spicy vanilla perfection. All along its development it's woody, green, powdery and delicately spicy from the beginning to the end, but the balance between them is changing constantly. It's also changing depending on seasons, temperature, humidity. I find it quite masculine and barbershop-ish but only in summer. In winter it's so wrapping, it almost purres. It makes me think of fur, silk, diamonds, pearls, opera, champagne. But also of flappers, dancing, jazz, speakeasy. One doesn't exclude the other. I can't wear it every day, it's too special. In one word, exquisite. PS: The bee bottle just came my way. It's perfectly recognisable but it seems diluted. This might be the age, my previous bottle not yet empty, has some age to it. The oriental Guerlains get seriously better with age, and VdN has more or less oriental drydown. So, I will know for certain after 6 months, a year. If it gets more rounded. I know people who wait that time before using every new bottle of l'Heure Bleue or Shalimar.

I think Vol de Nuit is best taken in context of its time. The fact that VdN was one of Jacques Guerlain’s last perfumes. It was made in 1933, when the world was settling into an economic depression. The Great War was over, the hedonist/flamboyant 20s were gone, and JG was almost 60 years old. When I first tried VdN I was underwhelmed, but I wore it several times, and read about it, and every time I appreciated it a little more. I am very happy that Guerlain/LVMH has decided to keep this perfume in their catalogue, and (for now) not charge a fortune for it. VdN is quiet, conservative, restrained, but you get to know it, very moody. It’s a woody perfume, there are hardly any florals present, and all the other notes are background noise to the substantial wall of wood. What I smell is mostly petitgrain, sandalwood, a tiny hint of vetiver and oakmoss, accented with narcissus, edges of galbanum, flints of iris, and powder. For a long while too there is a distinct accord of old fashioned Johnson’s Baby Oil, and I have to say this, but it smells like baby oil that you’ve rubbed over someone you’ve already had an hour of sex with, it has this skin/skanky vibe to it. L’HB is supposed to be the emotional perfume, and while I adore it, I think that VdN is much, much more emotional. It makes me feel kind of sad, and wistful, an unhappy sense of things changing and not going back to the way they were, yet it also has this boundless feeling, of something about to happen, a hint of opportunity. And, and even better it makes me feel grounded, and certain, like I can handle whatever life or the world is going to throw at me. I know this is categorized/marketed as a women’s perfume, but it doesn’t need to be, I don’t see why a man couldn’t wear it, it is not ornate or overly floral at all. The sillage is very soft, it really is a skin scent, and it lasts 6 or more hours, depending on how much I put on. A kind Fragrantican sent me a large decant of vintage EDT, and I do think that it’s a little more green with galbanum, especially after the first hour, but other than that I think that the differences are minimal, and the new bottles on VdN ‘work’ about the same, ie the strength/sillage are similar. Anyway, I am so glad that I have this perfume, it makes me feel my age, in a nice way. (This is for the EDT.)

I probably can't do this one justice seeing as there are numerous beautiful reviews that reflect my exact feelings on this perfume, but I will try... And I must thank Conifer lover for the generous sample! When I first dabbed this on, I could smell bright aldehydes and citrus. Delightful. There is a touch of animal and I could have sworn a little civet brushed his tail ever so slightly against the perfume bottle. The iris blooms beautifully against the orris root and it's quite prominent to me. For someone who does not like soapy scents but loves iris (it can be hard to find an iris I like), I think the iris is really lovely here. For a moment there the iris completely dominates, and I'm in heaven. I can't say I'm familiar with narcissus/daffodil but I can tell it's there because the iris is not alone and I don't get much violet or jasmine during that first half hour or so. The base is a really pretty musk decorated with oakmoss and sandalwood. I can also appreciate the gorgeous, green, resinous canvas upon which this entire drama unfolds. I can't say I find the scent that spicy but there's sort of a spicy "aura", if you will towards the end. To me the dry down is soft, a little powdery, earthy, green, and with almost an incense vibe in the background. It's clearly a classic and a well executed, well thought masterpiece that will continue to be highly regarded over time. I'm very lucky to have had the opportunity to test this beauty. It's not something you throw on to buy groceries. It's something you intend to wear with a certain feeling in mind and a mood that evokes sort of a haunting yet comforting mystery. Very nice.

I wore this today so decided to write a quick review (still under the weather and currently exhausted to sorry if it makes no sense!) I have worn this a few times now and find it a difficult scent to pin down - it seems ethereal, like a cloud or aura of gentle scent that feels both exciting and comforting. In the opening i find it very "typical old guerlain" - it has "that" guerlain smell that I find in l'heure bleue, shalimar, mitsouko and chamade, but in vol de nuit it is greener, greyer, more foreboding. It lacks, to my nose that slightly medicinal anise like note of L'hb in the opening, the spice of shalimar or the warmth of mitsouko, and is probably most similar (to my nose) to chamade for the first few minutes, perhaps a little more green? For some reason the first 10 minutes make me think of heavy thundery rain clouds. Then suddenly it is like the sun breaks through the clouds, or maybe we gain altitude and break the cloud cover and this becomes soaring, powdery, the comforting aura I mentioned before. Longevity was very good - 12 hours after application I could still smell it faintly on my skin and more strongly on my clothes. It was inoffensive in that although there is some sillage - I myself caught occasional whiffs it was not challenging or offensive and felt no need to compete with anyone elses fragrance or personal space. It portrayed exactly what I wanted - Elegance, self assured, quiet confidence with a touch of soft femininity. Very nice, this has gone up in my estimations as it made me feel so good today. Definitely one to try for lovers of other older guerlains. Beautiful.

