Here are my five favorite French perfumes that I wear on repeat in summer and highly recommend! Summer is the season that requires the biggest shift in our beauty stash, from skincare and makeup to fragrances. It’s a wonderful opportunity to embrace scents that remind us of our favorite outdoor pastimes—days at the beach, vacations in exotic destinations, or quiet evening walks along the French Riviera.
Personally, in summer, I love vibrant, refreshing, and natural scents that blend freshness, sweetness, and a touch of sophistication. Think fragrances that combine citrus notes like grapefruit and bergamot, fruity notes like green mango, fig, and peach, with floral elements such as jasmine, peony, lotus, and hyacinth, along with grounding woody undertones like patchouli and fig tree. I’m always looking for fragrances that offer a refreshing escape in the heat of summer. I also love green notes like tomato, bulrush, and prickly pear.
So, if you’re looking for a new scent this summer, today’s article is a round-up of my five favorite French perfumes for the season ahead. I promise, these summer perfumes bring an air of holidays and faraway places. Bon voyage!
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- Un Jardin sur le Nil by Hermès is my absolute favorite summer perfume! Every summer, I return to this beautiful fragrance, which I’ve been wearing for over ten years. It’s incredibly fresh, with citrus, green, floral, and woody notes. The fragrance features green mango, lotus, calamus, and sycamore wood. It was created by my favorite perfumer, Jean-Claude Ellena <3.
- Diptyque Ilio (in limited edition) — To celebrate summer, Diptyque releases a limited-edition fragrance named Ilio each year around June or July. In Greek, “ilio” evokes the sun. The fragrance notes include iris, prickly pear, bergamot, and jasmine. I’ve loved this fragrance since its release! It beautifully captures the essence of the Mediterranean, bathed in light and scent. Ilio always reminds me of my summer vacations spent in Mykonos a few years ago. My partner loves it when I wear this fragrance and always says, “C’est le parfum du bonheur!” (it’s the scent of happiness!).
- Diptyque Philosykos Eau de Toilette was the first Diptyque perfume I fell in love with a few years ago. The smell is absolutely divine! It’s a soft, aromatic, and woody fig scent that is refreshing in summer. If you love the scent of fig, I’m sure you’ll adore this fragrance!
- L’Artisan Parfumeur À Fleur de Pêche is a beautiful fragrance I discovered at Le Printemps during a trip to Paris. I love this scent, especially since peach is my favorite fruit! It’s a fruity, floral, and woody blend that feels juicy and earthy. The fragrance notes include salty peach, jasmine, and patchouli. It’s on my wishlist of perfumes to add to my ever-growing collection. I cannot wait to wear it this summer!
- Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune is a gorgeous summer perfume! I discovered this scent thanks to my mother-in-law, who used to wear it, and I purchased it right away. It has a citrusy, fruity, and sweet aroma with notes of bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, blackcurrant bud, and patchouli. This fragrance reminds me of my last vacation in Seville, Spain, where the sunsets are orange and the air is sweet.
Et voilà! I hope this helps you choose your signature scent for summer. Please feel free to share any perfumes you love for the summer season in the comments below. Merci!
