Hortense

"… Gold, which adorned her arms for the feast,  And fragrances, prepared for her blond hair"  (André Chénier 1762-1794)

Hortense, Queen of Holland, was the daughter of Joséphine and Napoleon III's mother. She was beautiful, seductive and intelligent with blue eyes and golden hair scented with the fragrances of Dutch flowers and spices from the lands she dreamt of. In 1810, Jean Rancé dedicated a fragrant masterpiece to her, as a tribute to her exuberance and passionate spirit.

Today the Rancé Maison has delightfully arranged the same Oriental scents into a bold composition of mysterious and spicy notes, enriched by a warm seductive base, which creates a sparkling, youthful aromatic adventure with irresistible sensuousness.

The bouquet begins and seduces with its piquant notes of cardamom, pepper and bergamot, which lead on to delightful hints of cinnamon, all wrapped up in the delicate scent of May rose. The warm base of precious woods, incense and vanilla is brought out by the rich splendour of spices.

The words of Andrè Chénier are a perfect frame to this fascinating creation: discover their hidden lines within the fragrance box...