Chantilly

I knew this perfume would be significant. A few reviews below, I stated: "I want this perfume so badly that my stomach has butterflies when I think of it." It came in the mail two days later. All at once I opened the bottle and, in my haste and distraction (my boyfriend was talking to me about something else), I dabbed the bottle right onto my fingertips as if it were a lotion! I've been using spray bottles for twenty years. It hit me hard and fast, and my tummy turned. I kept trying to smell my fingers (I looked ridiculous) for half an hour after that, hoping I wouldn't feel sick again - to no avail. Yes, I was worried, but stay with me here. At the same time, I consider myself of high taste, and since I always give classic works of art a second, third, fourth or hundredth try, I knew I was going to wear it again. I'm a piano teacher, and in my lessons I teach "ear-training" e.g., I play a tune, they must play it back, I clap a rhythm, they clap it back, I play chords and intervals and have my students name them, back turned. In music class, one learns how to listen. Chantilly is teaching me to sniff. There are many pleasing scents out there; I think they're mostly considered pleasant because you don't have to *try* to understand them. I've noticed in many of these reviews people say they more or less wait for the "good part" to come, and justify liking the whole perfume based on that. Imagine coming late to the symphony, just in time for your favourite part, the one with the loud horns and timpani, once the part has past, leaving again before the piece is finished. It's no crime, of course, but if you stick with the piece as a whole, and try to understand the other parts you think you don't care for, you will come to see a depth in your favourite part you didn't see before. I'm learning not to just breathe and expect Chantilly to do all the work. I envy the people who find this "nice" and "easy to wear". My grandmother didn't really wear perfume, just one or two-note powders from Marks and Spencer and Crabtree and Evelyn, so I have no pre-existing associations with the scent. My bottle is vintage Houbigant, dark coloured juice, a straight perfume. What happened tonight when I gave it another try? I was dazzled by lemon (and I generally despise lemon furniture polish and all other lemon scents). Instead of immediately trying to take it all in with a breath, I allowed myself to sniff again just enough to notice that shimmering, shiny lemon, but that was all. I gradually sniffed more out of the scent, little by little; there was the vanilla, and the carnation - oh the carnation! - spices, then my beloved tonka bean. . . The intricacy of the scent was showing, as I continued to sniff my way through. Suddenly I understood the name "Chantilly"; there was something delicate, involved and fancy about the composition as it was revealing itself. . . like lace (?): I took breaks, just to breathe normally, then back to sniffing it out: A subtle whiff of leather, I was looking for it... That continuous aura, was that oakmoss...?... By the time I came to the middle accord it was beginning to happen, I was lost in this scent, enraptured... like a bride on her wedding night, falling back onto the bed and trying to untangle herself from the beautiful mess of lace all around, skin on fire... I believe the heart of this fragrance is jasmine and ylang-ylang. It must be. When I glimpsed this accord, my hands began to shake, my eyes watered, and I whispered, "oh my God." This perfume is intricate, but not like lace. It's skin on fire one glimpses under the lace of a wedding dress, and waking up after that first night of love, it's the glimmer of warm sun glinting through lace curtains, or your undone hair, or lilting leaves outside the window... or all of the above.

I first got this one in my early teens back in the late 70s and wore this off and on through to the early 90s. I loved the body wash most of all and kept a big flat round bottle of the cologne. I tried this one out because the lady at the cosmetics department in Walgreens had heard me tell my friend that I didn't want some of the popular fragrances at the time, she Suggested I try this out,so I did and I fell in love. I didn't make the connection between this fragrance and the old 50s song until I was at my friend's house for a 50s dance lesson from her mother(there was a lot of interest in 50s things where I grew up). It was my turn to dance with her. As she was going over the steps with me (I can't remember which dance it was anymore)she pipes up Oh! you have on Chantilly! I have just the song! - she put on the Big Bopper and sang along while going through the steps with me. I also wore this on my wedding day and on my (very short) honeymoon. We were married in summer and I have always felt this was more of a summer fragrance. After many years of not wearing this(can't remember why),I picked up a 2 pack of tiny bottles at walmart on clearance, one for me and one for my daughter. I had told her about it and wanted to share it with her. I was so excited to get it home and put some on. I got the packaging off and we both sprayed it on generously - and it took our heads off! we had to wash it off due to instant headaches.We both assumed some major formula change. I told her I would get her something else and she could give me her bottle - she said the bottle was pretty so she wanted to keep it and she liked the stories I had told her about it, so it was something of a keepsake to her. I let her keep it, but I still got her some girly vanilla body spray and she was happy. Meanwhile I put mine in a drawer and left it there for 3 years. About a year ago I put it on again and same thing, instant headache! I had to wash it off again and kept the headache all night. I was wary of this one but started reading the reviews, while not all were positive, some still described the fragrance I remembered. Then it hit me look at the bottle - what potency do I have? EDT! not cologne! I had always worn Cologne. Now with a much lighter hand and under my clothes- and I have Chantilly once again! It smells just like it used to, no different on me in anyway. I get the indivdual notes of this pretty much in the same amounts as listed by the other reviewers. This is a complex femenin fragrance. This is strong yet soft, very romantic, sexy in a womanly way, but not overt.The notes change and shift on me throughout the day sometimes lemony, sometimes spicy, always vanilla and sandalwood. For those who are used to gourmond scents- this is not one of those. This is frangrance as it once was- this is classic - "Old Lady" is insulting, everyone is young and sexy at one time, and everyone grows old in due time. Now to pry that other bottle from my daughter!

