01. The king and his seductive perfume
02. The King and the Powerful Perfumes
03. The king and the perfumes at the end of his life
The Sun King is clearly one of the most famous sovereigns in the world. He made Versailles shine throughout the world, placing his palace at the center of the universe. Nothing less. The etiquette reigning under Louis XIV was truly very restrictive. Everything he did and did had to be copied by the nobles; it was non-negotiable. Similarly, the other courts of Europe systematically imitated the French court.
The king, his perfume and his conquests
Numerous historical accounts attest to King Louis XIV's passion for perfume. Initially, he used it to seduce, as fragrances further distinguished him from other young men. Apparently, having a crown wasn't enough. During his reign, perfumery was elevated to the rank of art.
Louis XIV wore perfumes with original scents that appealed to women. Noblewomen were familiar with certain common French fragrances, but the King could indulge in extraordinary scents from the far corners of the world, which certainly made their heads spin. Too bad for the King's competitors.
The King and the Powerful Perfumes
Throughout his life, King Louis XIV wore perfume. He favored strong scents, based on civet or musk. These strong fragrances helped camouflage the body odors of the king and his court. The nobles of the time did not bathe as often as our contemporaries, but it would be wrong to say that they never did. Taking a bath required complex organization; it was necessary to bring a large quantity of water and heat it to make the bath comfortable. These practices did not facilitate hygiene.
Additionally, at the time, an urban legend claimed that water was the vector of many diseases, which didn't really help motivate people to take baths. So to avoid unpleasant odors, nobles and King Louis XIV favored perfume over bathing.
The king and his perfumed court
At the time, throughout Europe, the French court was known as "The Perfumed Court." The king trained under his personal perfumer, Martial, in the secrets of the art of perfumery. He also composed some of his own aromatic blends.
Louis XIV wore perfumes on his clothes and wigs, sprinkled them on his apartments and furniture, and placed orange blossoms throughout the palace. He rubbed his body with scented essences and even added a few drops to his drinks to "purify" his inner self.
To make the blends, he brought exotic plants by boat from all over the world and encouraged his perfumers to innovate by supporting them financially.
The king and perfumes at the end of his life
The Sun King and perfume, an inseparable duo during his long reign (54 years, according to my historical memories). But the royal taste in perfume evolved over time. Indeed, it is said that he could no longer tolerate strong perfumes at the end of his life. He thus favored eau de parfum. orange blossom for its more discreet and natural scent. An ingredient that he particularly appreciated since he gave them a place of choice at Versailles: by building the Orangerie, a building just for them!
This royal change also put an end to a fashion trend: that of powerful perfumes, in favor of fresher and more discreet scents. It's the king who sets fashion, even at 76 years old.
At Bon Parfumeur, we are also in love with orange blossom, which you will find in the 001 eau de parfum .
Did you know that Louis XIV wasn't the only one to have a great love affair with his perfumes? Discover the personal story of Napoleon and his perfume or our article on the links between kings and perfume to find out everything about this timeless product.
