Chamade

I received my first bottle from my aunt in 1969 when I was a little girl. Later it was the only fragrance that I wore until it became hard to find in the US. The newer formulations lack depth and complexity and need to be reapplied after a few hours, but they are better than nothing (as is the case with most of the reformulations). I used to love how the fragrance evolved during day, now it just fades.

Purple hiacynths are in bloom in my garden. And my refill bottle of Chamade bought about 14 years ago (pre-bee and pre-heart-stopper versions) transforms into a photorealistic purple hiacynth after having unloaded its skunky chypre in the first 5-10 min. I only wear it about this time of the year.

It's something between Chanel No. 19 and Hermès Rouge. Rouge has a sharp green nuance that I don't like, and this perfume has the same thing. And the lingering scent finishes with a more Chypre-like feel.

Grassy galbanum, beguiling hyacincth-narcissus, sensual balsams. Kinda skanky kinda light. My bottle is a vintage montre edc. Best in class.

I tested a vintage decant. The opening was a blast of vinegar, so my decant has probably gone off a bit. After a few minutes it turned into a lovely classic amber perfuminess, that vintage scent that so many vintages share. I do get the clove note, and it's sort of vaguely floral, but it's mostly just the base left. The base is nice but it's not very different from other vintage perfumes with the same base, that traditional plant based amber accord with vanilla.

Launched 1969 by Paul Guerlain, and named after the Francoise Sagan novel La Chamade. This is an intensely yellow perfume. Not gold; yellow. The opening is very sharp: aldehydes, galbanum, and lemons. Holy aldehydes, Batman! It reminds me of my grandmother’s perfume, which was Arpege, another classic aldehydic floral. It’s very formal, and, yes, old-fashioned. There’s a piercing, faceted glitter, like a yellow diamond. It takes itself seriously. And underneath, there’s a bit of a warmer, spicy, fuzzy glow. A little dusty, like a table full of knick-knacks in a dim, richly carpeted room. My guess is that this is the hyacinth. The crystalline sharpness sticks around for a full hour (that’s a very long opening) and slowly, imperceptibly yields to a spicy yellow pollen smell, which is the narcissus. Luca Turin says it’s a “beautiful, strange, moist, powdery yellow narcissus accord that had the oily feel of pollen rubbed between finger and thumb.” This is exactly right. And around that narcissus, you get warm yellow haze from the ylang-ylang and the warm-tangy glow of sandalwood. A good four hours in, you start to get sweet, mellow-yellow benzoin and clean talcum powder. I keep thinking of The Secret Garden – exploring hidden passageways, forgotten nooks, lost treasures in attics. It has that sense of unfolding mystery.

Tried a sample and an hour later it’s at the top of my wishlist. Guerlain is officially the house I own the most from, and it’s probably going to stay that way. It’s grassy at first, then ambery and sweet. My eyes roll back when I smell it