Because of scents like Chantilly and L'Aimant Coty I believe in reincarnation. I Am sure no one ever among my relatives, friends, their mums, or far-away neighbours didn't use this fragrance. But I am absolutely sure I was wearing it myself. How comes I have deja vu so strong one, that I went in stupor, once I sprayed it for first time in this life. ( thanks to one very kind mother of one very generous OnAndUp) I don't understand why people call THIS - “old-fashioned”, its simply timeless. And I mean it in most metaphysical way possible – the time is not exists and doesn't have power upon you, when you wear Chantilly. You are from all epochs at once. First minutes boozy from neroli , almost like a type of fresh-made lemonade. The picture - you wearing that white long laced dress, walking out from colonial type of house with old big trees from both sides...You laugh and pour that lemonade into crystal glasses to your guests, sun is shining, shadows from the trees make whole atmosphere southern, comfy, romantic, promising. Then you are running in hurry upstairs to the house, to apply some fresh powder on your face and decolettage, because He suppose to arrive soon to your house..Chantilly softens, getting powdery, musky, its exciting – girl waits and worries a bit for something, then dry down appears- as sudden and fresh accord of fruits, leather and spices. Incomprehensible in fact dry down – it leaves lots of questions to be answered – what will happen to that girl in laced dress, who is the one she wants to see so badly, such fragrances I call - “acting ones” - they take you to the places and make you be in the centre of events. Someone mentioned its “simplistic” - all great classics are “simplistic”, the more simplistic the more realistic in surreal way. To me – same level of “simplicity” as Shalimar, Mitsuoko and Habit Rouge. Also there is movie, called The Love Letter where 20th century computer games designer Scott exchanges love letters with 19th century poet Elizabeth Whitcomb through an antique desk that can make letters travel through time. Well, that's Chantilly to me as well

I wore Houbigant Chantilly as a teenager in the mid 70s, and I'm happy to have Ebay so that I can wear it again. A couple of things - the Dana versions are horrible. The "Parquet Perfumes" versions that say Houbigant on the front of the box & bottle are mediocre. And there's another version that says Houbigant on the front of the box but then on the back explains in smaller letters that the original bottle *only* is made by Houbigant and that the actual perfume is manufactured by them (can't recall their name atm but it's one of those long lost type companies) and that they have no connection to Houbigant. And it's not very good either.. Genuine Houbigant does not have any french words on it's boxes. The majority of real Houbigant Chantilly boxes, if not all, do not have a bar code printed on them. They made parfum de toilette (often called Essence de Chantilly - a very good version equal to today's edp), eau de toilette, spray mist, spray mist concentrate, perfume -sometimes called parfum - and purse "concentres". If it's eau de parfum it is *not* original Houbigant,it's either Parquet or Dana. So anyhow if you get the Houbigant, it does indeed open with soft musky lemon, absolutely not reminiscent of toilet cleaner or air freshener like Dana's. I'm not a citrus fan but it works very well here and it pretty much sticks around gently from start to finish. It's a creamy, lightly oriental, feminine mix of vanilla, tonka, benzoin, sandalwood, and musk with notes of spice, moss, leather and a few flowers. It does have powderiness in the drydown- I believe from the orris root, carnation & musk - but it's not super prominent, unlike in the later versions which are basically talcum powder bombs. It is *not* a loud perfume, though it has a fairly typical 60s/70s sillage. It has an innocent, young vibe, and it's completely inoffensive even if you bathe in it. It's not a "look at me" fragrance. Longevity is very good.