“The desert could not be claimed or owned — it was a piece of cloth carried by winds, never held down by stones, and given a hundred shifting names before Canterbury existed, long before battles and treaties quilted Europe and the East ... All of us, even those with European homes and children in the distance, wished to remove the clothing of our countries. It was a place of faith. We disappeared into landscape.” ― Michael Ondaatje, The English Patient Vol de Nuit makes me inevitably envision a flight over the desert as one would imagine when reading "The English Patient". Sky and desert - nothing in between but the wind and yourself filled with a void of thought, calmness and peace. To describe Vol de Nui in means of notes is rather tricky, it's like trying to catch smoke, whenever it reaches your grasp it melts away through your empty hands. There is a large dose of galbanum for sure, vanilla adding up to gorgeous soft, dry and warm amber. Yet there are cool spices, maybe cardamon and herbacious greens like sage, a lot of oakmoss and I think I do get a hint of narcissus. There is a typical Guerlain duet of citruses, but they do not seem very prominent to me. The feeling of the fragrance is a mild powdery amber on top of elegant oakmoss and spicy greens. It wraps around you like a very sheer veil, it stays a long time while being very close to you. If I attached the adjective "feminine" it is not in the frill&feathers way, but a cool, sophisticated style. This is a very special scent to me. I sprayed, I sniffed and fell head over heals for it :-)

To me this smells similar to "Shaina" by Atelier Delteil, from the 70's or 80's I think. I should say "Shaina" smells like "Vol de Nuit" because "Shaina" was made much later. They are both woody orientals, one (Shaina--basenotes labdanum and fir resin...smells powdery resinous similar to Vol de Nuit) is a bit more modernized but still has a powerful, classical feel. I own "Vol de Nuit" in the extrait version and it's one of my prize possessions. I used up an edt 93 ml bottle in about six months. I could not keep my hands / nose off it. I have about 20 ml extrait left, a version from about 7 years ago, give or take. The extrait is for special occasions, or really happy moments, I am looking to buy another edt soon. I love spraying perfume for application, even with a pure perfume -- the effect feels the most complete. Like dabbing is for contemplation, spraying is for immersion. I found out about "Shaina" after reading about Atelier Delteil in Luca Turin's original 1994 Parfums: Le Guide and then finding a reference on his blog. I wish Fragrantica would also add Nicky Verfaillie Parfums ("Grain de Sable", "Grain de Folie" and "Grain de Passion") from the late 70's early 80's...such an interesting period in perfume history! Nicky Verfaillie parfums are also mentioned in the preface to the 1994 Le Guide. My French is rudimentary but I could decipher these recommendations...Oh, to be able to write reviews with such confidence! To experience smell like that. Perfume is amazingly substantial for such an ephemeral product.

I was amused to read a mention of Timeless, as I used to wear Timeless years ago. And there is a similarity, but of course, VdeN came first! Vol de Nuit is exceptional. I adore L'Heure Bleue and Mitsouko, and this is another palace built on the same gorgeous, solid foundations. Hour after hour it changes... repeated sniffing just gives more depth and more character, one is always discovering another facet... really that's part of my love for these original scents, they offer new facets as they age on the skin. It's almost coconutty one minute, next minute the carnation, the narcissus, the civet, and so on. And such good quality, not ostentatious, not striking - but unchangingly top-class. The powdery drydown is beyond wonderful. I could wear it every day and never tire of it. My bank balance says otherwise, so the EDT is fine for me right now, but I will be getting the EDP - like any work of genius, it will be wholly worth it. Please Guerlain, never stop making this :) UPDATE: Many reviews (including Luca Turin's) recommend this without saying what it smells of. The drydown is a spun-sugar cloud of violets and rose, iris and musk, entirely feminine and beyond pretty, and it can move me to tears. It's seriously and exceptionally good. Only Chanel even comes close. I would say, the drydown is like wearing a ballgown. If Katharine Hepburn wore it, I don't know how Howard Hughes ever left her. One of the most beautiful scents ever made xx

This is so beautiful. Oh my. But I could cry... because I can barely smell it. Noooooooooo I want to sob my heart out. Why????? I have the only accessible version -- the 93 ml EDT refill. At first it's like Shalimar a bit... then thick medicinal green spicy, then a gorgeous sweet woodsy powdery vanilla. But seriously weak... with 6-8 sprays on clothes and skin. And all these stages/smells in about 40 minutes. I just can't afford a parfum... and buying vintage on eBay (if cheaper) scares me after I got a "turned" or diluted Shalimar parfum. :( :( :( Plus I'm not a dab-on perfume kind of girl... I love to spray. I do have some hope... because as crazy as it sounds... what I smell (in the drydown of Vol de Nuit) is very similar to Dark Woman by Police and that is very cheap, and I have a couple bottles already. Misted on my pillow, I get this mossy/musky antique smell that I enjoy, reminds me of Mitsouko a bit, but more medicinal. Overall, I'm still super disappointed because I know this is a beautiful perfume. :( I must like to torture myself... haha... because I got a 1.7oz older bottle (the rectangular bottle) and I think it's more potent than the refill... but I only have 50ml and it's hard to find... lol.... This smells so good. It does smell "old" (which I like) and it has a musty Mitsouko vibe... and the drydown smells a lot like Shalimar... overall I still LOVE This... and I'm going to get that extrait somewhow.... ;)