Chamade Guerlain (Bee bottle, edt. 2019 batch, USD55) I can't believe something this beautiful create since 1969.. It is almost unusual unreal to me. This is soft floral green amber fragrance, it is truly unique in this genre. Yes, it's age but it's not old. Chamade, open with the haze of Galbanum. I do familiar. it's quite similar to Heure Exquise by Goutal. The sandalwood in the base is kind of similar here, Soft floral bouquet heart build up, this smell like a bowl of fresh petals to my nose, very clean and floral sweetness surprisingly somehow no musk involve. Within a hour of wearing, Chamade builds the soft sandalwood in sweet beautiful amber. On my skin very fast, most of greenness in opening was gone but petals heart still linger. Resulting sweet sandalwood - floral petals and support by Amber. I really like Chamade in this rendition, I think it may because of the offering in EDT. It makes the scent light, I think I can wearing this everyday too. It is not very ambery even you notice it and lite sandalwood saves the day. This smell majestic, warm. The sunset in spring when you sitting on the bench in the park in 1970's. I think you should bidding Chamade along with few other Galbanum - Floral scent. Chamade, how can you be this light but encapsulated the beauty of amber-floral so welly done. 9/10. Extension 1 : Same day. As scent further develop into deeper base. This one recalls me another fragrance, Bois des iles by Chanel. The way of Ambery Sandalwood with mild Indolic floral. But yeah, this one still lighter than Bois des iles. Longevity 6 hours. ==== Extension 2 on December 4, 2024 After I really enjoy Chamade, I wish for slight more ambery touch (more sweet). I found 2011 version in EDP (refilable gold falcon) and it is sweeter, hotter more ambery. I really enjoy Chamade & L'huere Bleue and greeting to miss Mitsouko time to time. ==== Extension 3 on April 18, 2025 Thought on Parfum de Toilette (around 1985-1990) Declutter sales from friend. USD30 I really enjoy Chamade. This is my 3rd bottle in various concentration and year already. One thing that in each single version. It seems changed a bit. From original falcon in 1969, the leaf bottle. I am not so sure that everyone will perceive the same scent as each version of Chamade. But I believe, strongly. That Chamade encapsulate the core message of scent. It never fails to keep me happy, a walk with floral and amber nature. My bottle of Parfum de Toilette. Develop slowly. Open up each layer like a Coromandel blind open deeper to the core. Not really Luxury, Oh-so-Frenchy manner. It an easy tide of Happy Clean and Green Galbanum. The pissy scent from Casis is not Strong in here. The bowl of fresh petal isn't presented here stronger either. It kind of Santa Maria Novella, Eau de Cologne release around the same era-likeness. A floral that dust with Benzonin and clean powder amber.. so warm. It have stronger benzonin base and sweet balsam. The amount of Amber is higher compare to my bottle of Bee Bottle in 2017. Which seems end with Sandalwood. But the Amber is still provide same transparent manner. That's why I mention it is the same message after all. I am witnessing this beautiful scent so easy, like really.. I wish I cloud bring my bottle to Anyone interest in Chamade. Somehow, It gives a peaceful balcony sit but this time you found your own serenity. Bee bottle is definitely lighter. But this parfum de Toilette is definite an early golden hour. The Refillable falcon (EDP), from late 00's. Have almost highest amount of Sweetness. And wear elegantly. Deeper Golden Hour. It have strong more French Backbone than The other two.. Hey.. .. It feels like.. how can I describe..? It kind of difference feeling. When I wear this compare to Mitsouko, L'heure Bleue or Shalimar. I don't really know how you looks at Chamade compare to Nahema or Samsara. or Other Guerlain Legend. From all those scent, Chamade. is Warmth and Happiness. It's a same feeling when I will truthfully write "All the best & Happiness" on someone Facebook wall, wish they know I mean it or hang on a phone when someone need a friend. A meal with Food you love on the same table with your dad and mom and nice conversation, It those kind of warmth. Sunrise by Norah Jones album or CoCo by Colbie Caillat. You got a friend in me by Randy Newman. I got a friend when I wear Chamade. And that's all the matter. ===== Extension 4 on June 27, 2025 (PdT) It's kind of funny. I come back here to write my thought. When I wear Chamade 2nd time in last 2 months. Just to notice that most of feeling in Extension 3 still true. Then, I here just to confirm my statement. But, The Balsamic sour with sweet cushiony benzoin white powder. drench in flower jasmin. Damn. Chamade never fails to make my sanity.

I used to drink (a lot) and smoke cigarettes....at the time that Chamade came out, in 1969. I can't explain why, but Chamade was the one scent that seemed to harmonize with my body chemistry (deeply infused with tobacco and wine). I haven't come across Chamade in recent years, but I suspect that it would not work for me anymore (old age, plant based diet, no alcohol) and might be too "sweet".

When I want to wear a classic fragrance that smells elegant and lasts for hours, this is what I reach for. It's also a fragrance I get comments on the most when I wear it. It's perfume perfection.

To me chamade is a sweet perfume. Not just in the sense that the smell is sweet, but more so in the sense that it feels cuddly and warm. I have a 2017 batch and I’ve never gotten any green notes whatsoever. My batch smells just very warm, fluffy and sweet on my skin. My first thought when I spray it, is of babies. The opening smells EXACTLY like Zwitsal baby shampoo to me. And pretty much every baby in the Netherlands smells like that. So putting on chamade to me feels like rocking a newborn in my arms and smelling the fluffy baby hairs on their head. You may guess that to me this is a very comforting scent. It’s both nostalgic and endearing. Later on the resemblance with Zwitsal fades a bit, but the association with cuddling with babies stays. The note that stands out most in the opening is hyacinth. The aldehydes and Jasmine are definitely there too. Vanilla is prominent throughout, which makes this a very cosy scent. To me this fragrance is not sexy, mostly because I associate it with babies, it does make me feel very safe and comforted though, and also beautiful, because it’s a very beauty and delicate fragrance. And so cosy. I love it, but it’s not my favourite Guerlain fragrance. It lacks the depth and complexity of mitsouko and Shalimar. It’s a stunning fragrance however and definitely a timeless classic. There’s nothing I can imagine to be offensive in this, but alas apparently this doesn’t work well on everyone’s skin, so I guess you shouldn’t buy it blind (although I did and it’s amazing). EDIT: I promise I’m not a baby sniffing weirdo.. ok maybe a little, but not like a creep.. babies are just pretty much the best smelling people in the world without even trying 😅

Cat piss??? I have 3 cats and I really, really, REALLY wish their litter trays could smell like this. This has been a favourite since the 80s with no cat’s piss detected at all. Fresh and green does not equal cat’s piss. No need for a ‘warning’ people - it’s not a ‘thing’ with the perfume itself, it’s individual body chemistry.

