Paris Opens Perfume Museum...
 

said to be "ther world's first olfactory museum" according to News from France, published by French Embassy in U.S.

So if into follow your nose to the Rue St Honore and the new Grand Musee du Parfum. A highlight is the museum's Garden of Scents where visitors can explore various perfumed scents.

Anyone been there yet?

The first? What about that one down in Grasse?

Is that an "olfactory museum"? Anyway the French Embassy newsletter calls it that- your point seems valid.

There is also one in Barcelona on La Rambla that was wonderful.

This is the official website - http://www.grandmuseeduparfum.fr/. Sacre bleu it's in French :))

This may be useful for those who aren't acquainted with the lingo - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...y-perfume-jou/

I've been! Went there about a month ago and loved it. It's very different because it focuses on olfactory exhibits. You go to stations and sniff.

The best part for me was the room toward the end of the path, where you have hemispheric shells that you pick up and sniff. I finally learned what it is I HATE about Chanel No.5-- it's a scent with a number in it-- that to me, smells like copper mixed with sweat. Definitely not what most people think of when they think Chanel No 5.

Unfortunately, I can't remember how much is in English or French because I speak both.

Also, the perfume store on the ground floor (you don't need to pay museum fee to get in the store). They have hemispheric porcelain shells that already contain the scent of dozens of perfumes they sell there. (I never had the patience to try perfumes in stores-- you have to wait for the alcohol to disperse-- and you can't really smell after 3 perfumes.) At the museum store, no waiting-- you sniff the shells and know immediately if you like or not. And they have coffee beans to "refresh" your nose, so you can sniff dozens of them in one sitting. I finally found two perfumes I love! I've never worn perfumes before because I could never find one I loved. One last suggestion: if you find a perfume you like, buy it there. I regret that I didn't, because some of the perfumes they sell are not sold outside of Paris. I've tried to find those perfumes in Nice, and was told, "sorry-- that's only sold in Paris!"