Beautiful and unique. It's a very cool, night-air green cologne somehow folded into a lightweight powdery-warm oriental that, smelled together, comes across as chypre. Cool air and warm breezes wrapped together. Like going out for a cruise when it's about-to-storm on a summer night, with the window rolled down but the heaters on. And you simultaneously accelerate and close your eyes despite risk to your mortal life because it just smells so... fragile. One thing about Vol de Nuit I don't read enough is that it is funky-animalic-indolic. This coming from someone who simply cannot find fragrances animalic enough. But Vol de Nuit has a seriously authentic musk kick (by route of an indolic daffodil) off the top that is so! satisfying. It's like a sting, or a crack of lightning on that summer night. And from there it's the smell of fields and flowers cooling after a hot day (galbanum, hay, grasses, lilacs), a rising earthy powderiness (patchouli, galbanum again, moss), and that fascinating interplay or warm and cool currents. Yes I perceive a lineage across the green chypres (no19, Scherrer, Silences), but the almost out-of-place Guerlinade (Jicky, Heure Bleue), here matched to a powdery patchouli, gives Vol de Nuit an inimitable mystery. Sometimes shoulder-to-shoulder with Mitsouko (and a select few others) for most beautiful and evocative smell in the world. (Based on modern EDT in the white box. No performance issues.)

I have a teensy decant that I purchased so that I could finally smell this beautiful fragrance. I put some on before bed last night, inspired by the name, which means "Night Flight" in French (or Flight of Night if you think that sounds better). I was surprised that the iris notes were not more dominant on my skin. I got a very green floral, almost a chypre, with a particularly beautiful galbanum/daffodil/citrus accord that reminded me a bit of my precious residue of vintage Miss Dior and also Private Collection by Estée Lauder; I didn't get much iris from Vol de Nuit, which surprised me, although the powdery orris note came through reliably. I do think this is certainly full bottle worthy, but I have other holes in my collection that require plugging first. I'm also surprised that this is categorized as "woody," despite the plentiful woods in the base (but most Guerlains have some wood in the base, yes?). To my nose this reads more like a classic chypre-oriental, or maybe a green-floral-oriental. When I think of "woody" fragrances, I think of very sandalwood-forward scents, and this ain't that. I do love it, though, and in some ways I love it as much as Samsara, if not quite as much as my old standby L'Heure Bleue. I'm not sure about the longevity, but Vol de Nuit was going strong for a few hours after I put it on, and then it slipped away like a thief in the night while I slept. That seems very on brand!

A charming dusty smell--think a wooden chest with linens, papers, photographs, dried flowers, and other assorted artifacts that's gone undisturbed for years. Took me a bit to come around on this one. I decidedly like it now but it's perhaps not the most immediately favorable thing to smell on a person, like taking a whiff of a laundry hamper scented with last week's perfume. Not too surprising I suppose, as a composition of yellow flowers and iris and airy incense can be predicted to paint in pastels. Very comfortable and pleasant but I'd say it isn't at all sexy. It's sweetened from below with a blurry base of sandalwood and vanilla that persists deep into the dry down, reminding me in this respect at least of Samsara, although that one is much bolder. Unfortunately, Vol de Nuit is best experienced in the parfum concentration. I'm no stranger to allegedly weak-tea reduced-concentration versions of Guerlain's classic extraits, like Apres l'Ondee and Chant d'Aromes, but usually I disagree somewhat. I think those two, at least, perform about as well as can be expected in their bee bottle incarnations. Not so with Vol de Nuit. The EdT is consistently disappointing. Even when freshly applied, it's watery and barely-there. It's nice, it smells like Vol de Nuit, you could definitely do worse, but it's very weak and transparent. The parfum is great however and, in my opinion, the only way to fly.

I remember reading somewhere that many people believe this is one of the best perfumes of all time. I agree, and it is tied with greats such as Shalimar and Mitsouko for that honor. I have trouble describing the individual notes, except to say that it is quite complex and high quality. It has that warm, amber, comforting note of Shalimar and Mitsouko, but unlike Shalimar it is not lemony at all. It is not as mysterious and earthy as Mitsouko and the color the scent evokes for me is more of a spicy cinnamon as opposed to an almost black red for mitsouko. It is likely that when it was first created that, because all perfumes then were so heavy, the idea of a night flight smelling like this seemed logical. To me, now, it spells too heavy and spicy to really evoke flight. It is not really subtle and airy. It smells more like Fall to me, or a spice market-- there is none of that heavy tuberose and other oppressive florals of some older perfumes. It also just smells beautiful-- I know that a good reviewer could use better words but it's just simply. lovely. It is lovely all the way through, beginning to end, and I love how the dry down smells, hours later. It is definitely a perfume to savor (and spray lightly). I think it is unisex and would be super sexy on a man. It is just sexy in general. Edit: my bottle is about 20 year old, so I think my version is much stronger than the current version.