This is my favorite fragrance from my childhood as my mother often wore it. She kept her true loves, My Sin and Chanel No5 as her dress up scents, but I always thought that Chantilly smelled the best of all of her fragrances with her particular chemistry. It always smelled so light and airy, flowery, powdery and so feminine on her, I just loved to smell her clothes. I can still smell her as I sat by her feet playing with a doll while she would stand for hours in her flowered cinch waist dresses in high heels, matching beads and earrings as she ironed my father's work clothes, shirts,hankies,shorts and tee shirts! Then she'd start on the sheets and her slips humming happily to herself and smelling simply gorgeous. Chantilly's lovely spices would blend well with the warm aroma of the chicken roasting in the oven. These women who went before us were marvelous creatures and the fragrances of their eras truly celebrated their femininity, allure and strength. Recently I came across two vintage bottles of the parfum, which I didn't realize that Houbigant ever produced that concentration in this fragrance. I was able to identify one as being from the late 70's - early 80's and the other one as being from the late 50's early 60's. This fragrance in vintage parfum concentration is an entirely different animal. It's no longer light and airy,and it's only slightly powdery. It's warm spicy, woody, resinous with exotic spices and a deep cinnamon note. It has an aura of mystery about it and once again reminds me of what a great perfumer Houbigant was through several centuries. There are several bottles of the parfum on Ebay ranging in price from $5 to $30. If you love Chantilly, you owe it to yourself to try this enchanting concentration. On me the sillage is very nice, but not extremely loud after the drydown. The longevity on my moisturized skin is unbelievable,lasting a good 24 hours.

Houbigant Chantilly is a perfume close to my heart. It was a Christmas gift from my maternal grandmother when I was 16. It became one of my signature perfumes thereafter. What I noticed about Chantilly is boys/young men treated me differently when I wore Chantilly. And I liked that they were much more reserved. It is a ladylike perfume and I think it convaded that message to them. I wore this perfume the night I met the man I was going to marry. I am very happy to have Chantilly Houbigant in my collection again. I see why people compare Chantilly to Shalimar but for me Chantilly wins. I dislike the sharp beginning and the very aggressive dry down of Shalimar. Chantilly softens the bright lemon opening and dries down to a soft powdery finish where Shalimar for me is almost tar like, the resins/leather are much to masculine and aggressive. Chantilly is not sweet by today's standards but I remember thinking it was sweet when I was 16-19. The sweetness of Chantilly comes from the orange blossom but hers has not been drowned in malitol like today's orange blossom fragrances. Chantilly is a ladylike bouquet of orange blossom and white carnations. Those are the main floral notes for me. The spices never overwhelm they compliment the carnation making it the star. As it dries down it becomes a warm and mildly sweet powdery carnation supported by vanilla and Benzion. Old world Romantic, ladylike with a Victorian sensibility, it feels like another time, one even more distant than the time period it was created. If you love true vintage glory, if you love and want to smell a perfume that feels antique. Like old world lace seek out a vintage bottle of Chantilly Houbigant. You will be transported back in time to the beginning of the 20th century. The Dana version is a tragedy and has destroyed the scent. I'm so happy to have this vintage beauty with me again.

Ah how I love this perfume.At Christmas I found a giftset of a 1oz. cologne and matching 2oz. lotion for 5 bucks-I figured it would be no great loss if I hated it....boy was I in for a surprise:I absolutely love it!It is extremely powdery yet after the initial drydown it is soft and comforting.It makes me want to dress up in vintage clothes with bright red lipstick and my hair in pin curls...It is such a nice change from the current trend of fruity florals that dominate the market these days.I guess some would say that this would fit into the category 'old lady perfumes'.I hate that phrase as we are *all* hopefully going to be 'little old ladies' one day and it seems so disrespectful to me but I digress... This scent IS powdery and it IS old-fashioned but it has stood the test of time for a reason.I doubt many scents out now will still be here in 60+ years.I can see this being a love/hate fragrance for sure as it has strong sillage(and that powdery note) but it is just so lovely to me.I think of so many women back during WW2 who worked in the factories while their husbands/boyfriends were off at war...I wonder how many of them put a little money aside at a time so they could buy a tiny bottle of this and scent letters to their loved ones with a drop of it.It isn't just the fragrance itself that I love but the 'idea' of it as well.This would be perfect for a wedding or to have high tea with the ladies-it's definitely not a 'going clubbing' scent.It's far too demure and classy for that.It's wonderful to wear to bed in the winter as it feels like a warm blanket around you. This is my favorite comfort scent:I had to be rushed to the hospital once and had sprayed this on my wrists not long before...the next morning I woke up in that strange environment and could smell a trace of this lingering...it felt like home:)

Mmmmmmm.... I started out as a gourmand/sweetie lover, but I'm into vintages now... lol.... And Shalimar is my #1. I was curious about other vintages that smell like Shalimar. I do not agree that Chantilly does... but I still like it! I can see the comparison, but I can't agree. They could fit into the same family, prob only because they are both vintage? I bought the Dana version for $10, and liked it enough to grab a cheap-ish 7.75oz of the vintage cologne. The Dana on tissue smells like maple syrup-- but wears much less foody. In fact, the newer Dana wears pretty much like this vintage cologne... but the vintage cologne is much better. (I find the Dana actually cheap and BRASH and cloying compared to this lovely light cologne) I get a lovely vintage antique smell, and that is what I'm aiming for. I want to wear these for fun, for comfort, on a lazy day. I love Art Deco and old movies, so this helps me get into the mood. :) This isn't sexy, haha.... it's fun for vintage gals like me. The vintage cologne is actually deeper and less sweet, and I DO ENJOY the vintage leather/moss. This is like a watery Shalimar mixed with the mossy/damp/green of Mitsouko. Being a vintage lover, I have Mitsouko but I just can't like it. At all. Haha. There is something extra in the vintage Chantilly, and it can be found cheaply. Do it! I get citrus, powder, spices, vanilla, and moss. And it's awesome. I am going to put this splash cologne into a spray bottle and dive in later! I really really like this. I get a light Shalimar mixed with vintage Chanel No. 5 in my opinion.

