By Sandra
Birgit’s post about finding a perfume for the autumn season and her subsequent post about Ormonde Jayne Woman sent me rummaging through my samples and decants looking for my perfect autumn scent.
Let me back up a moment. Autumn is my favorite season with all of the red, orange and yellow foliage. I simply cannot get enough of it. Every year I set out with my camera to get the best shots of trees and bushes bursting with color one last time before the dreaded winter sets in. Last year I discovered Feminité du Bois and declared that I had found my autumn perfume, and as the seasons moved along I kept using Feminité du Bois because it is suitable year round. Right. Now what?
I sifted through my stash looking for something that would evoke the colors of the season. The roses are giving us their last blossoms of the year and then it hit me – a rose perfume. As much as I love Lady Vengeance and Portrait of a Lady, I tend to wear these two perfumes in the heat because of the patchouli. Then I came across the generous sample of Rouge Avignon that a dear friend gave to me during our sweltering summer. In the heat I liked Rouge Avignon well enough and decided to try it again this past week.
Gingerly opening up the bottle, I had a quick sniff. I sprayed once then twice and was immediately hit with the smell of roses infused with raspberry. Raspberries? It was such a gorgeous opening that I sprayed lavishly.
This is a deliciously dark concoction that sends me into squeals of joy. The woody notes mixed with the rose transports me to a wooded path hidden above pristine gardens which are being kissed one last time by the sun’s warmth giving off the scent of roses and fallen leaves slowly dying. Walking further along the path I come across bursts of yellow and orange set against the backdrop of a crystal blue sky.
This is what I am talking about, what I am searching for in an autumn perfume. Three or four hours of walking in the woods has left me exhilarated and believe it or not fully energized. I smell my wrists again, breathing in deeply and am now lying down in a bed of leaves with the memory of roses in the background.
The Phaedon website describes Rouge Avignon as:
“…a Gothic composition, as opulent and dark as the shadow of the Papal Palace looming over nations and centuries… The carmine red of the papal stole is conjured with a fleshy, spicy rose facetted by ylang-ylang and raspberry. In the heart notes, waxed woods, cocoa bean, black truffle and earthy smoky vetiver lure us into the private apartments of the Supreme Pontiff. Gilt moldings and religious ornaments glint in the firelight while gray tendrils of smoke rise from a censer burning sandalwood chips mixed with musk and amber.“
This is a gorgeous perfume created by Pierre Guillaume. If you fancy a dark rose perfume with a soft drydown give this one a try – you will not regret it.
Olfactoria's Travels 
Gorgeous pictures. Spot on review.
Can’t wait to see you. 🙂 xxxx
It is thanks to you that I found such a beauty! Thanks.
You painted the perfect fall picture.
Thank you Vanessa. I love autumn.
What a lovely review! I really must try this range. Ho interesting that it’s energising, so many of these more autumnal perfumes (eg feminite de bois) are just the opposite.
Phaedon has a couple of perfumes that I love. It is a matter of opinion with the energising aspect. For instance I find Feminite du Bois very energising. Hope you can find some to try.
I love Avignon – I keep saying that should I be forced to move to France (my husband is French…), it would be Avignon. A lively city with lots of culture, young people and atmosphere.
I’ve never heard about Phaedon’s A. Rouge, and while the top notes don’t call after me, the heart and base ones are very much mine. So, now I only have to find a source for A.R.
BTW, Sandra, your description of autumn is really wonderful – so why I only get the grey, rainy, windy part of that gorgeous season ?!
Because you work too much, poor woman!!! xoxox
I will take some to Birgit for you. xxx
Thanks a bunch i.a., CQ !
First of all you are right – Avignon is gorgeous – one of my favorite cities in France. Many fond memories there. Birgit has a point – you probably work too much. When i was working I found autumn dreary and grey. Then I stopped working and discovered that Vienna has a lovely fall season too.
It sounds like you guys going to meet in Vienna – would you take me in ? (I can bake cookies, if necessary 🙂 )
Any time! Are you free tomorrow morning by any chance? I’ll email you!
Absolutely! No baking necessary. 🙂
Beautiful review and your pictures are gorgeous! I feel the same way about fall 🙂
Thanks! Aren’t the colors stunning?
Gorgeous review, Sandra. I love autumn too with all its wonderful colours and aromas.
A dark, raspberry rose sounds divine and if PG is behind it, that’s good enough for me. Thanks for telling us about it.
You may really like it Tara. I hope you do. When it comes to PG I have to at least try his creations. 🙂
I love Tabac Rouge from this brand!
I will make sure to try it next time I see the brand. Thanks for the tip!
This sounds amazing! I have been wanting a rose perfume!!
Luckyscent carries the line – and they sell samples. Just saying. 🙂 Hope you can try it soon.
I just placed a sample order with Luckyscent! I am anxious to receive it!
Yay! Let me know what you think!
Great review! I too love Rouge Avignon-so much so I bought a full bottle a couple of weeks ago!I love dark roses as well.I have Portrait of a Lady,Une Rose,Incense Rose,Paestum Rose,Inner Sanctum,and Lyric for Men among others.I find some similarities between Rouge Avignon and Tom Ford’s Noir de Noir which I also own,mainly in the rose and dark cocoa combo.Rouge Avignon differs in the pronounced dark raspberry note as you perfectly describe it and I also detect the Ylang Ylang note weaving in and out.It’s masterfully blended and the scent melts beautifully into a drydown of the Autumnal notes of sandalwood.musk,and amber.Even at the very end a ghostly note of ashy rose persists.Your pics and descriptions of the colored leaves evoke a perfect synaesthetic description of the drydown.In Fall there is a death in Nature, but it is a beautiful dying.This perfume represents that to me.I wore it the first time at a reenactment of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at Philipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow.It bloomed beautifully in the crisp October air and matched perfectly with the spooky nature of the event.Thanks for sharing your review!
I love many of the rose perfumes you mentioned! I also agree with you in the way you describe autumn. Have you tried Rose di Siwa or Rose Barbare? I also like them in autumn.
What a lovely review, you make the perfume sound almost irresistible (and I do like a dark rose), I am off to track this one down!
I do hope you like it. It is a wonderful addition to my fall wardrobe.
I have been enjoying the raspberry note in Aftelier Secret Garden lately, and I love PG’s take on rose in Brulure de Rose, say, also with cocoa. And I am a card carrying ylangoholic. 🙂 So all in all, am very hopeful I might like this one…thanks for the heads up!
Sandra,
Autumn is also my favorite time of year and as I write this I am enveloped in the fragrant warmth of the Feminite du Bois that I bought with you in Vienna. I love it so much and since you and I have similar taste in perfume I think I will definitely have to try Rouge Avignon. As far as I’m concerned, a girl NEVER has too many rose fragrances!
A couple of weeks ago, I stopped by the Scent Bar and did a rose “sniffathon” which left me weak in the knees and wishing I would win Lotto.
One non-rose scent that I loved (and nice for cooler temps) was Anne Plitska (sorry I have no accent for the e). Hard to describe but fruity, spicey and woody. You might like it!
Take care and hope y’all are well and happy!