27 DECEMBER 2025
In Paris, perfume is never just perfume. It’s a clue. You can learn a great deal about someone not by where they live, but by where they belong, or believe they do. And often, their scent gives them away before their postcode ever does.
Here is a light-hearted, fun look at what your Paris perfume might be saying about you, arrondissement by arrondissement.
1st & 2nd Arrondissements – The Minimalist With Opinions
You wear:
Maison Francis Kurkdjian 724
Byredo Blanche
Le Labo Another 13
You believe less is more, but only when done properly. You like clean lines, good coffee, and conversations that begin casually and end unexpectedly deep.
Your perfume smells like freshly washed cotton, polished floors, and intention. Gender-neutral, understated, and minimally expensive, whether it actually is or not. You don’t want compliments; you want recognition.
3rd & 4th Arrondissements (Le Marais) – The Curated Individual
You wear:
Diptyque Philosykos
YSL Libre
Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady
You understand aesthetics instinctively. Your scent is chosen the way others choose art: emotionally, but with discernment.
There’s something fluid about your taste. You might mix masculine and feminine notes without thinking twice. You like perfume that evolves, that has a past and a future. You smell like confidence and curiosity. People remember you, even if they can’t quite place why.
5th Arrondissement – The Thinker (Who Pretends Not to Be One)
You wear:
Serge Lutens Chergui
L’Artisan Parfumeur Timbuktu
Comme des Garçons Incense
You walk fast, think deeply, and read things others claim to have read. Your perfume smells like old books, warm spices, and intellectual rebellion.
This is not a “pretty” scent. It’s a meaningful one. You don’t care if everyone likes it, but the right person always does. You smell like late-night conversations and unanswered questions.
6th Arrondissement – The Romantic Realist
You wear:
Chanel No.19
Diptyque Fleur de Peau
Narciso Rodriguez For Him / For Her
You appreciate tradition. Your perfume is intimate, close to the skin, and elegant.
Nothing about your scent is accidental. It doesn’t overwhelm. People lean in when you speak, often without realising why. You believe in love, but not blindly. Your perfume knows the difference.
7th Arrondissement – The Inherited Confidence
You wear:
Chanel No.5 (or something no one has heard of)
Guerlain Shalimar (worn lightly)
Hermès H24
You don’t chase trends. They occasionally circle back to you. Your perfume suggests lineage, discretion, and an ease that can’t be rushed or bought quickly.
You wear scent the way others wear jewellery: sparingly and meaningfully. Your confidence doesn’t need fragrance, but enjoys it.
9th & 10th Arrondissements – The Urban Optimist
You wear:
Byredo Gypsy Water
Maison Margiela Jazz Club
YSL Y
You like energy, movement, and possibility. Your scent is modern, social, and slightly unpredictable: sweet or fresh, depending on the day.
You believe perfume should match your mood, not your identity. Today you might smell like nightlife; tomorrow like clean skin and hope. Paris feels like a city still unfolding to you.
11th Arrondissement – The Effortlessly Interesting One
You wear:
Le Labo Santal 33
DS & Durga Debaser
Parfums de Marly Layton
You claim not to think about perfume much, yet somehow always smell good. Your scent lingers in doorways and in other people’s memories.
Gender rules don’t interest you. Authenticity does. You want a perfume that feels lived-in, not displayed. People often ask what you’re wearing. You answer casually. You enjoy the moment.
16th Arrondissement – The Controlled Classic
You wear:
Hermès Terre d’Hermès
Chanel Bleu
Dior Bois d’Argent
You prefer things that work and last forever. Your perfume is smooth, woody, and impeccably balanced.
You value discretion over drama. Power, to you, is calm. Your scent never enters the room before you do. Others may underestimate you, and you let them.
18th & 19th Arrondissements – The Independent Spirit
You wear:
Etat Libre d’Orange You or Someone Like You
Juliette Has a Gun Not a Perfume
Maison Matine Avant l’Orage
You resist labels, even perfume ones. Your scent is fresh, unexpected, or deliberately ambiguous. You enjoy contradiction.
You like things that feel alive, imperfect, and real. Your fragrance smells like choice, not convention. Paris, for you, is still a promise.
And if you are wondering … No, this isn’t about where you live. It’s about where your spirit tends to linger. In Paris, perfume is not about seduction alone. It’s about identity, freedom, and how you move through the world, and how you move through your Parisian arrondissement.
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