I have a bottle that looks like the one above but with no flat side bearing a sticker. These are my honest first impressions please don't down vote me for making comparisons. My opinion is just as important as yours. This must be a later formulation because I'm getting big powder. I like powder! It's definitely a talcum powder feel but not a baby powder smell. I happen to be one of those odd balls that simply love vintage powder perfumes. This is different than the iris/violet I typically go for and I'm really enjoying the Shalimaric citrus leather vanilla feel with the extra dose of puff! I'm also getting a vintage Wind Song vibe from this but unlike Wind Song it's not giving me a headache! Not surprisingly Chantilly and Wind Song share many of the same notes. I'm not saying it smells like exactly like Shalimar or Wind Song because it doesn't. I'm just saying there are similarities IMHO. It does start off a little harsh but all in all I love Chantilly's dry down. To me it's a super comfy cross between Wind Song (My moms signature when I was a kid) and Shalimar a (current fav of mine) but with a big puff of talc. The powder note makes it softer and fuzzier than both. That is until everything starts fading away and the oakmoss takes over. Oh baby, this is going to be a serious comfort scent for me! I hope I can find more of this formulation! My condolences to those who lost the original. I would really love to try it.

I have been an avid reader of Fragrantica reviews for nearly two years now and I can say that has been the prime impetus in an insatiable quest for the next scent experience. I love the ritual of first spritz and then allowing my mind to drift over the ensuing impressions and emotions that accompany the olfactory sense. I do not have a discerning nose, not at all. Except for the very blatant, I cannot pick out notes. But correct dissection is never my goal with perfume. It's transportive, my favorite mode of rejuvenative escape from my typically cerebral, non-sensory, daily life. Chantilly is one of my lately acquired perfumes. I have a very dim memory of my initial impression, five decades past, when I was a child. I sniffed the fragrance from a drugstore tester. My reaction was dismissive. To use adult language to describe a youth's impression, I thought it evocative of a giddy, frivolous, unsubstantial female. I haven't pursued the scent again until today, on a coolish Spring morning, now as a woman on the threshold her fourth age. I find a vintage Houbigant enchanting. The smell is warm, a bit exotic, comforting and easy going. After four decades of life centered around career with all the competition, stimulation and stress that comes with it, I find Chantilly just the thing!

Chantilly was my first fragrance love when I was a little girl. To this day it brings back fond childhood memories of my adopted sister and me playing at the beach during summer vacations on Cape Cod. I still wear Chantilly especially when I want to be particularly feminine and classic. Memories aside, to my nose I would not consider this to be an oriental so much as a slightly aldehydic floral chypre. The top of the construction with lemon, lime, bergamot, and a fruity trace of aldehyde-C14 peach gives a great initial fizzy burst before settling into the floral bouquet of ylang, rose, white flowers, clove, and carnation forming the heart. What makes it a true chypre for me is the generous dose of oakmoss, accompanied by musk and sandalwood grounding the composition in a powdery animalic base. The overall effect is this gorgeous ride through each layer of accords without ever detecting an edge where one ingredient ends and another begins. Amazing how classic and beautifully constructed fragrances like Chantilly are referred to as "Old Lady". I think those "Old Ladies" at the time were the most in-vogue women wearing the most in-vogue of fragrances. Like any other part of fashion, fragrances cycle. Maybe it’s time for a rebirth. :)

It seems as if a lot of people relate this w/ "old ladies" "granny's" or grandmas.i can easily see how the connection made due to my own grandma(a classy woman of her time) wore this as well. I also relate the smell to her,but in the way of the classy elegance of it.back in the day woman wore perfumes very distinct & classy as to show off there femminity.many woman held on to that even as they aged & conitnuned w/ those one of a kind classic perfumes that many of us see as "old".but they r truly gems to be rediscovered !! I have recently been rediscovering so many of these sents & that cannot even compare to the overload of "smell alike celebrity " perfumes.chantilly is truly a divine perfume.its all woman & romance .its old black & white movie & a bit of French elegance.yes the smell is not the same on all but be patient & you may find it suits you well.ive been getting so many complements on this one.its does dry down a bit powdery but it's sexy .its a true classic.not at all "old or old lady "like.imagine our grandmothers in their time.they were young and sexy once too! & this was the frangrance to show that......but w/ class,not trash! So go rediscover & enjoy this!!

