Lancôme introduced La Vallée Bleue in 1943, during one of the most tumultuous periods of the twentieth century. Created by Armand Petitjean, the fragrance took its name from the French phrase La Vallée Bleue (pronounced La Val-lay Blu), which translates to “The Blue Valley.” The choice of name is evocative, conjuring images of rolling lavender fields stretching across the French countryside under a haze of violet-blue blossoms. The imagery was both soothing and uplifting—an escapist vision of purity and serenity at a time when the world was clouded by war.
Why lavender? For centuries, lavender has held a place of honor in perfumery and daily life. Prized for its clean, herbaceous, and subtly floral aroma, lavender has symbolized calm, purity, and well-being. In France, the variety most often cultivated was Lavandula angustifolia (true lavender), grown abundantly in Provence. This particular strain is distinguished by its soft, refined sweetness compared to the sharper, more camphoraceous character of lavandin. In perfumery, lavender served as both a refreshing top note and a versatile bridge, seamlessly linking floral, herbal, and woody accords. Its widespread use in eaux de cologne, fougères, and household products also gave it a reassuring familiarity.
The name La Vallée Bleue carried deep sensory and emotional resonance. To French consumers, it would have immediately suggested the famous lavender landscapes of Provence—the so-called “blue gold” of the region. The words themselves painted a romantic tableau: vast fields shimmering in the sun, mountain air laced with herbal freshness, and a peaceful refuge from modern anxieties. In fragrance, this translated to a light and uplifting scent, where lavender was presented not as a simple soliflore, but as the centerpiece of a carefully orchestrated composition. Lancôme’s 1945 catalog described it as a fragrance built around “a refined and nuanced interpretation of pure lavenders,” layered with depth, elegance, and a whisper of alpine greenery. The result was an olfactory impression of fresh, open air and quiet natural beauty.
When La Vallée Bleue was launched, France was still under the shadow of the Second World War. It was an era marked by scarcity, rationing, and disruption of daily life. Yet even in these difficult times, fashion and perfumery retained their symbolic power, offering comfort, identity, and hope. In women’s fashion, the early 1940s were defined by utility and restraint—boxy suits, padded shoulders, and practical fabrics dictated by wartime shortages—yet women often turned to fragrance as a way to preserve elegance and femininity. A perfume named La Vallée Bleue would have offered them more than just a scent; it was an emotional escape, a promise of calm beauty and continuity with the natural world.
From a broader industry perspective, the perfume fit within certain trends of the time while also asserting its individuality. Lavender had long been used in men’s fougères and in refreshing eaux de cologne, but Lancôme’s interpretation presented lavender in a more refined, feminine, and romantic light. Unlike the heavy, aldehydic florals or rich orientals that dominated the pre-war years, La Vallée Bleue stood out for its airy lightness and purity. It was unique in that it elevated lavender beyond its familiar utilitarian associations, transforming it into a sophisticated, emotive fragrance with depth and elegance.
For women of the 1940s, La Vallée Bleue would have been more than a perfume—it was a breath of fresh air, both literal and symbolic. In its name, it promised a peaceful valley bathed in blue; in its scent, it offered clarity, freshness, and beauty amidst uncertainty. Petitjean’s creation thus reflected not only the artistry of perfumery but also the enduring human desire to find solace, poetry, and renewal through fragrance.
Fragrance Composition:
So what does it smell like? La Vallee Bleue by Lancome is a light, refreshing fragrance for women with a dominant note of lavender.
