New Niche Fragrance Review: Atelier Cologne Sous le Toit de Paris-The Razor’s Edge of Violet Draw

Many of my favorite notes in fragrance are essentially continuations of the ones which first drew me into perfume mania. One of my very favorite notes is a more recent dalliance and it came not from a bottle but at the edge of a blade. More specifically a double-edge shaving blade. About seven years ago I became sick of my morning shaving routine with whatever the current multi-blade wonder was at the time. I constantly had ingrown hairs and it never seemed like it was as smooth as I would like it to be. Through the vast resources of the internet I learned there was a different way but it would require a step backwards. Instead of finding out how many parallel blades you can fit on the head of a shaver the solution was to go back and use the kind of safety razor my father used, loaded with one double-edge shaving blade. They call this wetshaving and the gentlemen at the Badger and Blade forum gave me all the info I needed. Besides the hardware of the razor and blade I was also going to require some software, the brush and shaving crème. This led me to an afternoon sniffing different shaving crèmes and the one which surprisingly caught my attention was Geo F. Trumper Violet. We became partners in a process which saw me going from nick-prone newbie to smooth operator. Over the learning curve the smell of my violet shaving crème was my soothing companion. It also led me to searching out violet fragrances and there are many of them which are now my favorites.

This past October just prior to Sniffapalooza Fall Ball I was visiting Sylvie Ganter in the Atelier Cologne boutique down in The Fragrance District. She was teasing me with a sneak sniff of next spring’s first release. As I was starting to leave she said to me, almost as an afterthought, “We are making a special edition for the one hundredth anniversary of the Paris department store Galleries Lafayette.” I asked her who the perfumer was and she said Ralf Schwieger and then she swung the hammer, “It is a violet cologne absolue.” If there was any perfume house I would expect to get a violet fragrance right for me it would be Atelier Cologne. I asked for a sniff and she frowned at me and said all of the testers were still in Paris. She promised to send some to me soon.

Portrait of Adam by Marilyn Powers (1974)

That statement made my check of the mailbox, hoping for the arrival of this promised fragrance, a scene of a bit of sadness every day until the day the box with the Atelier Cologne return address was in there.  I scurried home busted it out of the box took note of the name, Sous le Toit de Paris, and sprayed away. There it was, my shaving friend was here in all its glory this was exactly what I wanted in a violet perfume. For those who love the sharp almost metallic ionone version of violets Sous le Toit de Paris is not that kind of violet. For those who like shrinking violet which stays in the background Sous le Toit de Paris is not that type either. It is a fully realized violet as the centerpiece of a cologne architecture. It is a classic cologne minus the lavender with violet in its place but then the extra power that comes with being a cologne absolue boosts this into a very different orbit.

Bouquet of Violets by Edouard Manet

Hr. Schwieger uses neroli and bitter orange, along with a very brilliant bergamot to open Sous le Toit de Paris with a classic cologne aesthetic. In the heart he uses violet leaf but instead of using the actual extract of the violet flower, and its olfactory deadening ionones, he uses a great green geranium and vetiver together to create a violet accord. All together the three notes smell like violet but my enjoyment of it lasts all day without fading down to a minimal detection level. The base notes are a coumarin-laden tonka matched with musk and a really fantastic restrained leather accord. This is the smell of the brush as I lather it up and press the badger bristles into my face to spread out the foam.

Sous le Toit de Paris has outstanding longevity and average sillage. Also despite this being a special edition for Galleries Lafayette it is also will be available on the Atelier Cologne website and in the New York City boutique.

This has probably become my favorite fragrance of the entire Atelier Cologne line. It is almost as if Hr. Schwieger made a bespoke cologne absolue for me. Ever since the bottle has graced my mailbox many of my mornings consist of my Gillette Red Tip loaded with a Wilkinson Sword blade gliding through a lather of Geo F Trumper Violet shaving crème but the best part of those mornings is topping it off with Sous le Toit de Paris and having that sunny feeling go on all day.

Disclosure: This review was based on a bottle of Sous le Toit de Paris provided by Atelier Cologne.

Thanks to our very special friends at Atelier Cologne we have a 30mL petit flacon of Sous le Toit de Paris to giveaway. To be eligible leave a comment naming your favorite Atelier Cologne or one you think might be your favorite. We will draw one winner on December 5, 2012.

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.

