It all began with a compact she found online. Cécilia Mergui could have simply admired the pretty Art Deco relic. Instead, she took an interest in the name inscribed on it: Bienaimé, a French perfume house that had fallen into obscurity. A few years later, the brand is back to life, and its bottles have reclaimed a place of pride at 30 rue Saint-Roch, in Paris’s 1st arrondissement.
To understand this comeback, let’s go back to 1935. That year, perfumer Robert Bienaimé, formerly head of the Houbigant perfume house, founded his own brand. His fragrances and beauty products won over customers drawn to the elegance of the era, before the company gradually faded from view after his death in 1960. Cécilia Mergui bought the brand in 2019, relaunched it in 2021 and opened its Paris boutique in 2022.
A stone’s throw from the Tuileries, the boutique resembles a little Art Deco boudoir, with its terrazzo floor, oak burl furniture, shell-shaped sconces and stone basin. In this intimate space, visitors can discover eau de parfums with floral and powdery notes, as well as soaps, skincare products and scented candles. The retro-style bottles and carefully crafted packaging add as much to the pleasure as the fragrances themselves.
The added bonus? The perfume bottles are refillable, while some cosmetic containers can be reused. A good reason to keep these pretty objects rather than leave them at the back of a drawer. If you’re looking for a less common fragrance or a gift beyond the usual perfumers, Bienaimé has a personality all its own.
Location
Bienaimé
30 rue Saint-Roch
75001 Paris 1
Route planner
Access
Pyramides, Metro Lines 7 and 14
Official website
bienaime1935.com
