A unique olfactory experience to discover from 23 May and throughout the summer
From 23 May, Cheverny Castle is offering a completely new sensory experience: a Scent Trail, an immersive olfactory journey.
Ten original fragrances have been placed in various rooms throughout the château. They have been specially created to bring out the atmosphere, history and lifestyle of each room.
Explore the castle through its scents
Cheverny has always been a welcoming, lively place where people have lived. Through this tour, each room becomes a scent to be savoured: a presence, a memory, an atmosphere.
The project arose from the desire of Maximilien de Vibraye, the future owner of the Château de Cheverny, to add a new dimension to the château tour. Fascinated by perfume and its evocative power, he oversaw the development and coherence of this olfactory journey, following an initial trial run at Christmas.
From 23 May, an ambitious exhibition featuring ten unique fragrances will be on display, blending historical references with conceptual creations.
Displayed under glass domes, they are the creation of the company Istòria. Inès Brulin and Olivier de Perthuis, fragrance designers, have developed these ten original fragrances in Grasse using high-quality raw materials.
Their approach: to tell the story of Cheverny through scent, honouring its history whilst giving it a contemporary twist.
The scent apple: a unique creation for Cheverny
To complement the Scent Trail, Cheverny Castle is unveiling a unique and exceptional piece: a scented apple designed by the Parisian jeweller Marie Deambrosis.
Crafted in vermeil and set with 26 diamonds and 7 rubies, this contemporary piece draws its inspiration directly from the door handles of the armoury, whose silhouette it adopts to create a veritable miniature star: the radiant form evokes the heart of the sun and the
The perforations diffuse the fragrance like an invisible light.
Thanks to a scented ceramic insert at its core, the scent apple is both an aesthetic and sensory object. It embodies the dialogue between heritage, craftsmanship and contemporary design, which lies at the very heart of Cheverny’s identity.
Do you know what a sweet potato is?
The scented apple, also known as a pomander, was a highly fashionable scented trinket from the Middle Ages to the 18th century. Often worn on a belt or suspended from a chain, this small openwork sphere contained rare essences, resins, or aromatic blends intended to delicately perfume the wearer.
In an era when hygiene standards differed from those of today, the scent apple was used to freshen the air, to ward off unpleasant odours, but also to display a certain social refinement. A true status symbol, it already embodied what Cheverny celebrates today: the art of perfumery, the beauty of the gesture and the passing on of expertise.
The fragrances on display
Each room becomes an olfactory scene, offering a new way to experience Cheverny. Three of these fragrances will also be available to buy in-store, in the form of personalised scented ceramics made in Limoges.
Here is a glimpse of the creations you can see on display in the castle’s rooms:
“Château de Cheverny” – Oaky, amber-coloured, fruity, floral
A fragrance that captures the essence of the estate, evoking a lived-in home and a vibrant estate, where wood panelling, the forest, fire, the crispness of winter and the bounty of summer come together. It reads like a family portrait featuring Charles-Antoine and Constance de Vibraye and their children Maximilien, Isaure and Eugénie:
To embody Charles-Antoine, who sought to instil stability and continuity in the estate: a woody, honeyed accord, inspired by weathered wood panelling, forms the backbone of the fragrance.
For Constance, who embodies warmth and generosity: a rich fig note, underpinned by benzoin and vanilla, creating a refined, indulgent bouquet.
For Maximilien, who loves the great outdoors and the vibrancy of winter in the Sologne region: peppermint, and leathery notes evoking horse rides, symbolising youth and idealism.
For Isaure, who enjoys the comfort of the evening and the warmth of the fire: pyrolysed birch, complemented by oak moss and patchouli, evoking the dampness of walks in the forest.
For Eugénie, who combines strength of character with inner depth: the upright stance of the pine, a symbol of discipline, and the subtlety of a powdery violet, revealing her secret emotions.
This fragrance perfectly embodies the essence of the place, its warmth, its people and its character.
“Rose Boudoir” – Floral, powdery
An intimate and cosy evocation of a boudoir of yesteryear.
Bergamot and mandarin, elegant freshness
Iris and violet, delicate powdery notes of toiletries
Damask rose, refined floral freshness
Orange blossom, sandalwood, white musks, soft and enveloping sensuality
An intimate, elegant fragrance, conceived as a gesture of beauty.
“Lys Persan” – Floral, amber
Created for the King’s Chamber, where light and shadow meet.
Bergamot, an initial burst of radiance
Royal lily and jasmine, solar majesty
Cashmere wood, noble softness
Vanilla, benzoin, tolu balsam, ambergris, oriental depth and historic presence
A fragrance that evokes the grandeur of royal apartments and the solemnity of antique fabrics
And seven more designs to discover…
The exhibition also features seven other original fragrances, each designed to complement a specific room in the château: woody atmospheres, archival notes, and evocations of open fires, walks in the woods, summer light and winter evenings.