Vol de Nuit--what a lovely, classic fragrance. Right off the bat, my skin smells of vanilla, soft woods, a surprisingly sweet orange, and delicate spice. As the liquid settles on my skin and melds with my chemistry, I really get the wonderful galbanum, more woods, spicy carnation, and some bright florals (though I can't necessarily pinpoint what kind). I am a novice when it comes to Vol de Nuit, but upon my first round of sampling it reminds me very much of Mitsouko if you replace the peach with vanilla. They share the spice, resins, and greenness. I love that show Downton Abbey, and Vol de Nuit seems just like the kind of thing that Lady Mary would wear. For those who don't watch the show, she is a quintessential English Lady. She is very classy and holds firmly to tradition, but she is also quite attractive and stylish and will sometimes quietly break the rules and reveal her true self, rather than the facade she normally hides behind. While all the other English Ladies of the 30's may have stuck to their rose and lily perfumes, Lady Mary would pull off Vol de Nuit nicely. Vol de Nuit is indeed classic in the sense that it is certainly French perfumerie at its best, however, I see it as being totally Boho Chic. Stepping outside the box a little bit, going out to a club; a little drinking, a little dancing....Great, whimsical perfume for loosening up and living a little.

First, a big thank you to the wonderful Bettany87 for providing me a generous decant of this perfume (EDT). I sing in a choir for over 5 years. One of this year's projects was to present, in honour to the International Day of Music (1st October), the whole fantastic piece of Carmina Burana by Carl Orff. There were 275 persons acting in total, including me, so it was such a big thing as you can imagine. We did so many exhausting rehearses, but finally the day arrived. And the chosen perfume for such a big event was Vol de Nuit. Its mysterious mood would pair perfectly with the dramatic theme. I brought the decant with me, and put 3 spritz just before we entered the stage. It was heavenly. While singing with my whole heart and soul, soft whiffs of Vol de Nuit were arriving to my nose. It's perhaps the most abstract perfume I've ever used. It's very difficult to describe the real notes. All I know is that it is very powdery, a tad green, woody and earthy. Vanillic at the drydown. Very subtle floral notes were detectable as well. The perfume couldn't have been more well-chosen: it's one of the most magnificient scents I've ever had the experience of sniffing. It's a mysterious, nostalgic, solitary, thoughtful perfume. Incredible on windy nights. Amazing on both men and women. And I believe my perfomance was even more magical with Vol de Nuit.

Guerlinade perfection, in particular the vintage extrait. While this does have an intriguing and angular galbanum/narcissus opening and definite cinnamic spices along its journey, in many ways, the drydown is one of the best exemplars of an unadorned (or at least not overly adorned) Guerlinade--the doughy orris root and powdery ionones, sweet vanilla and tonka, woods, and light animalics. You can obviously smell this imprint in the other classics, but Vol de Nuit is rather subdued and the Guerlinade is not as masked as it is in say, the bolder L'Heure Bleue, Shalimar, and the like. VdN is more contemplative, autumnal, and spare. I'm eager to try the newest version in the bouchon coeur bottles, since I've loved the most recent Jicky, but the non-extrait concentrations have always struck me as just being rather thin. Modern parfum versions (90's and later) I've smelled capture this dynamic, androgynous beauty fairly well. Smelled side by side with a vintage extrait, though, (a 70's rosebud one in particular) the modern does smell fine but also thinner and sharper, whereas there is a sueded, plush, sumptuous feel to the vintage extrait. Whether that's attributed to the particular older nitromusks, more prominent costus root (which is very perceptible to me), or civet, I'm not totally sure, but it is a thing of true beauty.

This is my second review, this time not the modern EDT but a decant of the real deal. WOW. They seem like different animals and the vintage perfume is far more interesting and evocative It is much more dry and woody and a bit sharp. (I guess it is the galbanum, which I realize I rather like.) A reviewer below said it made her think of the desert and the movie of the English patient, which I now totally get! I'm (sadly) not a nose, but even I can tell it is not really like Timeless, which I do have and think is lovely. This "real deal" decant of Vol de Nuit is not sweet and comforting, it's for a different type of person and I can see why Katherine Hepburn wore it: it is sharp and dry, a little smokey, then has this subdued lovely dry down. Some describe this perfume as "cold," but to me it would suit a person who is not cold at all, but very independent yet tender hearted. The dry down is sweetly warm and comforting (a bit like Timeless, there). VdeN is sort of like a night flight in the 30s, eh? Back then, very few people actually flew. So, you'd need to be an independent and brave soul to do that, and then you'd experience the mysterious beauty of the world below at night, and then (dry down time) you'd probably feel some happiness and relief to be home on the ground. What a treat to have a try of this.

"Musky Green Suede" most of the time I look and look (sniff and sniff) and spend so much money sampling ultra expensive niche scents. here I am this evening wearing Vol de Nuit which I’ve had for at least 12-15 years and it blows everything out of the water. Vol de Nuit doesn’t smell like it’s list of notes. For me it evokes green musky suede. Luxuriously powdery suede (but the “powder” is suede-y not like baby powder and actually it’s more musky than powdery if I’m being precise). Yes, it smells classic and vintage but only slightly because so many niche fragrances are coming out with all these trendy leather, earthy, woody and suede type scents. if you just buy ALL the Guerlain fragrances you’re all set and never need anything else. most of them have a certain plushness though, so you have to dig that kind of density. And Guerlain is almost never linear so sometimes you need to ignore the first 15 minutes (ignore or exalt, totally depends). God Bless the House of Guerlain. Give me plush and potent any day. #TeamGuerlainForever Vol de Nuit signifies individuality to me. The woman or man who wears Vol de Nuit might have a strong sense of individuality and a rebellious nature.

mark03, you are not imagining things. The bee bottle formula has been striped and watered down. It is not the same and a lot of the nuances are gone. That heavy galbanum hit is no longer as prominent and what is there is very fleeting. I still think it's a beautiful fragrance but it lacks that little something extra that made me fall in love with it in the first place. I use my bee bottle with earlier versions so at least it's not wasted. Besides the extract, which has decent silage and projection, I've had the best success with the little clear rectangular edt bottles. I believe they were from the late 80s early 90s. Not sure about that, but it does smell the way VDN used to smell before the reformulation. One thing I will say is that I have been using this fragrance for years and aside from the extract it never had great longevity to begin with. It's usually gone by the 6th hour. But the bee bottle version is much worse. I am lucky if I get 3 hours out of it. You really have to spray heavily and spray your clothes too if you want any kind of silage. Still, despite that, it's better to have VDN than no VDN. At least Guerlain didn't discontinue it.

