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Image from L'Artisan Parfumeur
While being completely obsessed with Jasmine I have almost forgotten about a decant of La Haie Fleurie du Hameau by L'Artisan that was on my desk all the time. But it could be another reference jasmine together with A la Nuit by Serge Lutens. Made by Jean Claude Ellena it supposed to “pay distant homage to jasmine’s glory” as mentioned on the website of L’Artisan. Taking a sniff from a bottle now and than I found it an interesting fragrance worth to be a reference jasmine.
The name La Haie Fleurie du Hameau is supposed to remind us on the hedge of white flowers decorating the arches, fences and houses somewhere in a hamlet. Well – may be it’s a common scenery for the provinces somewhere in the South of France, but for me it’s a pure fantasy as my memory doesn’t have any references pictures. But imagination is a good thing, especially when it’s completed with a right fragrance.
Jasmine of La Haie Fleurie du Hameau is less indolic and more spicy than in A la Nuit by Lutens. Its fruity sweetness is enhanced with the notes of honeysuckle and narcissus. There is also a touch of green note of hyacinth. There is still enough indole here, but compared to A la Nuit it´s an angel. If I compare both fragrances they start to strike with there differences. Jasmine smelts away and La Haie Fleurie du Hameau turns into something floral sweet and A la Nuit into something chemically indolic. They don’t like competition, so keep them apart.
La Haie Fleurie du Hameau reminds me of sweet lemon tea with pieces of cake in a garden of a provincial house under the hedges of jasmine and honeysuckle at the warm noon in May. When it’s so pleasant to doze off under the wind rustle, being worn out from the heady floral scents and warmth. Listening to the zoom of bees and bumblebees or the flutter and cheep of small birds encroaching the cake.
Luca Turin gives La Haie Fleurie du Hameau three stars and calls it “jasmine soliflore” describing it as a “nice jasmine”. Compared with it I can understand why jasmine in A la Nuit is called a “death by jasmine”. So, if you are scared off by indolic depth of A la Nuit, you can try more sweet and spicy La Haie Fleurie du Hameau.
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This was suggested to me today by reader (and blogger!) Carol and I rushed to google it: glad to find your beautiful review of it. And what an evocative name this fragrance indeed has. I've never smelled it. La Nuit is probably my favorite jasmine and even though it doesn't get as much love as other Lutens scents, it is a masterpiece in my eyes. "Death by Jasmine" does not do it justice.
Dear Divina,
Indeed it's a very beautiful fragrance with a name that sounds like a dream in Provence :o) Although difficult to find in Netherlands. I've seen it in some French L'Artisan stores. I've got a small decant on MUA - still not sure if I need a full bottle... but you made me wanting it again :o)
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