Hi there Perfume Posse, When the news came through last year or the year before that Bal a Versailles by Jean Desprez had been discontinued I went on a shopping frenzy and now I think there is enough here to last me a few years. After that I’m just going to have to use my memory. So I was really excited recently to discover that  at Surrender To Chance they have both EdC and EdT in store if you’ve not tried it, or if you’d like a little to remember it by. It’s still a very reasonable price but that won’t last as it gets harder and harder to find. I found a page that said he was the fourth in a line of perfumers and that his son continues the legacy but there is not much of a history on the internet of Jean Desprez.

Bal a Versailles EdC by Jean Desprez 1962

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Rosemary, orange blossom, mandarin orange, cassia, jasmine, rose, neroli, bergamot, bulgarian rose, lemon
Heart: Sandalwood, patchouli, lilac, orris root, vetiver, ylang-ylang, lily-of-the-valley, leather
Base: Tolu balsam, amber, musk, benzoin, civet, vanilla, cedar, resins

Bal a Versailles is a fragrance from my past. My sister and I used up a whole mini perfume on our dolls when we were kids to our Mum’s horror. In our defence it did look like dolls perfume, still does in those little 4ml bottles with the picture on the front. Anyway, so my memories aren’t really of Mum wearing Bal a Versailles but more of our dolls wearing it and the scent stayed glued to them for ages in their outfits.

SSQQ

So what does Bal a Versailles EdC smell like to me? Though the notes list looks like everything including the kitchen sink Bal a Versailles smells mainly of itself to me. The EdC is more everything and throws for a meter. You may want to wear it inside unless you are glamming up for a gala event. When I wear it shopping most of my time is spent expecting people to come and bury their noses in me and suck the life from me. Fortuitously this hasn’t happened yet but I’m expecting it any day.

My immediate sense when I spritz it is animal/flowers/powder. Relaxed debauchery, as if in the above pic opium has been smoked and instantly a very prim young lady has become super relaxed and even undone her top. Outrageously untidy behaviour indeed. There is something as eye rollingly compelling about the EdC that is more pronounced than the EdT, PdT or parfum.

Tout en Parfum

Interesting that such a flamboyant fragrance could come from a man who looks very urbane and middle class. Thank you Jean Desprez, your creation makes me very happy

Further reading: Perfume Posse and Yesterday’s Perfume
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3/ml

If you have enjoyed this then please pop over to Australian Perfume Junkies and continue the scented conversation. We love visitors, say HI while you’re there.

Do you have memories of Jean Desprez’ Bal a Versailles?
Portia xx