Muted shades of green and mauve, flecks of gold light, Vol de Nuit EDT is one that I've worn more than once on an introspective walk, setting the mood for when I'm feeling a bit wistful and vulnerable in the heart. A cool narcissus precedes a flash of galbanum, but what really is the spirit of the composition is this tender, warm, starchy iris. There is almost a cacao-like quality as it merges with the Guerlainade vanilla that runs from the heart through the base of the composition. The gossamer quality of the EDT is what makes it so alluring to me, as if to pique yearning. It is just out of reach, haunting, like echoes from the past that bring a tear to the eye, as we know they inevitably fade from memory, until we ourselves cease to exist. As the Grass Roots once sang, "live for today." I am impressed with the oakmoss feel in spite of restrictions, it really is convincing and quite lovely at the very dry down, feeling almost gilded and opalescent. I just had an epiphany: this dry down reminds me of the smell of a velvet-lined jewelry box my mother had when I was young. Now that is illumination through scent memory. I miss you, Mom.

"Love lift us up where we belong Where the eagles cry on a mountain high Love lift us up where we belong Far from the world we know, up where the clear winds blow..." Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warren Sometimes, when I feel a need to go far from the madding crowd, only one will do. Guerlain Vol de Nuit. This loosely flowing Guerlain makes it all feel right. Can I or would I want to pick out notes, talk about longevity/sillage, or even History? I could. But I won't. VdN has everything -- flowers, woods, spices... perhaps it is a bit of a 'kitchen-sink' composition. But, the results! Smells wonderful from a distance, wafting from that classically beautiful person who just walked past. Is enchanting when your nose is pressed to your wrist. Also, it is so surprising and delightful when you sniff the inside of your leather bag wherein VdN has accompanied you recently, and its' ghost still lingers. All I want to add to all else that has been said by everyone is that if Enlightenment (or Heaven) had a smell, it would be this. That is all I can say about this most beloved Guerlain. Except that if you've never experienced it, you must.

I am wearing my vintage - late 60s - perfume today, and it is jaw-dropping. A 50 year old bottle of pure perfume, in a gorgeous crystal bottle with a rose bud stopper, and after the initial harsh wave of oak moss and galbanum, it settles into such a beautiful fragrance with depth and character, not to mention longevity and projection. I first received and tried this in the summer, tried it, and put it aside, glad to have it if only for the beautiful bottle. But today, in the cold post-Thanksgiving air, it is magic. NOW I understand what all the fuss is about! It is another classic Guerlain masterpiece, and I prefer it to both Mitsouko and Shalimar, though I only have the modern versions of those. I think L'heure Bleu is still my favorite, but it's a toss up! Going to purchase the bee bottle EDT as well, hoping it will help stretch out my remaining perfume, knowing I can spray with abandon. ======== Just purchased bee bottle tester for a very good price. From reviews, I know that I will need to over spray this one, so at least I didn't have to pay an arm and a leg! Wish me luck!

i scored a 1981 bottle edp on eBay, it,s in a gold perforated cannister, the bottom is dated 1981 and research shows this style being used until 1984. I just tried it and it was so unexpected, especially loving Arpege, Chanel 5 and 19 and i consider c22 my signature. This is so unusual in that it seems to be so many different scents, beginning rather green and woody to my senses, some spice, it's really beautiful considering i mainly love florals with vintage Shalimar being my favorite spicey frag. It's not heavy or overwhelming spicy like Opium, nor over extremely green like Jean-Louis Scherrer. The galbanum and iris are obvious yet I coudn't stand Prada infusion d'Iris and gave a bottle away. Yep, I am in love with this scent. It is amazingly beautiful and elegant. It could be unisex, I think a man could easily wear this. And now I am on the hunt for vintage perfume. I am loving this fragrance - it's genious. Not floral or fruity. Sophisticated and forever classic and just blew me away. I could wear this everyday. And thanks to Fragrantica again.

To begin with, VdN is indeed hauntingly, timelessly beautiful, even as a diluted bee-bottle EDT, which I now am a proud owner of. For diluted it is. I said it before and I will say it again: all the current Guerlain fragrances in bee bottles heartily embrace circular economy philosophy. If I did not know better, I would say this was a concentrated Apres L'ondee sans anise (because of heliotrope, same one as in L'Heure Bleue). I smelled VdN for the first time 10 years ago in El Corte Inglés flagship store in Madrid, from a square bottle. It was pungent with galbanum and musty with moss, so much so that it put me off (for the record, an oakmoss-galbanum absolute administered intravenously wouldn't put me off now). In this edition my nose doesn't detect any. Not a problem. Galbanum and even Evernia Prunastri (oakmoss) essential oils are freely available, I've got some, and I have no qualms about doctoring whichever perfumes I consider need it. I love the current EDT VdN. But she will receive some moss&galbanum treatment too, just for the heck of it.

