D’ORSAY
Eau Fringante

1969

basil
bergamot
green notes
lemon
mandarin
petitgrain

carnation
clary sage
geranium
iris
jasmine
lily-of-the-valley

ambergris
civet
musk
patchouli
sandalwood
tonka bean

There was a whole range of products for Eau Fringante. Certainly an EDT, EDT Fraiche, Splash cologne (may be the same as EDT Fraiche), soap and presumably a Parfum. The perfumer might be Jacques Guerin, but can’t confirm.

Eau Fringante is a real green citrussy scent. I wore this from a vintage miniature. of the EDT Fraiche concentration.

The opening is very citrussy. One of the most refreshing and tangy citrus openings I’ve smelled in such an old perfume (not sure what age my miniature is, but surely quite old).

It still has a zestiness to it from lemon and it’s surrounded by this sharp, slightly herbal green tint (basil). As it dries down it stays fresh on one side, with bright and green florals, but also more and more of a sweeter base.

Maybe it’s due to aging, because it comes and it goes within an hour, but given what I’m smelling I would strongly have guessed that the base contained quite a large dose of vanilla. It’s not as sweet as a Caron Parfum Sacre or Nina Ricci L’Air Du Temps, but it definitely grows towards one of the sweeter vanillic wafts. Yet, as mentioned, after 1-2 hours, it seems to vanish.

What you’re left with is a green, sappy, smooth base, that’s not fully up to my taste, but pleasant nonetheless.