Suresnes, city of perfumers: the Musée d'histoire urbaine et sociale exhibition

The Musée d'histoire urbaine et sociale de Suresnes (Suresnes Museum of Urban and Social History) is honoring one of the industries that has left its mark on the area in a temporary exhibition running until June 15, 2025: perfumery. This is an opportunity to discover the great figures of Suresnes perfume from the 18th century onwards, from Jean-Louis Fargeon to François Coty, via René Duval, Maurice Blanchet and Marcel-Hugues Guerlain, and the production chain of this object that everyone uses.

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Visitors are invited to delve into the history of the nose adventurers who democratized this fashion accessory that has become a veritable luxury industry. And the town of Suresnes played a major role in the development of modern perfumery! The Industrial Revolution accelerated the establishment of perfume factories, notably on the banks of the Seine, with François Coty's famous Cité des Parfums.

Alongside this historical aspect, you'll discover the steps involved in making perfume, from raw materials to the manufacture of bottles and boxes, including the organization of factories, advertising campaigns, the presentation of products in stores, and even portraits of consumers at the time, through bottles, powder boxes, drawings, photographs, specialized tools, and old perfumes that you can smell to try to find their ingredients!

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