So for ages I've been dithering over whether to break my "no bottles over 30 ml" rule to buy Astier de Villatte Grand Chalet. It's neither my absolute favorite nor the absolute best of the things on my buy list, but at the moment, I don't own any linden fragrance, and really, is that any way to live? But meanwhile, somebody bought out D'Orsay, and last year they reissued everything under new names. The old Tilleul, the 2008 version of the brand's linden (from perfumer Olivia Giacobetti) is now Vouloir être ailleurs ("In its tiny, sweet voice, “Vouloir être ailleurs” transports us back to heady, carefree times. Linden flower, honey and freshly-cut hay take us back to when we were 15. Almost adults yet cradled by the perfumes of our childhood. Little did we know then, that in just a few days, we would be grown up for good. A radiant interlude") and while the ad copy says nothing to me except that 15 year olds in France must smell much better than 15 year olds in the USA, just look at that adorable little 30 ml bottle. Please, somebody try it and tell me if it is better than Grand Chalet.
Actually, as I’ve just turned 63 and am wondering how that happened, that ad copy does speak to me. “Little did we know then, that in just a few days, we would be grown up for good.” And I do love the adorable bottle. I hope the fragrance is wonderful.
That part is true. But when I think of my youth, linden does not come to mind. Nor fresh cut hay.
Ha – true! For me it was chlorine at the town pool, old books in the library, apple blossoms, mint and dirt (I grew up in an agricultural area).
Oh dear, linden, honey, fresh-cut hay, and Olivia Giacobetti are enough to tempt me to blind buy, but I promise I shan’t. But Robin, I agree, no linden fragrance is no way to live.
Plus, I really don’t know how close it is to her 2008 scent. Guessing it can’t be exactly the same.
Vouloir être ailleurs? vraiment!
I want it for the name alone,
it feels like a perfect refusal of pandemic-life,
an antidote for the past year.
Perhaps that’s why it was renamed?
I am puzzled why they renamed everything and don’t seem to indicate the old names on their website … I guess they assumed that had no interested consumers?
I remember seeing this last year as every now and then I randomly searched for tilleul as the scent that got away. I didn’t go for it even though I was sorely tempted on various occasions and then they discontinued it. Unfortunately I don’t know how this compares to the old version at all.
I’ve considered getting it regardless…but. Their website is not exactly clear, they over intellectualised how they market the product in my view. No reasonably priced sample sets and tilleul isn’t included in their luxury sample set. So really difficult to get a hold of it for testing purposes unless I’m willing to spend 85€ Incl shipping on 30ml… sigh.
I suppose it sort of fits the opposite last weeks CPs: I really should have!
@Robin: you may be interested in checking out Tilia Cordata from Acca Kappa. They do a 15ml version and I find it to be a beautiful linden scent.
The difference to Grand Chalet is that Tilia is pure linden while Garnd Chalet includes Mimosa. Personally I prefer Tilia over Frau Toni‘s Linde Berlin, Fath‘s Lilas Exquis and Jo Malone French Lime Blossom. I could be made to choose between Grand Chalet and Tilia though…
Thank you so much @ka_rina! I must have smelled the AK once upon a time because I did visit one of their boutiques and bought the Calycanthus. Unfortunately I have no memory of it. At the time my reference linden would probably have been the D’Orsay.
I never cared for the Jo Malone.
That is an adorable bottle indeed! Le Galion also released a Tilleul fragrance last year, available in 10 ml as well, but only via their website so not a good option for the US. I have a sample but I should try again. Love Grand Chalet – have that one in incense.
Thanks Turtje!
Robin,
I have a bottle from the 90s or it could be earlier of Tilleul by D’Orsay. It is one I used sparingly, because it is precious. The store was an old fashioned apothecary.
Oh how nice!
Perhaps I can sway you against buying Grand Chalet, if not necessarily towards buying Vouloir etre ailleurs.
GC goes oddly aquatic after just a few minutes. I’m not sure if that’s my skin chemistry or the formulation, but the gorgeous spring flowers/lilac/linden/whatever that is so good at the start does not last. I’ve debated even finishing my sample, although I think I will because the beginning is really good. If I put it on just after showering the aquatic notes don’t come through as much. But do you really want to buy a perfume that requires so much work to make it good for its entire run?
Oh, but I love GC…no work for me at all!
i just bought a bottle of Grand Chalet and I have to say I am delighted I did. This after dithering about it for a while.
I will probably dither awhile longer then buy it too
I was about to take one for the team and order the 25 Euro sample pack, but shipping was 70 Euro! Doh!
Wow. Too much.
I could not resist a Linden by Olivia Giacobetti and have taken one for the team. Can I just ask, why are so many fragrances she creates so elusive and challenging to get our hands on (e.g. I love les carottes, IUNX Talc, Audacious, Fleur de Carotte)?