Named for love itself and bearing the full mystique of its creator — Alain Delon Le Temps D'Aimer Eau de Toilette is one of the most quietly captivating and genuinely rare celebrity fragrances ever created, a world away from the generic celebrity scents of later decades and every inch the product of 1981 French luxury perfumery at its most assured. Created by master perfumer Lucien Schenck and launched in 1981 — the same year its namesake, the legendary French actor and cinematic icon Alain Delon, was at the absolute height of his global fame — Le Temps D'Aimer ("The Time to Love") is a complex, deeply feminine woody chypre of extraordinary character, warmth, and vintage authenticity. Last marketed by Parfums de Paris before its discontinuation, it has since built a devoted and passionate collector following among lovers of classic French feminine perfumery, with devoted wearers describing it as one of those rare fragrances discovered and impossible to forget. In the vintage 75ml spray format, bottles in this condition are a genuinely exceptional find.
Le Temps D'Aimer opens with a beautifully judged aldehydic accord of green notes, ripe peach, and Brazilian rosewood — not the bombastic aldehydic blast of some of its contemporaries, but a refined, softly sparkling opening that lends the fragrance an immediately classic, almost old-world Parisian elegance. The peach and rosewood add a warm, slightly fruity richness that balances the aldehydes with exquisite precision, setting the stage for what is to come. The heart unfolds into a richly spiced, deeply feminine floral bouquet of ylang-ylang, gardenia, rose, orris root, jasmine, and cloves — opulent and complex, with the cloves lending a quietly exotic, darkly spiced edge that distinguishes Le Temps D'Aimer from every other floral of its era and gives it an almost gothic warmth that is wholly compelling. The fragrance then settles into one of the most extraordinary base accords of the early 1980s: patchouli, oakmoss, leather, civet, styrax, amber, vanilla, and coconut — animalic, warm, smoky, and deeply sensual, with the coconut weaving through the mossy leather base in a combination that collectors consistently describe as addictive and unforgettable, as deeply personal and skin-close as a second skin.
Fragrance Profile
- Top Notes: Aldehydes, Green Notes, Peach, Brazilian Rosewood
- Heart Notes: Ylang-Ylang, Gardenia, Rose, Orris Root, Jasmine, Cloves
- Base Notes: Patchouli, Oakmoss, Leather, Civet, Styrax, Amber, Vanilla, Coconut
Le Temps D'Aimer is a fragrance that rewards the wearer who gives it time — its evolution on the skin over hours is extraordinary, moving from sparkling aldehydic freshness through a richly spiced floral heart to a deeply animalic, coconut-kissed chypre dry-down that is among the most compelling and distinctive in all of vintage feminine perfumery. Longevity is above average and sillage is intimate and personal rather than projecting — a scent designed to be discovered rather than announced, felt rather than simply smelled. Perfectly suited to fall and winter evenings and special occasions, it wears with the effortless authority of a woman who has nothing to prove and everything to offer.
Product Details
- Brand: Alain Delon
- Fragrance: Le Temps D'Aimer
- Type: Eau de Toilette (EDT) Spray
- Size: 75 ml / 2.5 oz
- Gender: Women's
- Fragrance Family: Woody Chypre / Floral Chypre
- Occasion: Evening, Date Night, Fall & Winter, Special Occasions
- Year Launched: 1981
- Perfumer: Lucien Schenck
- Status: Discontinued / Vintage / Rare Collector's Item
An exceptional find for vintage chypre collectors, lovers of classic 1980s French feminine perfumery, and women who appreciate the rare, deeply sensual artistry of a genuinely forgotten masterpiece.