The scent story of Paris’ coolest perfume brand

If we were to rank all the perfume collections in the world, it would be difficult not to place Les Bains Guerbois in the top five. With her must-have range of 13 exquisite fragrances, she has quickly captivated perfume connoisseurs from Paris, where she is based, to taste-making locations around the world. And part of its charm and success is that each scent is an ode to its eponymous building, a bathhouse turned nightclub and hotel that has acquired a unique tradition since its opening in 1885.

Azzedine Alaia, Hubert Boukobza and Naomi Campbell during an evening at Les Bains in the 1990s.

Foc Kan/WireImage

The property began as a thermal bath, Les Bains Douches, founded in the late 19th century by August Guerbois. From the start, he attracted a clientele with bold names: among his frequent guests were Marcel Proust, Claude Monet and Émile Zola. Its original configuration included a swimming pool and various saunas and hammams.

Although it managed to survive two world wars, its owner Maurice Marois transferred the lease a few times in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1978, its new tenants turned it into a nightclub, renovated by the young Philippe Starck. Its opening night attracted thousands of partygoers, attracted by its new concert hall, restaurant and robust lineup of musicians and artists. It quickly became Paris’s answer to Studio 54 and hosted artists like Bowie, Iman, Basquiat, Warhol, Gaultier, Jagger and De Niro.

Thierry Mugler, Carla Brun,i and Chris Martin at Les Bains.

Foc Kan

Les Bains went from a nightclub to a New Wave mainstay in the ’80s, hosting seminal bands like Joy Division and Depeche Mode, then onto funk – a 1992 Prince recording encapsulates that era, and every night you can spot a who’s who. which included Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Madonna, Johnny Depp and many others. During this period, David Guetta was LBD’s resident DJ.

The club closed in 2010 and lay dormant for five years, until Jean-Pierre Marois, the son of the original owner, opened the 39-key hotel that exists today, Le Bains Paris . There’s still a small club downstairs – and the original pool, although no longer functional, is still there – which still hosts stars like Dua Lipa.

Every detail of the hotel itself is a nod to the Baths’ history, from the checkerboard lobby floor worthy of a dance hall to the in-suite steam rooms in many rooms. In spring 2024, Marois also opened a second establishment for the hotel: Les Bains Gardians, in Camargue, which transports the brand’s unique aesthetic to the south of France.

A room in Bains Paris, the 39-room hotel.

Les Bains Paris

Les Bains Guerbois, the collection of perfumes, was created in 2018. The name recalls the first chapter of the building, its founder and its emblem Bacchus, Roman god of wine and fertility. His bearded portrait was carved above the spa entrance in the 1800s and today greets hotel guests.

Les Bains got its first scent in the form of a custom candle, called Atmosphère, which Marois commissioned master perfumer Dorothée Piot to concoct. It features a nuanced blend of spices, flowers, wood and leather. The candle was so successful that three years later, in 2021, Marois launched the official perfume line, Les Bains Guerbois, while committing to working exclusively with French noses, including Dominique Ropion, Bertrand Duchaufour and Michel Almairic. These four created all but two of LBG’s historical collection, called One Date, One Story,” is the name of the collection. Each scent encapsulates an era and moment from the building’s past, such as its opening in 1885 or Joy Division’s performance in 1979.

More recent scents, from these three noses have each created a scent from LBG’s growing ‘Formes & Matières’ collection, are more tactile in nature and reference specific locations on the property. Take the Raku of 2023, named for the hotel’s glazed ceramic bar and the Japanese lacquer technique that makes it shine. The best of this program, Damier, is an ode to the checkerboard floor that evolves from the entrance to the restaurant.

If you can’t physically make it to Bains Guerbois, you should try one of their perfumes, which you can purchase in the United States through Luckyscent. Below, five of our favorites from this legendary range.

Perfumer: Dominique Ropion
Remarks : Spearmint, peppermint, aldehydes, iris, wood, musk
The story: December 18, 1979. Joy Division takes the stage at Bains Douches. You can hear the whole thing here.
My opinion: There’s a reason we don’t see a lot of mint-tinged perfumes, but when they’re good, they’re great. The aldehydic essence brings a cold and metallic intrigue. This one is special, and without equal in its field. You can wear it any day, night or season. This is the first one I had to own of the group. In a word, wow.

Perfumer: Bertrand Duchaufour
Remarks : Yuzu, whiskey, clary sage, heliotrope, myrrh, tobacco, cedar, patchouli
The story: The doors of the nightclub are open, but only those who manage to get past the famous bouncer Marie-Line will rub shoulders with Jagger, Basquiat and Iman.
My opinion: It sounds like the most familiar scent, in a warm sense. It’s a year-round scent for the man who’s here to have a good time, but it will work especially well at cocktails during the cooler months.

Perfumer: Fanny Bal
Remarks : Black pepper, aldehydes, milky accord, sandalwood, patchouli, white musk
The story: The black and white checkerboard floor of Bains Paris comes to life as it evolves from the entrance to the restaurant via the bar, a nod to the three key eras of the property (spa, club, hotel).
My opinion: Perhaps the most perfect expression of pepper I have encountered. I can’t stop talking about it. (“Was that pepper good, Damier?”) But it’s not just the pepper that punctuates; the milky accord and white musk bring softness and solidity. Like the floors that inspired it, Damier is a wonderful balance of contrasts.

Perfumer: Dorothée Piot
Remarks : Mandarin, rosemary, blackcurrant, balsam, benzoin, incense, tonka and vanilla
The story: A heritage was born with the Turkish and Roman baths inside the Bains Guerbois.
My opinion: This catchy and intoxicating scent is ideal for colder seasons and cozy evenings. When I first encountered the brand when it debuted in 2018, it was my favorite of the launch trio. Now I find his strength a bit polarizing for most everyday social situations. But when you really want to spark a conversation, bathe (lightly) in this moody masterpiece.

Perfumer: Jérome Épinette
Remarks : Grapefruit, bergamot, blueberry, black tea, amber, praline, mate, vanilla
The story: Tea time with Proust and his friends after a steam bath. Oh, to be a fly on the wall.
My opinion: While visiting the hotel, I realized that it was one of the house’s favorites. And rightly so: it’s the perfect first impression and ties in with the tea room right next to the hotel entrance. L’Heure De Proust is at once pleasant, conversational and sophisticated.

Adam Hurly

Adam is originally from South Dakota and lives in Lisbon (and previously San Francisco, New York and Berlin). Adam writes about grooming and travel for numerous publications and in 2024 launched Blue Print…

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Adam Hurly