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 The
early Gauls were generous, enthusiastic, quarrelsome, and
passionately interested in independence. They had strong ties
to their households and respected the necessities of a frugal
life. Aside from imbibing heavily of hydromel (mead), they
were totally indifferent to perfumes until their conquest
by Julius Caesar. It is from the Gallo-Roman civilization
that the first use of scents among the Gallic nation can be
traced. Flowers of the vervain plaint, which were strictly
reserved for druids and sacred virgins, yielded a scented
water dearly appreciated by Gallic chiefs. Examination of
a sepulchre of the Merovingian era (5th to 8th
centuries) disclosed a perfume composed primarily of incense
and sandarac mixed with oil and ceruse additive. This mixture,
in accord with Roman usage, was probably a cream to prevent
wrinkles.
With the arrival of Christianity, incense
was widely used in churches, along with perfumed wax candles.
In the 6th century, Fortunat, who combined the
wisdom of pastorship with the romanticism of an elegant Latin
poet, taught us that people at parties were crowned with wreathes
of roses, and all of the rooms were deliciously perfumed.
The renowned Fredegonde used strong scents and camouflage
to enable her forces to captivate the spirit of a weak Chilperic
the First, and before she had Pretextat assassinated, she
gave him an absinthe wine mixed with honey and musk, and laced
with poison.
Perfumes were mingled in philtres (magic
potions) and in the enchantments of Table Ronde recitals and
the Melusine fairy, who gushed out of her baguette several
fragrant mixtures which induced restful sleep. Meanwhile,
the use of scent was restricted to the nobility and citizens
of prominence and wealth. Merchants traveled from one castle
to another to peddle their wares.
Then came the Crusades, and with it
arrived a profusion of perfumes in France. Essence of rose
was brought from the Orient. From Spain came pots of fragrances
for use in making handbags, men’s jackets, and primarily
gloves, which explains why the first perfumers in France were
called "les maitres gantiers" (masters in glove-making).
In 1190, Philippe Auguste gave permission to build statues
to the corporate "maitres gantiers" of the capital.
These glove masters bought their profession for 39 deniers
of gold. They had the exclusive privilege of making and selling
fragrance-related products and sold their merchandise from
their own shops. No one but a glove master could sell perfumes
of gloves, nor add or apply ornaments to scent, said the royal
decree of April 4, 1573. 
Subsequently Henri III in 1852, Louis
XIII in 1644, and Louis XIV in 1658 renewed the privileges
of the glove masters, and after a series of processes the
Parliament of the 17th century authorized master
glove-makers to call themselves master perfumers. The era
of the great Gothic cathedrals was a time of ecclesiastical
interest in perfumes. In addition to the rose attar brought
by the Crusaders, a perfume with violet or chypre was created,
and by the end of the 14th century a perfume was
produced with orange flowers, and with lavender, and another
with musk. A small fashion revolution was carried out in 1370
when the first alcohol perfume was offered to Charles V. It
was more of an "eau de beaute" (toilet water) than
a perfume. The recipe called for 4 times 30 ounces of Brandy
and 30 ounces of Rosemary flowers.
These ingredients were to be put into
a closed vase for 50 hours, then distilled in a boiler and
given as an oily bath to the face every morning. The profession
of glove-perfumer was further developed after the 100 Years
War, with the use of perfumes for embalming. This means of
conserving the body was popular with royalty. In the 15th
century, teeth cleaning products began to emerge. In the same
period, a perfume made from soaking herbs in water came into
fashion. At the end of the Middle Ages, the habit of elegance,
the luxury of perfume and beauty products, had become generalized.
Wealthy families competed with the great lords, and despite
rigorous Church laws, vanity developed from reign to reign,
which paved the way for the lavish lifestyle of the Renaissance.
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