THE STORY OF GALIMARD

Three family companies based in Grasse have left an indelible mark in the history of perfume: Molinard, Fragonard, and Galimard. The company, founded in 1747 by Jean de Galimard – Lord of Seranon, is the third oldest perfume house in the world. During the early Renaissance, the French city of Grasse, due to its numerous flocks of sheep and the availability of spring water, was the center of the leather tanning and glove industry. The fashion of wearing perfumed gloves, which was most promoted by Catherine de Medici at the time, became popular all over the world. Jean de Galimard was one of the first manufacturers to use scented leather and one of the founders of The Corporation of Glove Makers and Perfumers. Although its fragrances were originally used to perfume leather and linen, he soon supplied King Louis XV and his court with oils, pomades, powders, and perfumes.

galimard

Galimard’s history

Galimard has a very turbulent history, which many thought was over when this company temporarily closed its doors in 1800. Namely, as Jean de Galimard did not have a male heir, the family name disappeared when his daughter got married and the company stopped trading. However, memories and a far-famed reputation remain.

After the First World War, the descendants of Galimard, Fontmichels, decided to revive the family business. They started working with Simeon Roux, a war veteran and experienced producer of jasmine and orange blossoms. The revived company used old, vaulted basements and launched the first fragrances: “Galimar” for ladies and “Aigues Vives” for men (fragrances available today).

A chemical engineer, Joseph Roux, who spent his childhood in the flower fields of his father Simeon, and Gaston Fontmichel in 1946, came up with the idea to build a distillery in the medieval village of Gourdon, near the flower fields grown by Simeon. The distillery was called La Source Parfumee, and perfumery was opened in the villa of Count Torrenc, located in the heart of the old town.

lab

Secrets open to the public

In the early 1960s, Gaston Fontmichel and Joseph Roux ended their partnership, and ownership of Galimard passed entirely to the Roux family. After his father’s death in 1965, Jean-Pierre and his three sisters took over: Martine, Genevieve, and Elisabeth. The first major change occurred in the 1970s when the factory was relocated and a complete production facility and laboratory opened to tourists.

In addition to the boutique in the center of Grasse, Galimard opened a new factory in the village of Eze in 1986. Thanks to his unique concept Perfume Creation Atelier, Galimard in 1996 revealed to the public the art of perfume making, which until then had been a closely guarded secret.

A pioneer and recognized leader, guided by great experience and success around the world, in 2007 Galimard opened the innovative Studio des Fragrances in the square of the picturesque village of Eze. This studio was developed to demystify creative secrets that have always been hidden from the public: the artistic magic of creating perfumes in which interested visitors become the perfumers on their own as they discover and learn the secrets of formulation and fragrance creation.

Create you own Galimard perfume

Visitors are given the opportunity to create their own perfume formula with the assistance of skilled laboratory technicians. Galimard’s “noses” explain the architecture of the top, heart, and bottom notes and provide ways for blending them using 127 fragrant components. As a result, each visitor gets the option to create their own perfume composition, which they can take home in a bottle labeled with their own name. Visitors can also choose the form in which their creation will be available (eau de toilette, perfume water, perfume, body lotion, or shower gel).

galimard perfume making

These unique formulas are kept in a confidential database so that their creators have the opportunity to change if they wish.

Finest ingredients

For over 270 years, the cornerstone of this house’s perfumes has been natural ingredients from the Grass area: jasmine, rose, lavender, orange flower, from which they extract smells that distinguish Galimard perfumes using traditional processes.

It is also interesting that regardless of the tradition of almost three centuries, their perfumes cannot be bought in perfumeries, orders are accepted through the site or through some other online shop.

Some of the most famous and best-selling Galimard perfumes are: Sportissimo, Solenzara, Féminissime, Aventure, 1747, Bel Canto, Flibustier, Napoléon 1815, Un Hiver à Grasse, Bois de Lune,

FIND OUT MORE: About the Molinard house, which, like Galimard, is the originator of perfumery.

Perfume list:

  • 1
  • 1747
  • A Contre Jour
  • A Demi-Mot
  • Accroche-Coeur
  • Aigues Vives
  • Ambre Iris
  • Aventure
  • Bel Canto
  • Bois de Lune
  • Brindille
  • Canaica
  • Cantabelle
  • Carina
  • Citoyen
  • Cosaque
  • Cybèle
  • Double Zero
  • Eau de Romarin
  • Entre Nous
  • Eternal Flame
  • Evie
  • Feminissime
  • Flibustier
  • Frisson
  • Galimar
  • Galimard Star
  • Gelsomino
  • Grasse A Toi
  • Honeysuckle Eau de Cologne
  • Jasmine Eau de Cologne
  • Jeff
  • Journal Intime
  • L’Ete Dernier
  • Lapis Lazuli
  • Lavander Eau de Cologne
  • Lem
  • Lemon Eau de Cologne

Les Fontaines Parfumées

  • Les Fontaines Parfumées : Ambre Boise
  • Les Fontaines Parfumées : Grenadine
  • Les Fontaines Parfumées : Pivoine
  • Les Fontaines Parfumées : Thé Indien
  • Lilac Eau de Cologne
  • Lily of the Valley Eau de Cologne
  • Lotus Thé Vert
  • Ma Faute
  • Mezzanotte
  • Monsieur
  • Naina
  • Napoleon 1815
  • Notre Temps
  • Nuit Caline
  • Offrez – Lui
  • Paradoxe
  • Parfum du Chevalier
  • Pêle-mêle
  • Plumetis
  • Princesse Pauline
  • Printemps Japonais
  • Rafting
  • Rencontre
  • Seigneur
  • Shantoung
  • Si Tu Savais..
  • Soir De Grass
  • Songeries
  • Sportissimo
  • Un Hiver a Grasse
  • Uralskaya Taiga
  • Yavana

Collection Privee

  • Ambre
  • Aoud Jasmine
  • Bois
  • Gaiac Precieux
  • Neroli
  • Rose De Mai
  • Sensuel Safran

Cologne Absolue

  • Bambou Trefle
  • Bois des Indes
  • Feuilles & Fleurs d’Oranger
  • Lotus The Vert
  • Rose Baies Roses

HAVE YOU TRIED GALIMARD PERFUMES? WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE? PLEASE LEAVE IN THE COMMENTS BELOW. KIND REGARDS, IGOR.