Collection Heritage Vacances

I’ve never smelled the original Vacances, but I have read a fair bit about it and it seems that Thomas Fontaine’s recreation for Collection Heritage has some differences. How faithful this is to the original is a question that I won’t and shouldn’t try to answer. One difference, though, that stands out from what I’ve read others say about the original are the opening notes. In Vacances CH there is a shockingly dry and bitter green galbanum, like very underripe green bell peppers. The original green note is described to be a bit sweet; this is not. To make sure the bitter greenness doesn’t become too much, there is a note of floral and sweet mimosa filling in the gaps. I’m not sure what to say about the opening, except to say that it is startling. And not startling in a pleasantly surprising grin-across-my-face way, it’s more of an uncomfortable startle. It’s really attractive but it makes my guard go up. Vacances moves quite quickly to the heart though, where my guard instantly goes down as I’m swaddled in the prettiest and gentlest of lilac and hyacinth. Powdery purple and white, it’s an aroma on the breeze of a warm spring morning thanks to a bed of gentle soapy musks at the base. It’s incredibly simple. There are no clever tricks or interesting things to pick apart with Vacances, it’s just very simply beautiful. It tenses you up a bit at the start, and quickly but very gently relaxes you down. Every note is pitch perfect, and easy to understand. An underrated gem from a brand most unfortunately and most undeservedly dying a slow and painful death.

Vacances swiftly replaced Sublime to become my all-time favourite Jean Patou fragrance. Perhaps it is because at heart, I will always be a lover of 'green' perfumes. I adore galbanum and the art with which the galbanum note has been made to tease mimosa in the opening, embrace lilac in the heart and dance with hyacinth in the dry down is one that only a magician may be privy to. Perhaps M.Fontaine? Unapologetically green, yet floral and fresh, this is French finery and elegance, and I shall treasure my 100ml tester bottle with prudence and delectation. There is something je ne sais quoi about this perfume, something fleeting that scratches the surface of one's heart but cannot be grasped. If I had to choose one fragrance, just one fragrance to use during the spring, I would struggle, but it would eventually be Jean Patou's Vacances. If you are considering making a purchase but you falter due to a dearth of reviews, cast all your uncertainties aside. If you adore green florals or light chypres, I guarantee that Vacances will be dear to your heart. Story: Something about this fragrance makes me think of France, in particular, of the late July summer day I spent traipsing around a charming ancient Roman town called Vienne, south of Lyon where I was studying. I might have lost all my pictures from that day, but this fragrance brings back poignant memories of the cool, crisp air.

Another beauty from the Heritage Collection. I can only imagine how wonderful it will smell come spring. It's odd, but after the intense galbanum dies down, I get a non-piercing lily-of-the-valley! Of course it's not in there, but that is definitely what I smell. If I smell it up close, I do get the lilac, and it's a beautiful lilac - it doesn't call to mind a bathroom spray in the least, which is an issue I have with many lilac scents. As for the longevity/silage, I can't really tell yet. I am testing this from a decant sent to me by a wonderful perfumista who has graciously offered to gift her bottle to me - thanks, Linda! - so I need to give it a true test with a fresh nose. I can say that it is a shining example of a well blended fragrance. This is a definite love.

Top notes : galbanum , mimosa Middle notes :jasmine, rose , lilac Base: Styraxharz , hyacinth , musk When I want clean lilac , certainly I will knock on the door Vacances , because this is the "tree " of lilac , purple and white , which are so richly fragrant and strut her ravishing beauty ... There's a not lot to explore here ... Beautiful , young, flowering lilac , still wet from the morning dew with a musky leaves ... And the good they link with the inspiration for this fragrance ... vacation ... Vacation, chaise , daydreaming and a cloud of lilac

This a complex blend. At the end of winter I received this and enjoyed the green colors and hyacinth's tender sweetness. Vacances has a slight powdery vintage sense. That's one reason I hesitate to wear it, because I like feeling edgy at work. But I have found the most enjoyable time to wear this right before I get into bed. It's complexity is exactly the thing I need to release the day and delight my senses. It makes me feel like a cherished princess, because it's delicate rose, jasmine, and musk. And bottle and presentation is decadent.

A fresh meadow, intoxicating florals abounding. A very pretty, feminine and airy fragrance; there’s a daisy note here as well which adds to the uplifting quality. I wasn’t taken with it the first time I wore it, it appears to perform better in warmer weather when it blooms on the skin, and as we’re coming into summer, it was a good time to revisit it. It would be perfect if the projection was better.

Beautiful! I'm collecting lilac perfumes and it is unique because it has an additional note which doesn't spoil the initial lilac accord. This note smells nutty to me and gives character to the perfume. I understand that it is most likely galbanum, which usually smells woody to me, but others perceive perfumes with galbanum as green.

This is perfect for my tastes. Vacances is a fluffy lilac, with sweetened edges from Mimosa (a note that can be really hit and miss for me) creating a lillac that is both familair and novel. I also think I like the smell of Styrax, it is what gives this scent the little twinkle of vanillay cinnamon.