This fragrance is sheer memories in a bottle! Shopping at KMart with my daughter today, I noticed a beautiful,round, 2.5oz bottle of this that had been marked down to $1.00. I grabbed it and threw it into my cart, explaining to my daughter, who laughed a bit at me buying such a cheap perfume, that this had been my first perfume when I was 14...46 years ago. I wore it all though my teen years and while I was dating her father. It was what I wore the day I married him. My 2 girlfriends at the time wore the much more daring Tabu and Tigress. I thought those smelled too "bad girl" for me and loved Chantilly. It was sweet and powdery and it's pretty pink lace box made it seem grown-up but not "too" grown-up. I couldn't wait to spray this and opened it as soon as I got home. I was thrilled to find that it still smelled much as I remembered it. Sweet, powdery, spicy, and just a little lemony. It reminds me a bit of Emeraude or Shalimar...not so sweet as Emeraude, and lacking the smokiness of Shalimar. I think the silage isn't as good as I remember, but it smells really pretty and brings back so many nice memories, I have to wonder why I waited so long to buy it again.

I regularly search antique stores for vintage perfumes, and I recently found a bottle of Chantilly EDT in perfect condition. I dated the exact bottle design to a 1968 Houbigant ad, so I indeed got a true, very special, vintage example at nearly 60 years old. Chantilly was launched during wartime in 1941, while France was under German occupation. It became an iconic fragrance, favored by the women who stepped up to keep factories running while the menfolk were at war. It retained feminine elegance, while emphasizing the fairer sexes' subtle yet formidable strengths. It opens with surprising depth and spice, full of balsamy notes and cinnamon. It lacks the animalic heat of many fragrances from the era, instead becoming silky and powdery as it dries down. Unlike some vintage fragrances, I never find Chantilly as too heavy, despite its rich and complex base. This is an easy love if you're into vintage fragrances. It is a scented time capsule, especially if you can find an older example. I genuinely enjoying wearing this one, especially when spending time at home with my family.

Chantilly (vintage Houbigant) is the ultimate "Beauty and the Beast" frag. It starts off utterly repugnant - metallic and brackish, yet within about 30 seconds to a minute it begins to reveal the beauty hidden within. For anyone who doesn't understand the transitions of perfume (top notes to heart notes, etc.) this is the fragrance that makes it crystal clear. As the icky part fades away, the metamorphosis is almost visible - like watching something change into something else in front of your eyes. The heart notes are absolutely beautiful - spicy florals, musk, and a hint of leather. The drydown still retains some of the heart but becomes more of a spicy powder. Gorgeous. I have the newer Chantilly but have not tried it. I don't know if the top notes have been tempered but I hope not. It's rather intriguing to smell something go from hideous to gorgeous within a minute. I like to apply this a couple of times a day just so I can enjoy the effect.

My other review is so long I didn't want to add an update, even. But I wore Chantilly after using Bath and Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar body lotion - and the combination is tantalizing. Update: I was searching online for vintage perfumes ads, and I found one for Chantilly that depicts a woman's face behind a veil of white lace and nothing else! I'm only 32, my interest in perfume is quite new, so I can assure you this image wasn't in my subconscious... yet this is what I wrote in my review below: "I was lost in this scent, enraptured... like a bride on her wedding night, falling back onto the bed and trying to untangle herself from the beautiful mess of lace all around, skin on fire... This perfume is intricate, but not like lace. It's skin on fire one glimpses under the lace of a wedding dress, and waking up after that first night of love, it's the glimmer of warm sun glinting through lace curtains..." My nose feels very validated. ;)

Having never tried the original, I got my hands on a tiny bottle of the new stuff, which is now produced by Dana but has the same bottle. I must say this smells a lot different than I was expecting. It's cool and green. I can smell mostly the lemon and neroli, and I can detect the off-putting note in here that Scarlette mentions. I think it's likely the leather, or it could be the oakmoss. It gives it a slightly cold metallic feel. I find that if a very light spray is used, this particular note doesn't stand out. I am using the EDT and I do find it strong so a light spray is just fine. I don't detect any of the sandalwood, vanilla, or benzoin that are supposedly in here. Overall, this isn't bad. I'd love to try a vintage version. EDIT: The drydown smells so pretty and soft and powdery, and lasts all day. I really like it. If the vintage version is even better than this, I have to find it.

Like walking on scented air... I received my Chantilly gift set today - the gorgeous powder, the lotion and that heavenly juice masquerading as an edt! Two small spritzes and a dab of powder later, I left the house to do some grocery shopping. As I reached the checkout counter I realized there was this gorgeous fragrance in the air and thereafter two ladies aked me (with a smile, need I add!) what perfume I was wearing, I realized this heavenly fragrance was emanating from yours truly! Now this has never happened to me before, not with all my high end, super hyped beautiful collection of expensive fragrances. Sure I've been given compliments before by my loved ones and friends, at work, at parties but never ever by complete strangers at a cash n carry grocery store shopping for veggies! Tells you what I know about perfume! And I have Chantilly to thank for it!