As Autumn approaches, I look forward to wearing my wool tweed jackets, cashmere sweaters, and Vol de Nuit. Others have so beautifully described the complexity of notes in this masterpiece that I have nothing to add. I will say, however, that on me Vol de Nuit first appears, then seems to disappear for a while, then reappears with yet another layer of its delightful complexity. It is interesting to me that many refer to it as Shalimar's cousin. I cannot wear Shalimar at all as that beauty is truly dreadful on me. But I do not dispair, as their formulater said that a woman is either a Shalimar or a L'Heure Bleue woman, and I am definitely the latter. But Vol de Nuit is beautiful on me, and I most often wear it during the day. It joins other Guerlian favorites which I wear in rotation for other occasions and different times of the year: Chamade, L'Heure Bleue, Mitsouko, and Nahema. All masterpieces from this magnificent and venerable fragrance house.

1960s edt The green galbanum, petitgrain, moss, and a whiff of something animalic from the base with an incredible mysore sandalwood facet. The peach aldehyde lifts the heart and the creamy orris takes over with narcissus blending into the green notes. Spice from carnation, and powdery rose and sweet violet join in.The transitions are flawless and melts into the other creating a soft aura. Its one of those fragrances you notice when you hug someone hello or goodbye. The edt wont make a grand entrance but it does give a lasting impression. It reminds me of the old wood cabins in the first airplanes with beautiful stwardesses, the smell of warm skin, beauty powder like coty's airspun on her face, and aldehydes to give it lift and takeoff..landing in a gentle earthy moss and classic mousse de saxe base (the night/dark component) A gorgeous ,unique fragrance. For those looking for a quality modern rendition try Papillion Artisan Perfume called Dryad.

This is such an outstanding fragrance! I have the EDT but it's so light, I can barely smell it on me after 5 minutes. but those 5 minutes are heavenly! it fills the room and my kids absolutely love it too! I have to spray it on the clothes to make it last and then i get whiffs for several hours after that. Lately, i've been using it as bedtime fragrance because it's so light and beautiful! it's green, woody, powdery and soft. reminiscent of L'heure bleue, shalimar, yet unique. I wish it would be stronger so i didn't have to long for it. Maybe the extract is stronger and more intense? It does transfer to others who come in close contact with me - kids hugging me or my husband - it gets on them and then i can truly appreciate the beauty of this gem. it transports me to the skies, it's light, airy, cloudy and dreamy. I just can't get enough of it! so glad the got the EDT before they discontinue even that!

I have the refill for the Habit de Fete metal canister, so it’s not the current version EDT, but nor would I class it as vintage. It smells absolutely divine, but it is as weak as a kitten. It’s dusty & the iris & galbanum give it an almost cocoa like quality. Until now I’ve used it mostly like I use my other perfumes (just a couple of sprays) & after 10 minutes it’s sadly almost gone. Last week I was home all day, so I used it very liberally, (probably about 10 sprays) - & I could still smell it in the evening. You need to spray really heavily or not bother at all with VdN imo- so from now on that’s exactly what I’m gonna do:) Shame, but that’s how it is. If I could afford it, I’d buy the extrait & use it with the EDT. I do this with No.19 by dabbing the extrait, then misting with the EDT & (for me) it works really well at giving a lot more oomph. It’s a beautiful perfume, I love it.

A night flight being piloted in the imagination of a romantic insomniac travelling a route that departs from a forest clearing of twisted haunted trees and narcissus groves landing hours later in the dark velvet of night of the world of Shalimar but muted with something inscrutable extra, a faded trail of fuel in the clear, almost sidereal air of the argentinian Pampas, a silver shimmer of spacedust that sticks to astronaut's suits, the mystic soil from sacred egyptian tombs in Lord Carnavaron's boots, the smell of expensive glistening pomades to mold the fingerwave styles of the Diana godesses of the 30's, being told with the suaveness of David Niven in his autobiography The Moon's a Balloon, like it, feels like half fantasy, half reality and so wonderful because of it. I would probably make it my I-die-on-this-hill-fragrance if I had easy, permanent access to the Extrait.

I have the vintage edt bottle and it's an oakmoss/galbanum love for me! I'm no expert by any means but VdN smells like a textbook proper chypre and there is not much powdery-ness to it (but I will keep on listening to it more); it's like an older moody sister to my beloved Chamade as the latter feels more youthful. I've been complaining how current Chamade feels so fleeting on my skin but having VdN will solve that issue. For those people who love classic perfumes before every new launch on the market became another fruitchuli version. Very glad to own it. Update: after wearing it a bit on my arms, I do feel the flowery middle notes, how lovely! It must be the iris that gives this very subtle powder note and the narcissus - a slightly joyous and feminine touch to the composition (I need to go out and actually smell all the flowers in real life again, damn this lockdown)

I'm wearing the 1960s bath oil version and dear Lord this is good! It smells so natural and outdoorsy, while also having a divine iris/orris powdery edge. Cannot stop sniffing my wrist. The modern version apparently has quite a lot more citrus, but this is overall a fantastically well-blended formula. It's less well-rounded and isn't quite as distinctly Guerlain, but you can't definitely detect their trademark tonka and old school genuine oak moss. Very MCAS-friendly and not likely to offend or trigger allergies. Good for all weather and times of day, but something more floral or spicy might be preferred for date nights. It seems truly unisex and can be worn equally well by anyone. The original does have a faint castoreum/civet note, but it's so gentle and well-blended that you won't be offended or even really notice it unless you're looking. Absolutely worth a try.