I just received this in the mail today and am wearing it now. I sprayed it on my test strips 1st and I thought oh no, it is way to green! But I always do a skin test before I judge to harshly and I can say this perfume blooms on skin. The heat of my skin tamed down the green of the galbanum and lets the florals come through. To me this smells like jonquils in a garden w/ overgrown ivy and lilac trees that are just starting to bloom. It kind of reminds me of Ivy Tower from Providence Perfume company which I own. This will be a nice addition to that fragrance because that one only comes in oil form and I don't always want to wear an oil perfume, especially when it is hot and humid, like this summer has been. I own a couple of fragrances that smell better on skin and that I don't like overdoing on clothes or my hair. This one is that type of perfume. This is a very traditional green perfume much in the same class as Chanel #19. Edit: I personally think Vacances is very unisex. A floral that would work very well on a man. Green and fresh spicy floral.

This is the most realistic lilac I have come across in perfumes. I don’t particularly like the smell of lilac - all natural flowers are beautiful, of course, but I prefer headier white florals generally - especially not in perfumes because oftentimes the lilac accords used in perfumery end up screechy but this perfume is a great success. Vacances Heritage is like walking through a narrow pathway past thick, overgrown lilac bushes brushing onto you from both sides after the rain when the sun has just started warming up the tiny blooms and the scent is being released in the air like magic, you can almost see the lilac fairies from the corner of your eye, pouring the scented nectar from the blooms. I think this will be THE perfect spring time scent. Even though lilac is the definite star of this one, there is a fair amount of mimosa which acts like a sotf, powdery support for the wetness of the lilac. Beautiful perfumery.

Big, swooping Galbanum lift-off followed by a sappy green inundation very like the scent of crushed leaves. Sharp mimosa and lilac surge in within minutes, followed by hyacinth and musk. This is deliciously rejuvenating unless I overspray, in which case it verges into being too much of a good thing. Vacances feels like a proper grown-up French perfume; it's a subtle confidence-builder and attracts plenty of attention while giving the impression of leisured effortlessness. It's the kind of perfume I'd take with me when setting out on an adventure, in the pre-covid days when adventure beyond the local park was a possibility and not just a distant dream. Lasts for ages. distilled confidence perfume for adventurers not seeking to hide

Blue Nude by Pablo Picasso 1902

I wanted so much to love this, based on reviews and my adoration for Joy (and admiration for Sublime), but after wearing this a number of times through the day, I can say I kind of... don't. Maybe it's my skin chemistry, maybe my nose, but all I get is lilac, hyacinth and soap, lots and lots of it, and not much else. It's nice, but it doesn't move me. Layered with A Scent from Issey Miyake, which has a not-too-distant scent profile from Vacances (also with hyacinth, but greener overall and with more galbanum) it becomes quite pretty though. So nothing's lost, just hoped for more.

I love the perfumes of Patou and have almost all of their perfumes. But I don, t like this one. Don, t be fooled by the high evaluation here and the comparisons to Chanel Cristalle. It has nothing to do with any Chanel. What you get is a very old fashioned floral type of fragrance with some very disbalanced mix of lilac and galbanum for beginning and then only lilac till the end. After LVMH stopped the production of Patou parfums, we all try to get some bottles. Unless you like exactly this type of perfume, this one is not worthy. The rest of the collection is gorgeous. Maybe try yourself. 😊

I couldn't say no to an heritage collection perfume inspired by nature filled French Vacations including Galbanum and Mimosa on a bouquet of flowers symbol of perfumery. Mostly natural it hasn't disappointed. Feels like a mild body lotion that you put at night to pamper and protect your skin from a day spent within the elements and it's herbal as expected. Great Choice.. A meaningful one.

Here is the delightful Vacances story from the Jean Patou Collection Heritage booklet that came with the perfume: "1936. MODERN TIMES. 1936, the first paid holidays: a wonderful gift to the French! This enormous social change for the masses generated a rush towards the sea and the countryside, marking the start of the peoples' new way of life. Embrace the sweetness of a Floral Green Powder with a bouquet of Galbanum and Mimosa top notes that blends into a voluptuous Rose, Jasmine and Lilac before evolving on a warm base of Musk, Hyacinth and Styrax. VACANCES, a summery perfume for women and men, celebrate the joy and sweetness of the first holidays in the heart of the French countryside."

I like this very much but I'm still thinking about it, and there are others in this genre and collection I like more. It's lighter than I expected, although I do get a nice burst of green galbanum at the start, mixed with mimosa. I agree with bojana2 that the dominant note is lilac. It is a bit elusive, too: powdery, but not strongly so. I really don't pick up jasmine or rose or hyacinth. As this dries down, it smells soapy to me, in a nice way. Lilac-scented guest soaps, after the bright green opening. The opening is what I like best.

Well, well, Vacances smells natural, close to sniffing hyacinth or even horned pansy. I do not smell much Lilac and wish I could, as it is major reason I went for this frag (but it’s not a big deal). I like the second phase... as here sweet, slightly powdery, earthy notes bloom resembling alive flower. This is the first impression. I’ll get back when I have more to say -:).

The loveliest, powdery green lilac perfume in existence. This is photorealistic lilac, like gently rubbing lilac petals between your thumb and forefinger. Frangipanilove’s review below is why I blind-ordered Vacances, and it is exactly my experience with this simple, beautiful fragrance. Vacances is a bit ephemeral, but I have a feeling it will perform better in the heat.

Hyacinth is the top note, then in a minute or two it subtly turns to creamy soapy lilac. Finally there is kinda LOTV and/or white flowers in the base. It's winter here, might act differently in the warmer weather. Glad I bought a bottle. The hyacinth doesn't last long but it is the most realistic I've found so far.