Classic French Perfumes share that exquisite timeless essence and refinement magically captured in a bottle by the expert noses of the prestigious French House of Perfumes. What makes a perfume a great perfume is the subtle alchemy of scents intuitively intertwining top, heart, and base notes to birth exquisite, powerful, provocative, and always magnificent masterpieces.

While most of the men’s fragrances are Eau de Toilette which are lighter and less potent than Eau de Parfum, they are just as powerfully masculine. The difference between the two lies in the amount of fragrance oil used which has an impact on the intensity and lasting wear of the fragrance.

The selections in this post are truly classics and make perfect and elegant gifts for that special occasion or just because…( Men, if you are reading this you may want to check out our Classic French Women’s Perfume for your lady as well.) Which one will become your signature scent?

“No elegance is possible without perfume. It is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory.” – Coco Chanel

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#1 – BLEU DE CHANEL, Eau de Toilette created b Jacques Polge for Chanel in 2010. Bleu is a fragrance that expresses independent masculine freedom energy with an intense sensuality. This elegant fragrance is for the man who knows himself, lives without compromise, and refuses conformity. Woodsy Top notes include: lemon, orange, grapefruit, Bay Rose, peppermint, nutmeg. Heart notes: cedar, dry, Vetiver, ginger, jasmine Notes. Base notes: Patchouli, sandalwood, frankincense, Labdanum. Vive le Bleu de Chanel!

“Just like men, perfume is never perfect right away; you have to let it seduce you.”- Jean Patou

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#2 – CHRISTIAN DIOR “SAUVAGE” Eau De Toilette, created by François Demachy. As its name entails, Sauvage is a wild creation inspired from the desert’s magical twilight hours mixed with the coolness of the night. Sauvage combines the freshness of a spicy Calabrian Bergamot note with the sensuality of a mysterious and enveloping Papua New Guinean Vanilla. This fragrance may bring out the dormant sauvage in you!

“A wise man knows cologne is the most powerful weapon in the fight for female attention.”- Marcello Mastroianni

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#3- YVES SAINT LAURENT” L’HOMME“ Eau de Toilette was created in 2006 by a trio of noses Anne Flipo, Pierre Wargnye, and Dominique Ropios. It’s a classic men’s cologne with fresh citrus top note blended with spicy bergamot and ginger spice. The middle notes are peppery basil and violet leaf. The final scents of this fragrance are soothing yet masculine including tonka bean, Tahitian vetiver and woody cedar. An elegant fragrance for everyday wear or adding a touch of glamour for L’Homme with a capital H!

“Personality is to a man what perfume is to a flower.”- Charles M. Schwab

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#4 – JEAN PAUL GAUTIER “LE MALE“ Eau de Parfum Intense is Jean Paul Gautier’s 2015 iconic blue sailor Le Male revisited in 2020 as the captain in his black and gold officer’s uniform. Le Male perfume is a bold, intense, and powerful oriental woody fragrance for the man in charge.  Intense, fresh, spicy, warm, refined & charismatic with top note of cardamom, heart notes of lavender & iris and base notes of vanilla & woodsy accord. O’hoy Captain, all men on deck! 

“Childhood smells of perfume and brownies.”-David Leavitt

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#5 – GIVENCHY GENTLEMAN Eau de Toilette is a classic timeless fragrance created by the nose Paul Leger in 1974. This elegant men’s fragrance has not gone out of style with its masculine, woodsy scent, aromatic top notes of spices and lower notes of rose and leather.  The full top notes are: honey, cinnamon, bergamot, rose, lemon, tarragon. Heart notes: patchouli, orris root, jasmine, cedar. Base notes: leather, amber, patchouli, musk, oakmoss, vanilla, vetiver, civet. Never out of style and always a gentleman!

In an upcoming post, we’ll make suggestions for the best fragrances to accompany the seasons!

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