Le Jardin Retrouve Mousse Arashiyama visual by Kaya Bagamaz
“I grew up in Provence and as a kid, I wanted to be a botanist. I thought that flowers could be invented and I loved the idea of doing that as a job.” -Perfumer Maxence Moutte
Perfumer Maxence Moutte was trained at Givaudan and happened upon his current role at Le Jardin Retrouvé by chance, at a wedding. As a young aspiring perfumer, he had stumbled upon a bottle of Le Jardin Retrouvé perfume in a Paris boutique. Eager to know more, he sought a meeting with the perfumer, Yuri Gutsatz. Sadly, Yuri was nearing the end of his life and the meeting never took place. Fast forward several years and Maxence meets Michel Gutsatz and his wife Clara Feder at a wedding. “Gutsatz? Any relation to Yuri Gutsatz?” As you can imagine, Clara, Yuri and Maxence had much to talk about. In 2016 when Michel and Clara sought to revive this historic brand, there was only one perfumer they had in mind.
Le Jardin Retrouvé Mousse Arashiyama is the first original perfume composed by Maxence Moutte, photo Paris lab courtesy of the brand
Since 2016, Maxence Moutte has recreated the fragrances of Yuri Gutsatz, replicating them as accurately as possible whilst remaining within the parameters of modern compliance. His work for Le Jardin Retrouvé is unconnected with Givaudan and is purely for this heritage Maison de parfum.
Mousse Mystique candle inspiration from Maxence’s notes
In 2018, when Le Jardin Retrouvé launched a candle range, Maxence was invited to create one and the result was Mousse Mystique, or mystical moss. Customers repeatedly asked if there was a matching eau de parfum. The candle sold out faster than any other in the quartet and when diffusers were introduced, the name, but not the scent, changed to Mousse Arashiyama. The clamour for a fragrance became louder and Le Jardin Retrouvé Mousse Arashiyama eau de parfum was finally launched on November 18th 2021.
Forest bathing photo by Michelyn (August 2021)
Like all Le Jardin Retrouvé fragrances, it is themed around and inspired by a garden. It invites you to disappear to your happy place surrounded by nature, where arguably, humans do seem to be at their happiest. In the case of Le Jardin Retrouvé Mousse Arashiyama, Maxence was inspired by the breath-taking bamboo forest of Japan’s Arashiyama Park, where the benefits of forest bathing are wisely acknowledged.
Mousse Arashiyama notes. Visual by Kaya Bagamaz
So what does Le Jardin Retrouvé Mousse Arashiyama smell like? And why did customers fall in love with it? The initial opening spray of Mousse Arashiyama transports you to a deep, green forest carpeted in damp moss. Maxence did not stick to the tourist pathways here but delved deep into the silent heart of the woods. Muffled by moss and trees, you are surrounded by tranquility. There is a fig accord which is by turns juicy and ripe, milky and tender. A drift of incense from a distant temple passes through the canyon of trees that tower above you. Once you’re comfortably ensconced in moss, a quiet trickle of aquatic notes helps you locate a still green lake among the silence. All you can hear are the gentle ripples as perhaps a koi carp bubbles to the surface of the cool green pool.
Clara Feder’s interpretation of Mousse Arashiyama
This is no sea note, nor is there any calone, but an earthy, not-quite-soil-tincture tang that tells you the pool is non tidal. Disconnected from the outside world, it has its own eco system, its own world in miniature. The silence of the forest cuts you off from the bustle as if the bustle had never begun. This is a primal silence that grounds you, aligning you perfectly with the clay from whence you came.
For meditation, for yoga or for inner peace among the noise of the modern world, surrender to the peaceful hush of Le Jardin Retrouve Mousse Arashiyama. True stillness is rare and we should never stop seeking it.
Notes: oakmoss, bergamot, lentiscus, aquatic notes, fig accord, incense, vetiver, cedar
Samantha Scriven, Guest Contributor, co-author of The Perfume Companion with Sarah McCartney and founder of the perfume blog iscentyouaday.
Disclosure: I do regular freelance work for Le Jardin Retrouvé who supplied my 3 x 3ml samples. Opinions are my own.
Le Jardin Retrouvé Mousse Arashiyama box and bottle design by Centdegres and Kaya Bagamaz.
Thanks to the generosity of Michel and Clara at Le Jardin Retrouvé, we have a 50ml Grand Flacon of Mousse Arashiyama eau de parfum for one registered reader WORLDWIDE. You must register here or your comment will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what you enjoyed most about Samantha’s review, whether you have a favourite Le Jardin Retrouvé fragrance and where you live. Draw closes 11/30/21
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Former ÇaFleureBon Contributor Aaron Potterman reviews of the brand were amongst the first: Sandalwood Sacre, Cuir de Russie, Tubéreuse Trianon and Citron Boboli Eau des Délices, Verveine d`Été , Rose Trocadéro
Former Sr. Contributor and Guest Contributor Samantha Scriven has written about Le Jardin Retrouve Perfume Experience , Oriental Sans Souci Jasmin Majorelle and The three Le Jardin Retrouve You Should Be Wearing
Read more about Le Jardin Retrouve’s history as the first “niche” perfumery in our Perfumer’s Workshop Legacy Brands here