-Mark Behnke, Managing Editor

Art Direction: Michelyn Camen, EIC

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86 comments

  • I really enjoy Grand Neroli and rose anonomye
    Ambre Nue is my favorite
    Leather violet leaf and Paris
    What’s not to like

  • I have 3 favorite Atelier fragrances, Vanilla Insensee, Ambre Nue and Rose Anonyme…such easy to wear fragrances…looking forward to trying this new one, it sounds lovely 🙂

  • I haven’t tried any Atelier fragrances yet but I’ve put their Voyage travel set on my Xmas wishlist! I’ve heard so many good things about Vanilla Insencee I can’t imagine not loving it. Thanks for the great draw!

  • I love violet perfumes and am always hunting for a new one
    Vanille insensee is my favorite with orange sanguine coming in second
    Both are by Ralf Schwieger who I have adored since his lipstick rose for Frederic Malle days
    I think Sous Le Toit de Paris could be me my favorite
    It sounds elegant

  • Believe it or not, Sous le Toit de Paris actually sounds perfect for me as I adore violet and musk. Love the bottles too.
    I really have to start sampling Atelier Colognes.

    Thanks for the draw!

  • I really like Vétiver Fatal. As a fan of Balmain Jolie Madame, which is a violet-leather perfume, I am sure that I would enjoy Sous le Toit.

    Isn’t that the name of one of the Hermessences? Or maybe it’s sur le toit?

  • I really like Grand Neroli and since I tried it, I think I could really fall for Orange Sanguine, although I would have to give it a few more tries. Thank you for the draw.

  • I have a sample of Vétiver Fatal, and love it. I love violet notes, and my favourite violet frag (that I know of) and one of my top faves is Serge Lutens Bois de Violette. Thanks for the draw!

  • After this review I think I really would love to experience Sous le Toit de Paris. After all, one can never pass up a trip to Paris or not want to revisit those memories of the city. Love the graphics, very evocative! many thanks…

  • It’s almost a cliche because it’s so well loved, but I adore Grand Neroli. It’s jut a cut above others of its type. Thanks for the draw!

  • Atelier Cologne perfumes are all so nice. My favorites are Vanille Insensee and Orange Sanguine. I would love to try Sous le Tout.

  • I have a sample of vetiver fatal and love it so much I’m scared to try others from the line.. I also got into wetshaving a couple years back. What a revelation! My preferred shaving cream is the Vintage Shaving Companies Trad. I love smelling my badger brush because it retains that lovely smell even if I haven’t shaved for a while.

  • This sounds like a great addition to the line. I have been impressed with most of the offerings from the house. My favorite is Bois Blonde. Thanks for the draw.

  • Grand Neroli is the only Atelier I have tried, but it’s such a great scent that I will eventually sample a few more eventually. This Sous le Toit de Paris sounds like an interesting one for sure.

  • just breathe says:

    I sampled Orange Sanguine and really liked it…there are so many in this line I would love to try!

  • Even though I haven’t been lucky enough to sample Atelier’s offerings, I think I’d love Vetiver Fatal…if for the name alone!

  • I have only tried Vetiver Fatal so far and love it. I must say that the whole line is very appealing to me.

  • marcopietro says:

    Vetiver Fatal is my favorite, I love its fresh and easy versatility, but behind the apparent simplicity is a complex fragrance and very well balanced.

  • My favourite Atelier Cologne is Vétiver Fatal: such a smooth and orangey vetiver that even vetiver haters would like…
    But this new one sounds interesting also!

  • I bought Oolong Infini totally unsniffed (I know I know) and I love it to bits…I reach for it when I can’t decide what to wear.
    Am warming to a sample of Rose Anonyme.
    Want to sample Sous Le Toit as I love violet.

  • I’ve never tried anything from Atelier Cologne but Oolong Infini looks like my favorite: tea, leather and vetiver, all together!

    Thank you for the draw!

  • would love to be able to try ” Sous le toit de Paris”, my favorite Atelier Cologne is ” Rose Anonime” and, also, I was impressed by ” Ambre Nue”
    Thanks for the draw

  • Oh my I love violets!! I do hope to try this one I am sure it will be a favorite of mine !! So far Vetiver Fatal is my most loved one!! Thank you!!

  • Favorite? That’s a hard one. Vetiver Fatal may have eclipsed Grand Neroli as my favorite. But I also love Vanille Insensee.
    Thanks for the opportunity to enter this giveaway.

