Thanks to patron Maison Francis Kurkdjian, the Palace of Versailles is bringing its Perfumer’s Garden to life. This new garden at the Châteauneuf Orangery in the heart of the Trianon estate will be home to hundreds of different perfume-making plants, in keeping with the spirit of the 17th-century Trianon gardens. It aims to raise awareness of the history of perfume at the court of Versailles which, from the 17th century, would become the cradle of the perfumer's profession.

The result of an extraordinary collaboration between the gardeners of Versailles and Francis Kurkdjian, this new garden opens in spring 2023 and will feature historic plants, some with original scents and also some flowers considered 'mute', such as hyacinths, peonies and violets, which yield no usable extracts for perfume making, meaning their fragrance must be reconstructed by the perfumer. A number of tours and workshops will be rolled out for the general public, families, school groups, students, and associations.

This patronage was born with the support of Francis Kurkdjian, Perfumer and Artistic Director, Catherine Pégard, President of the Palace of Versailles, Marc Chaya, CEO and co-founder and Alain Baraton, Head of the Trianon gardens. Since his meeting with Marc Chaya in 2003, Francis Kurkdjian has spoken of his desire to harken back to the imagery of the Sun King's lavish celebrations when the pools and fountains of Versailles were sweetened with perfume. Some years later, they worked together to create olfactory installations in the gardens of Versailles. With The Perfumer's Garden, Maison Francis Kurkdjian strengthens its ties to the Palace of Versailles.