I performed an experiment yesterday. Boy on one wrist, Vol de Nuit on the other. In my olfactory memory, they had the same tonality - unisex - and the distinct old world feel that I look for in perfume. Turns out my memory was both right and wrong. Compared directly, Boy is much more feminine, although Vol de Nuit is very far from being a brash masculine. So, Vol de Nuit. Night flight. Is it a luxury flight? Possibly, but I'm not sure. The soft, leathery note could be fine seat leather, but if Saint Exupéry is the inspiration, it's something much more elemental, a flight jacket, a leather helmet, the cockpit of a plane. Vol de nuit is a richly evocative perfume, the very private romance of looking out, only half awake, from the window of a dimly-lit plane over a quiet landscape, stars above and lights below, whilst your fellow passengers sleep. C'est exquis.

I cannot but simply join Luca Turin by exclaiming ̈God bless Guerlain for still doing this stuff! ̈Mind you that I could purchase the bee bottle only, which is said to be diluted. It might be a ̈shadow of its former self ̈. I have never been introduced to the original one. If so, this is the loveliest shadow of a perfume, I have ever smelled. Splendidness itself. I have just come across a page here in fragrantica, in which the newest version has been presented (made in 2021). One of the heart-shape bottles style. Having no idea if I could find it anywhere and if it is truer to original, I at least bear the comforting thought that this bee-bottle of mine is something that is worth spending the last coin of its price. How do they achieve that airy yet almost touchable, audible and edible deliciousness? It smells both like an old book and a violin. Mystery.

Sadly to see it go, I used my last few drops of the vintage EDT last week. The Guerlains I have used have all been so beautiful that I find it difficult to try to write of their unfathomable beauty. Guerlain creations are the only ones that have literally moved me to tears as I explored a journey of olfactory bliss. Although VdN didn't move me to tears, it ALWAYS succeeded in making me continually smell my wrists as it developed. This was oakmoss & sandal so perfectly balanced just those two done so dominantly beautiful with a great dose of great French powder---it just staggers my vocabulary in trying to describe it's beauty. And the longevity was amazing! I could still smell it the following morning & it's usual was about 12 hours for me. Amazing stuff this vintage. I highly recommend it because it just entrances one in it's incredible beauty!

Vol de Nuit would be my #1 fragrance but the current EDT is so faint/light/watery. I have a vintage EDT in a very rectangular-boxy bottle, but I'm scared to use it up. :( It's only 50ml. Today, I put on my current EDT VdN and it was very potent for about 1 hour. Could be the stuffy heat/humidity of this summer (this 2018 Michigan summer is abnormally HOT and humid). But alas... about lunchtime, I have very little VdN left. Just hints of it here and there. The best part is... my cardigan was worn with Bandit by Robert Piguet about 1 week ago. Now Bandit is tenacious! Between the VdN left on my body/shirt and the cardigan's Bandit-- I'm in heaven! An amazing layering combo! However, Bandit will overpower anything/everything, so it's best to use some week old Bandit. ;) (I have my cardi on because my office is air conditioned)

I'm a ultra-introverted literary type, and this feels like exactly the right perfume for my INTP self. Like all Guerlains, it's beautifully mixed and evolves over the length of its wear. This particular scent is cool, unlike so many of the very warm Guerlains. It's just a little aloof without being off-putting, though the initial spritz is exciting - like lift-off. Unfortunately, the EDT in the bee bottle is watery and weak. I feel the need to re-apply every couple hours, which is not a trait I like in a perfume. I'm hoping to buy a bit of the vintage scent and use that as a base over which to spray the EDT. I also own the bee bottle of Jicky (a nice scent, though less 'me') and it has the exact same problem. I refuse to believe that the genuises at Guerlain can't remedy this situation.

I'm bitterly disappointed in VdN EDT. As soon as it hits my skin, it vanishes. Literally. No exageration. Habitually, I'm a 3-spritz person, but it took 7 to get a decent impression of the notes before it ebbed away. I'm thinking to get good silage I'm going to have to spray like mad and then towel dry before getting dressed! :-( I like soft perfumes, but I do like to smell them on myself. Vol de Nuit's notes are so tantalising, it's almost a cruel joke that it fades so quickly. IMHO, the effect of the EDT is so poor it becomes a very expensive bottle of splosh. Saving for the parfum is probably the solution. I'm game for that. The woody, airy notes I have picked up are glorious; I just need the promise of staying power and "oomph!" to warrant further investment.

JC2109, exactly the same thing happened to me! My Vol was so weak, I started to ask myself what the big fuss is all about! ... and then... I applied it again tonight... DEAR LORD! ... spending the night smelling this gorgeous, wonderful powdery, iris and woody like creature on me. Have no words to describe this beauty, except that it somehow reminds me of Ungaro's Diva Pepite. I have the same problem with my Chamade: While some ppl can't describe enough its beauty, for me it is completely hided when I put it on! I'll use the same technique as with the Vol: Will let it rest for a while and try again in a few months. The same thing happened with Jicky... What I HAVE learned from this lesson: I'm not even aware what beauties I have in my fragrance armoir. :)

I've had it for a couple of days and adore it so far. Guerlain remains my favourite house, for classics. I find definite similarities with Eau Fraiche by Dior but it's easier finding a bottle and cheaper! I also get facets of Jicky which I owned and sold because it was just too much skank for me to wear outside of the house. Vol de nuit has just the right amount of skank in my opinion. I am a lifelong wearer of shalimar and love the guerlinade qualities of both. This is one of my new favourites, particularly as we're in autumn in the UK. Perfect. Update: after a week or so I realise I've used up more that I'd like to of my bee bottle - because it has no longevity! Arggghhh how annoying! I really want this to sing out and stay with me. Ffs guerlain. *sigh*

This is a gorgeous fragrance with beautiful depth and complexity. I just wish I could learn more about the varying strengths over the years since I only own a modern bee bottle edt and find the silage abysmal. It is only a skin scent on me though it lasts for hours. I would love to purchase a vintage bottle but don't know what would give better silage. I see lots of vintage edts and colognes for sale, and also some very expensive extracts, but I've read here that some find the performance is pretty poor for the very strong strengths. Could anyone tell me what the vintage edts or colognes are in regards to silage? I'm not looking for a fragrance bomb just something I can smell without having to resort to sniffing my wrists.