My favorite. I've worn Chantilly for 45 years and although I love to try new fragrances this is the one I always come back to. The original Chantilly was a true oriental: warm, sweet, thick, and spicy. The opening was an explosion of oranges. The heart was more oranges with sweet Middle Eastern spices. The drydown was a soft powdery vanilla and sandalwood mix. Today's Chantilly is a reformulation. The original notes are still there but much softer and lighter. Much cooler too thanks to a heavy addition of cedar in the drydown. I'm not sure Chantilly is still an oriental. With that predominant coolness it now has it is more of a chypre/chypre floral. It is reminiscent of Aphrodisia, Crepe de Chine, or L'Air du Temps. Despite the changes I still consider it the most wonderful of all perfumes, the always and forever star of my perfume wardrobe.

At first blast I was shocked at the Harsh opening of this supposedly soft fragrance......but! I truly wanted to love this gorgeous looking classic. Now, not only do I love it, but It loves Me. Yes, the opening is strong, rapidly followed by one of the most elegant hearts to be found at this price. It is unique, but the flavor reminds me of a Guerlain. On me this smells of yellow flowers, powder, and a touch of leather, undergirded by sandalwood / vanilla. If I were to name this now, I would instantly choose "Leather and Lace". It's deceptively charming, with a depth from the leather that strikes me as incredibly sophisticated. I'll be wearing this in the autumn ~ with my pleather jacket ~ and in absolutely every temperature but the dog days of summer. Chantilly has now won my heart completely. This is backup - bottle worthy!

I LOOOOVE this....my alltime favorite scent. I have never smelled the original Houbigant formula, only Dana. My mother had this when I was young and passed it on to me. This fragrance, hands down, recieves the most compliments of any scent I wear, women love it and men are entranced by this...I am always stopped and asked which scent it is. It does start out strong, almost manderin/lemon-like, but then dries down to the sexiest incense/leather/powdery vanilla-like smell...very French and expensive smelling. Most do not believe me when I tell them it is a drugstore brand. I normally like oriental/vanilla fragrances, and I have a collection of sweet scents I indulge in as well. But this, Chantilly is my signature fragrance, worn for twenty years and I will never tire of it. Absolutely beautiful, incredibly timeless.

It's a true love because I have loved the smell of Chantilly since I was a little girl , I remember going back to my grandmother's vanity table and sneaking a sniff from her bottle , which was the creme version ; she had other perfumes which didn't capture my fancy the way Chantilly did , they have been forgotten . My grandmother is long gone & I still love Chantilly . It's bright ,yet warm . It's spicy & sweet .It suggests a breeze carrying the scent of freshly split wood mingling with the smell of florals . With time that woodsy scent turns into a soft leather & the rest of the notes become hazy , languid . Powdery . As a lover of all things vintage this is a beautiful thing to own, I also enjoy the ads from the forties and fifties for this perfume , lovely!

This was my mother's favorite and I used to bathe in it and buy bottles and bottles of the body lotion back in my tweens and twenties (70's & 80's). This "old lady" is going to have to give this another go. I wonder if the formula is the same? From what I remember of the scent, this may be too floral for me now, as my tastes have changed. But I'm excited to revisit this old friend! EDIT MAY, 2023: I did revisit the Dana version last year and gave it away because I was so disappointed. However, I have just scored an adorable miniature bottle of the Houbigant juice online. I'm keeping my fingers crossed 🤞 EDIT JULY, 2023: YAY!!! I have my sweet Chantilly back! Spicy, lemony, vanilla, carnation, resinous, just as I remember ♥️. I'm so happy! Miss you, mom

EskimoKissez, the same thing happened to me. This is such a grandma church scent, in a nostalgic way, and then wait....close your eyes, it's bright and sunny, summery, clean and powdery. It has this crispy linen-ish and oh so stylish, classy, sailing on the water freshness about it, and this is just today. Tomorrow, this might be a whole different perfume. This is a dream of a perfume. Anything you can dream up, this can be! I can't say that about any other scent, as of yet. Some scents can cover a few "moods", "frame of mind", whatever ya wanna call it. BuuuuTHIS is talented! This is SO special, it could be made up from Greta Garbo's DNA! I'm rambling....but ya gotta know I love this!

For all lovers of the original Chantilly extrait, there's an internet bargain out there right now that you must consider buying: Micallef refill #11 at around $22 USD for 100mls edp. The juice is dark amber and the fragrance is deep, rich, spiced, complex and boozey/powdery with extreme longevity -- in short, Real Perfume with that true "French" sense. For days after my bottle arrived I plumbed my scent memory bank for what it reminded me of and then I found my little bottle of Chantilly extrait with its precious few drops remaining and Voila! there it was --nostalgia in a bottle. Besides, who could pass up 100mls of a Micallef for under $22??

