L'Heure Bleue (for women)

RaeSofSunshine

This was my grandmother's favorite perfume. She wore it almost every day for the better part of 50 years. As a result, I always associate the scent with her, comfort, and joy-filled times. I have two empty, vintage bottles that were given to me after she died many years ago. They still carry the scent, though they've probably been completely empty for more than 20 years. To be fair, I can't speak to the scent itself in any unbiased sort of way. I can only say that I love it completely.

Despite such a strong association with my grandmother, I wouldn't describe the perfume as smelling like "old lady." I think it's a very classic scent, flowery and romantic and very French (in the best sort of way)... and yes, with a hint of high-quality face powder. An old gold and enamel compact that I have, which has probably been empty since the 1930s has a similar powdery smell to it.

Miss Bloom

Another stunning masterpiece from the house of Guerlain.
This fragrance is so beautiful it is almost indescribable. It is light and airy, yet very longlasting and tenacious. Powdery, and most definitely nostalgic. Floral yet not sickningly sweet, and very very grown up. It is a classic. Timeless and elegant, quiet and meditative.
I love this on a crisp winter day but then I would wear it anytime. A little goes a looong way. The sandalwood note really blooms on me but is tempered by the exquisite fruits and florals.
It smells like I would imagine heaven to smell, like the breath of an angel.
Heavenly.

Chat Lunatique

When I was a little girl living in Switzerland, there were four nationalities of trains usually available:

German trains -slick, modern, metallic
Swiss trains - clean, wholesome, clean
Italian trains - rattletrap, uncomfortable, musty
French trains - luxurious, fragrant, velvety

I would pray for the French trains every time. They smelled of glorious French perfume. It was my childhood notion of sophisticated adulthood.

The smell of those trains was: Strong coffee, Gauloises cigarettes, and L'Heure Bleue.

falovalo

I got this in a swap as well. It is everything everyone says about it, both good and bad. I have no idea what notes I'm smelling, but I love it. I can't stop smelling my hand. It's powdery and so very feminine. It soft and strong all at once. It has the ability to be very offensive if used by a heavy hand. But it has the ability to be quiet and charming, if allowed. I am very surprised by this one, not what I'd expected.

Spring25

I recently got to try this beautiful fragrance in a swap with a generous fellow Fragrantica member. I don't quite know how to describe this scent, but it is unforgetable. It's powerful, yet quiet. It seems to take me back in time, but it is also up-to-date. I guess melancholic would be the one word that best sums it up, as it really invokes a mood. Whether you end up liking it or not, this one is a must try. It's unusual and exquisite. It seems timeless. If it were a painting, it would be a masterpiece.

essija

Just not my scent. Floral/Powder on me. Lots of Iris. Softer scent though.. Hopefully I won't get too much attention wearing this as I really don't like it..

Petula30

I owe it, I love it but I can´t wear it.It settles lovely on my skin but I´m alerted all the time and aware of this haunting, dreamy scent.I hope that one day I´ll be wearing this perfume feeling comfortably because it deserves a woman who can wear it without any hesitation. Till then I quietly envy all you ladies who have no doubts.

Auguszta

I couldn't agree more with Belle de sud! I get funny looks wearing this, but that certainly won't stop me from doing so. It is slightly soapy on my skin but apart from that it is just perfect - beautifully melancholic and somehow wistful. It does conjure up a different world (in which I feel totally at home) but by no means would I call it dated. Try this if you're ready for... something totally different maybe.

tessture

Soft, slightly powdery, feminine. It does not smell of the lovely "Blue Hour" of twilight it was created for, but it is softly pretty. Dry down brings more tonka and benzoin notes and there's a delightful powdery opoponax that I love. (I do hate baby powder scents, so this is not that kind of powder.)It may appear a bit dated, as it's from 1912, but the history and enduring popularity give it a gloss of intrigue.

belle de sud

J'Adore! Mysterious, unusual (does provoke unkind comments from those who insist a woman must smell of flowery sweetness only) A true classic evoking the twilight and a romantic melancholy.

mymlan

This is the most beautiful and longlasting fragrance I've ever had. I found L'Heure Bleue at the local shop which was unexpected as I didn't think It was available in the Swedish maket at all.The scent is sweet, mystifying and alluring. It's a wounderful princess in a velvet dress, lost in the northern woods, mirroring herself in the deep and muddy forest lake. She's worried, thinks she's alone. But while mirroring herself she sees her true spirit comes through and she feels calm and confident. This perfume is in perfect balance: it is floral but not too floral, it is spicy but not hot and the vanillascent in the base is never left alone. I think every woman should have a bottle och l'herue Bleu for special and intimate occations

KalteStern

Compared to some of the Guerlain classics, this doesn't seem as overpowering in terms of immediate attention grabbing top notes - powdery floral initially which quickly develops a note like incense, with a quite animalistic middle note (maybe Musk?) after the first few minutes. As an unsubtle teenager I was unimpressed by it for that reason.
But be warned, it quietly builds and builds until no-one in the room can smell anything else, and this effect lasts for hours, at least with the actual parfum, although the EDT may not be quite so extreme.
This might or might not be a good thing, depending on the context - I don't shy away from announcing myself in an olfactory way, but I would be very wary about wearing it to work

Jalutschka

"L'heure bleue" is quite old-fashioned and very romantic- I like it, but most people I meet when I wear it make very unfriendly remarks on it. A guy once asked me if my perfume was coming straight from the brothel - and this was still one of the more cultured comments.

It takes a lot of courage to be old-fashioned.

Nuppu

Strong, yet comfortable, powdery, iris is about only thing I can separate of this lovely old gem. This one gives you old movie ginda of glamour (womens in tight waisted, tailored suits, powder puffs, garterbelts, cigarette holders, arched eyebrows giving deep looks) although it was made well before movie golden times...

F_A

One of my favourites for special occasions:) Just love the sweet powdery flowers it has, makes me feel so romantic and special....

Mitsouko

Great, magic fragrance. Somewhat powdery. On special, not necesarrily- officials, occasions. When I'am it perfumed,air become as blue well...

Mitsouko

Great, magic fragrance. Somewhat powder. On special, not necesarrily- officials occasions. When I'am it perfumed,air become as blue well...

Gwendolyn

This fragrance is the most beautiful in the pure perfume range. Gentle and beautiful.

scenthound

There must be something wrong with the plumbing in my nose because I tried this at the Guerlain counter based on Luca Turin's review in his book and I felt like I had been punched in the face by an old lady from old money. It was that overpowering. I will have to swing by the counter and give it another sniff (and this time wait for the dry down), because my first impression was: this stuff stinks to the high heavens.

Hattie

Very romantic, so haunting. A true classic, and one of the best things about it is that not many women wear this. This is an "old money" scent.
It always makes me feel special - and men love this one.

jeca

Yes, this fragrance is great! Vanilla is so light, floral note are so powdery, pleasant, so radiant fragrance

zoka

It is a very fair and romantic image of blue evening ;o) Powdery, light, longlasting...