I wore this on a beautifully warm sunny day in Spring, and absolutely fell in love with it's blooming blossom scent. I put in on again the next morning, when the temperature was significantly cooler, and for the life of me could not detect what I had found so delightful the day before. I didn't hate it, but there was no love, no scent of enchantment. A while later, I was outside and the temperature had risen, and the sun was out, and then I could smell it again. Delicious. So for me, this is an incredibly lovely perfume, but requires warmth and sunshine to reach it's full potential. I would not wear this during cooler seasons now that I know how it performs in the heat.

I blind bought a new 2022 bottle for 45 bucks and I'm delighted and surprised. It's classic Chanel/Dior chypre style with some Guerlinade. It's cheery and of perfect intensity.

"cat piss"??? wow! I have to blind buy this! lol

I'm sad to have to add a bad review as I wanted to love this as much as so many other reviewers, but I do feel like I should share as a warning. I have or have tried many Guerlain fragrances, so I can verify that this does indeed settle with that classic Guerlain base, but the after the initial spray and for at least the first 30 minutes Chamade is ruined on my skin by the dreaded "cat piss" smell. I've never experienced it before myself, but I've just found discussions here and elsewhere and can confirm it's a real thing. Some people chipping into those discussions seemed to think it wasn't real or that it was a misidentification of civit or some other animalic scent profile, but no, this is cat urine. I've had cats for my whole life and I know this smell quite well. Body chemistry is not kind to me on this one. I've initiated a return, but did want to post this in case someone who knows they have this issue is considering blind buying as I did. I'm sad because I was looking forward to enjoying this classic scent, but it's not to be. I wish the full range of Guerlain fragrances were more readily available in the US to avoid blind buying. Oh well.

Guerlain Chamade (1969) - nutty hyacinth - #jeanpaulguerlain ‘s fragrance was inspired from love and the beating heart. Cut-grass-like Galbanum, Sharp Green-smelling Hyacinth and Aldehydes are mixed with Guerlain’s Guerlinade of Florals and Spices. I also get a peanut-like backbone as well. Full-bodied, nuanced, and part of the green queens of the 70s. A similarity with No. 19, but that is cold and steely while Chamade remains warm and comforting. Masterpiece.

Warm and comforting on this overcast, cool May morning, Chamade, while classical in its temperament, has a sunny temperament: it's not nearly as melancholy as its forebears, though there is a whisper of wistfulness, or else it wouldn't be a true Guerlain, I suppose. The aldehydes and verdancy that open this bee bottle have no rough edges; my nose already detects a foreshadowing of an amber current, hyacinth and galbanum with benzoin and balsam hues, rendering an almost shimmering yellow feel. When reaching the core, the florals feel pastel and muted, impressionistic, and Chamade slowly winds down all powdery warm like a light blanket to shield the wearer from the chill. I am sure I might here from purists, detractors who lament that this is a "shell of its former self" but I allowed my nose to come into this will no bias from smelling any other version, keeping an open mind, and honestly, this is beautiful to me, so you all can keep what you have (or spare a sample of your vintage if you're generous) and for those of you who might find "heritage" fragrances such as this to be perhaps too "dated" for your sensibility, this may just be dialed into your signal, as it isn't loud or brash at all. I am happy that I have added this to my Guerlain family.

One of my favourite Guerlain perfumes. I have two vintage versions, both a pure perfume from 1996 and an EDT from 1992 (according the batch code checker), and they manage to be both sharp green and flowery warm and spicy all at the same time. Aldehydic like Chanel no. 22, which is a perfume that smells very similar to Chamade on me. Love it! I am very curious to try the current version but haven't done so yet. Edit: I have now bought the current EDT (2022) and I am so happy I did! Finally I smell the juicy black current and roses in the opening, which is not there at all in the two vintage versions that I have. (Maybe time has brushed it away?) Quite similar to Nahema for some minutes, before the opening is gone. The current version is weaker, yes, as well as a little more cheerful, but evaluated on its own I must say that it is brilliant! Fruity and light, but also green and warm. All contradictions, in a way, but in a perfect composition. Bittersweet and humbling like a daytime stroll in an early summer garden: you know it wont last forever but you are happy that it is here right now. I don't agree that all the newer guerlain reformulations are worse than the originals, they are just a bit different but oh so gorgeous! Better than many niche fragrances out there. The only drawback is the staying power, which is way to weak for the cost.