I remember getting Chantilly (Houbigant) for my sixteenth birthday. I still like it; it is a perfectly nice scent at a reasonable price; I just like other things better. It's a better scent than many of today's creations. Chantilly was reputed to be Pat Nixon's favorite. It constantly amazes me that all the classic scents from when perfume smelled like PERFUME, are referred to as old lady, or grandma church, scents, or just plain old, on these threads. It is a little insulting and disheartening. To those of us of a certain age, and past, many of today's scents have so little presence it's hard to figure out why people bother to wear them.

The scent of Chantilly evokes emotions. I have worn it since I was a teenager...Don't even remember who gave it to me. I do know, I have forever loved wearing it. My day always went better when Chantilly was in the air. Of all the fragrances I have, this is the only one...ever, that my dear Daddy asked me, "What kind of perfume is that you're wearing?". Then, he went out and bought a it for my Mom as a gift. I was very complimented. Chantilly is a soft, and gentle fragrance. Yet, it has a strength about it that encourages you to be so proud and confident about being a woman. Citrus, balmy, and floral in a very balanced blend.

My Mother & I both have worn this one off & on through the years. Mama passed away a few years ago & I have her lovely bath powder, puff & all!!! And it looks like she had just opened it. Smells wonderful. I sometimes open it to smell my Mother. How I miss her & cherish everything that was hers, I especially like her fragrances choices. We had similar tastes. Love you, Mama. Your Chantilly, Chloe, Aspen, Avon Unforgettable & Wind Song you passed on to me when you went to heaven always cause me to think of you the whole time I can smell them. Treasures to me, just absolute pure treasures!

This is a very lovely lady-like perfume. It starts out bold and dries down into a very lovely pink powdery lacy feminine scent. Think being surrounded by tons of powdered pink feather puffs,it's just lovely. An aunt of mine wore this in 80's in her hair. I'm sure I get my taste for powdery vintage perfumes from a my Grandmother and her sisters, they all had such good taste. This is based on the new formula, not bad, but I plan on getting an old one also. I love the lemon, and the vanilla softens it so well, and the powdery rose rounds it out.

The bottles of Chantilly I wear today are those I purchased, at the advice of some perfumista friends, from ebay, and are vintage, probably 50s and 60s. The quality of this juice is wonderful, a classic, perfect Oriental, not too full of the heavy notes which mar Shalimar for me, or with any other strident tones. Comparing this juice to the sweet fragrances of today just shows how much quality was available in those days for not much money. The original Chantilly was not exactly light, and has a richness and heart which I dearly love.

When I was in high school, in addition to fumigating anyone within 20 feet of me with Bonne Bell Skin Musk, I used Chantilly Cream antiperspirant. I love the smell of Chantilly perfume, and the antiperspirant used to smell absolutely irresistible. On various online sites, a "Chantilly deodorant" can be purchased these days, and it smells nice, but it's nothing like its vintage counterpart. In her classic formulation, Chantilly was akin to Hypnotic Poison, having an enchanting, slightly powdery, vanilla drydown that was purely erotic.

My mom wore Chantilly when I was growing up. In my teens I would put a spray or two of moms perfume on just because I loved it so much. Today on my way home I took a chance and stopped by a thrift store to see if they had any perfume and they did. I bought a gift set of vintage Houbigant. It's got a 2 oz bottle of edt Chantilly and a smaller bottle of edp with a perfume solid in a gold colored compact. It was in it's original box. I paid $12.00 for it, I'm glad I did. It's a warm and sexy scent. I think I'm in love!

The lightest and most joyful of all vintage ambers (though definitely a relative of shalimar and emeraude). I find something so cozy about this lemony sandalwood masterpiece! It’s not my everyday go-to nor something I pull out for dressy occasions but it is one of the first vintage fragrances I fell in love with and I continue to cherish it as a comfort fragrance. I just sprayed some on before bed and you can be sure I’ll have sweet dreams tonight. Just a very very special one for me 💛

I found a vintage 1960's bottle of Houbigant Chantilly EDT and it's amazing. I was originally expecting a flowery powder bomb but this no where near that. Initially there was a blast of lightly powdery lemon, but that quickly toned down as I began to smell leather and tobacco. The more I sniffed I also got vetiver, frankenscence and carnation and vanilla. Together this scent brings home the comforts of vintage classic perfumes and I'm just sitting here in awe of Chantilly. Beautiful!

There aren't words for how beautiful this is. I love the Dana, too, but this one is warmer, rounder, and the longevity is off the charts. I love the sprayer on these old bottles, so much better than the modern sprayers. And the scent is magical. I have hundreds of perfumes, but this one gets the most compliments. I bought the vintage parfum as well, but prefer the spray. If you've only tried the modern one, try this, too. Very similar, but this one is rich and complete. Gorgeous.