Vol de Nuit is in my top three scents of my entire life. I have had vintage and current, extrait, edp, and edt. I currently have some vintage edt from the 1980s and the current edt in the bee bottle. About the current edt in the bee bottle 1) it is better than not having Vol de Nuit at all, so I am grateful it exists and it is affordable for me and 2) it seems really faint when you start a new bottle but, after wearing it 5 or six times, I find that sillage is moderate but it lasts all day on skin, hair, and clothing. Current Vol de Nuit edt has softer edges than my vintage but it is definitely Vol de Nuit. Again, better to have the current than none at all. I'm just too happy to have it because I love it.

Guerlain Vol de Nuit (1933) - night clouds - #jacquesguerlain’s galbanum, oakmoss, iris perfume was inspired from his friend Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s novel in 1931. Better to share an excerpt from the book to explain the feeling of the fragrance: “And now a wonder seized him. Dazzled by that brightness, he had to keep his eyes closed for some seconds. He had never dreamt the night-clouds could dazzle thus. But the full moon and all the constellations were changing them to light. Now all grew luminous, his hands, his clothes, the wings, and Fabien thought that he was in a limbo of strange magic; for the light did not come down from the stars but welled up from below, from all that snowy whiteness.”

The latest fragrance in my Guerlain collection has just arrived. I ́m very excited. It is very light and fresh. Today it ́s quite warm and sunny so it ́s very suitable for this day and I like it. It has a cooling effect on me. Most people prefer this in winter but I think it ́s perfectly wearabble in warmer weather too. Definitely great experience to wear this beauty. After trying this fragrance my galbanum love affair started. Unfortunately the sillage and longevity of EDT version is very poor and I ́m very unhappy to say that I can ́t smell it after an hour. So I can ́t wear it to work without taking a bottle with me and using it repeatidly because I love feeling this wonderfull scent around me.

I want to greet Adina Galani. I absolutely agree with you, my experience is exactly the same. The fragrance itself is really beautiful, love it. But it is so weak that one needs to bathe in it to have it for at most 2 hours on. As you said in your review and it is unfortunately, the sad truth about new version of this fragrance. I first thought that there is something wrong with me that my body doesn ́t work with the fragrance, but it has such a poor longevity that it is even difficult to feel it after application. So again I agree that this one is a classic example of fooling the buyers. You expect the quality for your money and instead you get this really, really weak EDT.

I've worn this on and off for years, it falls in and out of favour. My current bottle is about 20 years old so may be the original(ish) formulation. I've always found it intriguing, at one time I thought it heavy, sultry and mysterious: no leather, no incense, no smoke, if fur coats, gloves and velvet were a scent, they would be Vol de Nuit. Habanita de Molinard sits in the same family, perfumes which have edge, rich but not cloying, posh skank. Vol de Nuit is complex like many scents of its time, and I can't detect any individual note, not one! tonight Vol de Nuit is light like a pink crepe evening dress. I love it! Pagan from Lentheric has a very similar vibe.

I remember this from way back in the seventies when I fell in love with the "cousin" Shalimar. Now I sincerely regret that I didn't buy Vol de Nuit too. There has so very obviously been a reformulation that has somewhat diluted the original formidable scent. Vol de Nuit is still a beautiful scent, and very much a monument over the time when a nightflight was a rare and dangerous adventure. Today Vol de Nuit suits me better than the more flowery, and unfortunately also reformulated, Shalimar. The first, sharp citrus is not what I remember from the original but the warm, woody drydown is just like my memory of it, only with slightly diminished longevity.

Timeless classic. I have the new Bee bottle Eau de Toilette and I adore it! It's woody, earthy, and spicy, with some citrus and floral thrown in. The galbanum is what sets the tone with its intense green aroma and woody, balsamic elements. That's what gives Vol de Nuit its earthy, forest-like quality and spicy green elements. VDN is pure elegance. Pure Guerlain. Utterly unique and classy. Impossible to describe. It has to be experienced. OMG, I love it!!! But unfortunately it doesn't last long. Would love to get the EDP version if they ever release it. There is truth in Adina Galani's words. But my answer is, you only live once.

Not a review but My Revelation! Because I am an iris lover, I ordered this blindly in summer 2018. I opened the cap and suddenly got overwhelmed by dejà-vus... It took me 30 years back...to figure out my intelligent, beautiful and stylish grandmother wore this her whole life. Every thing she had touched smelled like it: her house, in which I grew up, her dresses (that I sometimes wore to say I'm a fairy), her jewelry box (so ever fascinating to me). And her hugs... All my childhood memories are scented by "Vol de nuit"... For me, this fume has no age, just a present continuos of love...from then to now, from her to me ...