-Clean, musky scent, with a distinct Guerlain DNA to it. -Lily-of-the valley was rather prominent to my nose. -Shares the same vintage vibe as L'heure Bleue- another timeless masterpiece from the house of Guerlain. (-)

This vintage classic is one of my favourite Guerlain scents. Old-fashioned in the best way (without being dusty), this surprisingly bright green floral is ageless and timeless. I have a miniature of the inimitable original 1969 bottle - it's just a pity I can't wear it more often. I have yet to try the current EDT iteration, but I suspect it will be a shadow of its former self. Of course, it is hard to tell what effect time has had on my bottle, but the golden liquid seems to have held up well. The opening is a rich, hyacinth-heavy blast of floral accords. Some slightly indolic jasmine and a hint of bergamot round it out (I'm amazed that the citrus has survived this long), along with Chanel-esque aldehydes. It is beautifully green, thanks to the galbanum, and the hyacinth is somehow freshly green and stemlike rather than overbearingly waxy. In fact, it seems to combine the aldehydes from No 5 and the green florals of No 19 with the sweet-spicy warmth of the fabled Guerlinade accord, as brokesta911 below points out. The greenness of the opening gives way to a softly spicy drydown, but the floral heart persists, making for a wonderfully ladylike scent that avoids being staid. There is a delicious tangible floral quality to the drydown, pollen-like and akin to daffodils in the spring, as well as gentle woody notes. It fades to a soft natural-smelling amber-vanilla accord that wears close to the skin. A versatile scent, this works well for day or night but is best enjoyed in spring/summer. Sillage and longevity are both moderate, but given its status as a vintage fragrance, it is unfortunately not possible to wear this too often. Otherwise, it could compete with my beloved Shalimar for signature scent status. Complex, unique and extremely well-crafted, Chamade is a green floral bouquet that is balanced beautifully with spices, woody notes and aldehydes. It manages to be both warm and fresh as well as distinctly feminine. It also is (deservingly) housed in one of my favourite perfume bottles ever. A timeless masterpiece. 5/5.

Abstract bouquet. Happy, lively spring, solid and uniform powdery flower fragrance. Both aldehydes, chypre, and Orental, chamade is a combination of many fine qualities. Bright and rich, like a rainbow. Design the perfect three-stage structure, you can hear the notes constantly between the scales of the back and forth transformation, and color turning ... From yellow, pink, to green and white. Chamade is not the greatest Guerlain work, but it is very important and inspired later famous classics including Nahema, Parure. Chamade has the shadow of Y and Givenchy III, but better and more hierarchically. Unlike Jacques Guerlain, Jacques's work always has a faint sadness, Shalimar's feelings are more delicate, intense, and classical. Jacques was born with a background and experience that influenced his perfume art. Jean-Paul Guerlain points to the modern. Chamade is the basis for all of Jean-Paul Guerlain's fragrances. He was supposed to be 32 when he created Chamade. Jean-Paul Guerlain's niece, Ms Nicolai, mentioned her uncle's Chamade, which she thought was grossly underrated. Chamade fits my aesthetic. It's not like the aroma of my mother. Sunny personality women smell like this.

Guerlain Chamade (1969) - hyacinth & love - #jeanpaulguerlain ‘s fragrance was inspired from love and the beating heart. Cut-grass-like Galbanum, Sharp Green-smelling Hyacinth and Aldehydes are mixed with Guerlain’s Guerlinade of Florals and Spices. A similarity with No. 19, but that is cold and steely while Chamade remains warm and comforting. Masterpiece.

This is a fairly assertive, powdery floral. I would say that the projection and sillage are average, maybe a tiny bit on the short side. However, this is a scent that is going to be polarizing because it is a "not a perfume" scent before "not a perfume" became a thing. This reads as more of a higher-end dusting powder than a perfume-type scent. And, the flowers are subtle accents; but in my opinion, this is slightly more woody than either floral or green. Both those elements are there, but the woodier notes, like sandalwood, give it a smoother and drier base to spring from. I feel like this is going to be for people that appreciate a more vintage style of perfumery. It's not a style that you see done in contemporary offerings very much anymore. But, that's why I tend to love vintage perfumes, that allow you to stand out and be different from the crowd (while still being reasonably affordable).