@ Lornaluv-It's funny reading your review because I was first introduced to this scent in cologne form-I can tell a big difference with it and the Edt.The cologne is much softer without any sharp edges.It smells cozier to me-just so comforting.I usually get it in a giftset with the lotion.I highly recommend anyone who likes Chantilly to try both versions on as they *are* different.I do like the Edt as well but it can be a bit strong at times.

Utter heaven! I got a vintage bottle of this on ebay. It is NOT like the newer version at all. This is a rich oriental. Deep and spicy with a powdery softness to it. It reminds me of i Profumi di Firenze's Tulipano Nero but with a softer side. On the dry down, reminds me of Santa Maria Novella's Melograno. I adore it and am so glad I blind bought. I do not get ANY citrus at all from this, and I have a nose. Try the vintage!

HaHaHa, calling this an "old lady perfume" is like calling a vintage, rare, collectable, muscle car just another "old man's daily clunker"!!! This is a wonderful, timeless, beautiful fragrance! Yes, it is an older fragrance. No, its not today's fruity teenage candy fragrance. Will this work for everyone? Nope, but I am so glad it works for me! Thank you Rosie for the chance to get to know this wonderful fragrance!!!

There are 8oz body wash/bubble baths on ebay. One for $11 or two for $21, and just FYI-- they have lost their scent. :( I was so bummed. They don't have a brand on the bottle, it doesn't say Dana or Houbigant. I poured a good amount of my Houb Chant vintage cologne into the bottle and shook it.... that helped a little. On the plus side, it lathers sooo well, but without the scent-- there is no point. :(

Somewhere between Shalimar and Toujours Moi, lies Chantilly. This is borderline chypre but with a narcotic base of resins lifted with a heavy dose of aldehydes and a big hit of spices. Dries down to a romantic floral powder. More complex than I expected. If you enjoy carnation and benzoin, but struggle with animal notes that are in a lot of vintages, you might like Chantilly, as they are absent here.

I love absolutely everything about Chantilly. I love the initial lemon and bergamot zest that reminds me of sipping a cold, fizzy Sprite. I love the spicy, powdery drydown that whispers of orange blossom. I love the moment at the end of the day when it's just barely there--a skin scent--smelling like rosy soap. I can't even say anything else. I want to be as inwardly beautiful as Chantilly smells.

Felt nostalgic today and wore Chantilly. It was my first woman perfume. Is not the same , but not that different. But it smell real good and last a long time. its been 8 hour since I use my roller and its smells so good and strong .It made me feel really good today. Just loving it!!! I may buy myself a gift set. Its sexy and kind of mysterious.just loving it.

great! as a theater director i'd give the following vision: scent of a boudoir, shining feminity, sensual in depth, but not lustful..couragious but not bold, evokation but not screaming, classy and superior- yet not cold&haughty; powdery; strong in presence without the need of many words, intuitive, carnal, empathetic, fleshly, demanding dominance of boudoir

Sometimes, I don't want to confuse people, or challenge them, or educate them about the more exotic realms of the perfume world. I just want to smell, as my husband puts it, "nice." Chantilly smells very nice. It's powdery, but still has a subtle edge, a depth you register with the back of your tongue. It may be good girl, but it isn't naive girl.

I'm only 31 yrs. old, but I must be an old soul because I remember falling in love with this scent as a very young girl (one of my 1st perfumes)and I still love it today amongst others that are labeled "old fashioned & old lady" (shalimar & emeraude). These perfumes were WAY before my time, but they speak to me and marry well with my skin...

In spite of my original assessment of Chantilly as an autumn scent, I've discovered - oh the surprise! - that she is equally at home at the beach. Since that discovery, I've learned that salt water and sea air are not the only things that blend well with this lovely lady. On my skin she is also at her ease in HEAT and HUMIDITY. Go Figure!

@nananessa..your review was beautiful and is exactly why I love perfume:it's ability to transport you to another time and place-to bring comfort to your heart is unparalleled. This is a lovely perfume for all and I am glad it helps you and all of the other reviewers who are reminded of loved ones when smelling this wonderful scent.

After wearing vintage heavier concentrations (EDT or Parfum) I do agree the drydown of Chantilly and Shalimar are almost exact. You won't find the heavy incense/smoke of Shal in Chantilly, but the drydowns are def very very similar. Love them both! For Chantilly tho-- vintage only! Luckily it's cheap and everywhere on ebay.

I wore this years ago as my everyday scent because it smelled good and was affordable. I also wore more expensive and at the time, chic fragrances. The EMT's where all men at that time and the one scent they commented on was Chantilly by Houbigant. I got more compliments on Chantilly that any other, by my male co-workers.

Being a tad obsessive, after reading reviews, I had to get the Houbigant version. Mmmmm... I thought I remembered Chantilly as a sweet, sweet scent, I may have been mixing it up with Heaven Sent. I would not call this sweet at all. It is powdery, but not innocent. A lovely dream of a scent with just a touch of attitude.