  • Excellent review, Mark. Blade and Badger is a great place. I myself had problems with ingrown hair and those guys showed me the way men should shave.

    I’m very curious about this fragrance. I’ve been wearing Tom Ford’s Violet Noir but it has more of a sharp violet note in. It is a good fragrance but I don’t find it very comforting the way more powdery violet interpretations do.

  • I like Orange Sanguine the best of the ones I’ve tried so far. Violet is one of those notes for me that is either so right or so wrong. This one sounds great.

  • Terry Maloney says:

    Boheme Immortelle is my favorte. Rose Anonyme is a close second. I also cannot leave out Ambre Nue! Hard to choose..

  • I do believe this Atelier could be the one, I have enjoyed all the ones I have tried so far, but nothing has pushed me over into full bottle lust yet…

  • Ambre Nue is my favorite, but I really like Rose Anonyme too, it’s a close second. This newest one sounds just amazing as well.

  • I have yet to try anything from this line but think that Grand Neroli would be my favorite! Thank you so much for the draw!

  • Sadly I haven’t tried any of them nor even known about the concentrated cologne – the absolue. I’d say Oolang Infini would be one I’d love. If only because there is nothing in collection with tea notes and if I were fantasising about adding to it, it would have to be Oolang. Sous le Toit de Paris sounds just as wonderful.

  • Vanille Insensee has been my favourite Atelier so far, and is the only vanilla fragrance I wear. Love to try the new violet!

  • I’m so excited for another Atelier! My favorite right now is Rose Anonyme but before that it was Vanille Insensee and before that it was Orange Sanguine. Can you tell I’m a fan?

  • I haven´t tried any but the one mentioned here would be my fav according to the notes. Thanks!

  • I have yet to try any Atelier fragrances, but the violet sounds lovely! I believe, based on published notes, my favorite would be Grand Neroli. Thank you for the draw!

  • amazingly, i have not tried any of this line.
    i do have a decant of the vanilla scent, so will give this a whirl soon as i find it.
    meanwhile i *think* i would like oolang infini best — or this new violet concoction (but then again, you always make everything sound like i would like it best 🙂

  • I have every single one of their scents so far and the ones that get the most wear is Oolang Infini + Trefle Pur, the 2 together creates a harmony perfect for spring/summer =)

  • I really enjoy Ambre Nue although Sous le Toit de Paris might give it competition, it sounds amazing!

  • Ambre Nue is the only one I’ve tried so far, and I love it. I’m looking forward to exploring the rest of the line.

  • I think that this one is my favorite because I love violets. Also, I don’t have any that are suitable for males at the moment, and this seems like it would be less sweet.

  • I don’t have as much familiarity with the line, but my favorite Atelier Cologne thus far is Trefle Pur.

    This one sounds lovely.

  • Borko Boris says:

    I would love to test Trefle Pur and Orange Sanguine. I read a lot of reviews and these two seem to be the most outstanding. Thanks!

  • Vanille Insensee sounds like it would be my fave, but this one seems amazing, too. The musk and leather are drawing me in. Thanks!

  • My fav by far is Vanille Insensee. But I can’t wait to try this new one.

    Thank you for the review !

  • I have Ambre Nue and Bois Blonde, I’m loving the latter now. Violet sounds amazing. I love that couple at Atelier! Met them last May at the Sniffapalooza. Thank you, I’ve got my fingers crossed 🙂

  • I have never tried any Atelier fragrances. I think I would like this one per your recommendation. Thanks for the draw.

  • This sounds delectable! I enjoy violet notes but prefer them less metallic but not so candy-ish either, which is hard to find…
    Thank you for the draw and review. I have not sampled this line but I think favorites might be: Oolang Infini, Bois Blonds, Vanille Insensée. They all look utterly unique!

  • Wow… violet cologne… so obvious and so innovative!!! Can’t wait to smell it!!!
    My favourite Atelier Cologne is Orange Sanguine. I waas very curious about Trefle Pur, as I love this flower, but I expected it to be more honey/linden like, it turned out to be too green for me…

  • This fragrance is insanely gorgeous.
    When I read this review, I thought perhaps you were a woman who’d decided to go “badger and brush” with leg-shaving, and I thought, “what an idea!”
    Now you have me thinking. Geo F. Trumper Violet. Sudsy lather. Big old blade. Wonder if I could handle it?
    Anyway, this is the one Atelier fragrance to which I’ve responded. It’s enchanting.