I'm not sure which version I've tried, but I'm going to assume it's the modern. It's rather light, the sharp greenery it introduces itself with is quickly mellowed with powders and floral notes. It's not the most memorable Guerlain for me, or one that I will long for. 5/10

I picked up a vintage Chamade parfum and fell in a complicated kind of love with it. It starts out with a great, venomous green-ness—the double bounce of hyacinth and galbanum is oddly vertiginous. It’s thrilling, but not something I want to smell all day long. But of course, the genius of Chamade is that you don’t. It’s a lightning-and-thunder scent. A startling flash of green followed at a little distance by a rolling, decidedly Guerlain dry down—sweet and gentle and resinous in character, but somehow otherworldly in color and scale. It makes me think of Shalimar, but seen through a yellow-green filter. So all day, I kept dabbing it on, bracing for the lightning and delighting in the thunder until in the end, I was loving the top notes too, the way you might come to love the bitter taste of a really great drug. If Chamade has you spending your last dime buying vintage partials on eBay, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

As an adoring vintage perfume lover I often must accept the grim reality that so many beautiful fragrances are reformulated, tweaked and changed due to restrictions, cost and even popular preferences. Having said all this, as much as I often times lament the loss of an original version, I also celebrate a more contemporary perspective on a perfume that may smell too heavy or old fashioned to younger noses. I have several permutations of Chamade, heavy with verdant galbanum, flowers, spices and woods with a drop of vanilla and each one is a bit different, reflecting the time of production. So, if you purchase the new bee bottle, pull the domed cap and expect the vintage Chamade, don't bother! But this new version is lovely in her own lighthearted way. More modern and a puerile shadow of her formal grandmother. Assuredly even prettier in the summer with sunshine.

AnaisLouLou - I couldn't agree with you more about the generic, cheap bee bottles with sticker labels! It kills me that these gorgeous old fragrances from Apres L 'Ondee to Vol du Nuit to Naheema and more have been deprived of bottles that celebrate their legacy. Even if they wanted to put the majority of their classics into identical bottles, at LEAST improve the quality! A sticker for Mitsouko???? REALLY? I miss the old Guerlain, back when a new release meant a new fragrance, not just flanker after flanker after flanker of fragrances that don't even begin to match the artistry back when it was the property of the Guerlain family.

This reminds me of something I smelled as a kid on someone's dresser or in an empty room. The opening of this is striking and oily. It smells of the 1960s. I panicked. After the dry down, a highly aromatic smell with jasmine, rose (but I can't pull the scent out!), galbanum and balsam, a little green and benzoic drifts off your skin. Quite unusual and distinctive. What's left at the end of a long day is vanilla and amber. I've become enchanted by this perfume, taking long breathes to smell it on myself. I was torn between Nahema and this one. Once I've finished this one (if ever!), I'm going to buy a bottle of Nahema for the rose blast. Can Guerlain stop putting their older formulations for women into generic bee bottles? The original bottle of this has to one of the most lovely bottles I've ever seen. The bottle is part of the perfume's personality.

Pandarapt - you and me both, living through the olfactory sense and fragrance in 2020. So funny to read that someone else is having the same experience! Chamade. I am a big Guerlain fan and the older I get, the more this is the case. Guerlain fragrances (old Guerlain) are layered, complicated, full of hidden secrets that open up one by one if you study the painting long enough. Chamade was never on the top of my list of perfumes to buy but I found the edt, bee bottle, at a good price so decided to add to my collection. It did not disappoint. Yes, there is sourness on the opening but I could already detect the second layer (of flowers, lily of the valley, hyacinth) and something bigger, the galbanum maybe underneath and it feels intriguing. The sharpness of the top notes finds an intricate balance with the sweetness and powderiness of the Jicky base which is there but only to give just enough ease to carry off the rest of the composition. This is a spring/summer scent, close to the skin, almost like your own private secret, your own world. The genius of Guerlain, for me, is that there are always notes which are not easy, there is an interplay of like/dislike but this is what keeps a scent interesting and never flat. The contemporary fragrance market is full of fragrances that have been developed quickly as a marketing project, resulting in perfumes that are one dimensional; after the initial burst of perhaps even loveliness, nothing else happens, only a feeling of disappointment, like bad sex, was that it? Guerlain is the opposite of this. Frequently the initial spray is not good. Then the magic happens over the following minutes and even hours and a beautiful piece of art opens around you. Chamade is a prime example of that. It is not a big scent, but it is an intricate one. Something I would not want to wear every day but every once in a while, to tease myself to try to figure out what is happening here. It is not a contemporary scent but one that has such craftsmanship that it will never go out of fashion. I am still intrigued. I need to find a vintage bottle to figure out what the original composition was like.