- Top notes: Calabrian bergamot, Sicilian lemon, Italian lime, Paraguayan petitgrain, Mitcham lavender oil, French spike oil
- Middle notes: Provencal lavender, Portuguese tuberose, Grasse rose, Spanish geranium oil, Italian rosemary oil, Mediterranean red thyme oil
- Base notes: Penang patchouli oil, Java vetiver, Tyrolean oakmoss, ambergris, Mysore sandalwood, Venezuelan tonka bean, coumarin, Siamese benzoin, Maltese labdanum, Ethiopian civet, Tonkin musk, musk xylene, coumarin, benzyl acetate, Borneol, terpinyl propionate, phenyl ethyl butyrate
Scent Profile:
Imagine holding La Vallée Bleue by Lancôme to your nose, allowing each note to unfold slowly, one after the other, like a carefully choreographed performance. At first, a luminous brightness bursts forth: Calabrian bergamot lends its sparkling citrus elegance, its oil prized for a delicately floral nuance that sets it apart from other bergamot origins. This is joined by the zesty clarity of Sicilian lemon, renowned for its sunlit sharpness and bracing freshness, while Italian lime brings a tart, green acidity, crisp and mouthwatering. From Paraguay, petitgrain adds a more aromatic and bitter edge, its leafy-citrus profile acting as a bridge between fruit and herb. Then, the fragrance takes its first floral breath—Mitcham lavender oil, cultivated in England, unfurls with its camphoraceous, herbaceous sweetness, rounded yet vibrant. Balanced against this is the sharper French spike lavender oil, its notes brisker, more piercing, carrying a dry and almost medicinal energy. Together, they introduce the lavender heart in a way that feels layered, dimensional, and alive.
As the perfume settles, the middle notes weave a tapestry of Mediterranean flora. The lavender theme deepens with Provençal lavender, softer and more honeyed, evoking endless blue fields in southern France. The richness is expanded with Portuguese tuberose, whose creamy, narcotic presence contrasts beautifully against lavender’s clarity. Grasse rose, the jewel of French perfumery, contributes velvety petals touched with powder and honey, an indulgence of the Riviera. Spanish geranium oil sharpens the blend, its green, slightly minty facet cutting through with refreshing brightness. Intertwined with these florals are aromatic herbs: Italian rosemary oil, brisk, resinous, and evergreen, and Mediterranean red thyme oil, whose spicy, almost leathery sharpness adds warmth and depth. This balance between floral lushness and herbal austerity reflects a natural harmony, as if lavender fields are framed by wild herbs growing at their edges.
The base is where La Vallée Bleue finds its grounding, expanding beyond a simple lavender soliflore into something rich and enduring. Exotic woods form its backbone: Mysore sandalwood, creamy, buttery, and deeply refined, is layered with the dark, earthy hum of Penang patchouli oil and the smoky, rooty complexity of Java vetiver. Tyrolean oakmoss anchors the composition with its damp, forest-like depth, conjuring images of shaded valleys and moss-covered stones. Ambergris, rare and marine-salted, breathes an airy warmth into the blend, lifting the density of the woods. Against this, Venezuelan tonka bean imparts its almond-vanilla sweetness, enhanced by coumarin, the synthetic counterpart that heightens tonka’s hay-like softness and adds balance to lavender’s briskness. Siamese benzoin adds resinous caramel warmth, while Maltese labdanum contributes its leathery, balsamic richness, deepening the base further.
Animalics complete the structure with sensuality: Ethiopian civet lends a subtle musky warmth, earthy and slightly smoky, while Tonkin musk, historically treasured, provides a natural softness and depth. These are mirrored and expanded by musk xylene, an early synthetic musk with powdery radiance, enhancing the roundness of the naturals and extending their diffusion. Additional synthetics contribute fine touches—benzyl acetate adds a fruity, jasmine-like sweetness; borneol, with its resinous, camphor-like clarity, supports the herbal core; terpinyl propionate provides a fresh, fruity-floral lift; and phenyl ethyl butyrate imparts a honeyed, tropical nuance that softens the sharper edges.
Altogether, La Vallée Bleue is not merely a lavender perfume—it is lavender reimagined as an expansive valley in bloom. The interplay of citrus, herbs, florals, and resins creates a fragrance that is crisp yet velvety, pastoral yet luxurious, serene yet full of life. Each ingredient, chosen from regions celebrated for their excellence, contributes to an orchestration that feels both natural and elevated. To wear it would have been to step into a “blue valley” of calm and freshness, a perfume that embodied clarity, light, and the timeless elegance of French perfumery.
Bottles:
The fragrance was housed in a distinct and carefully designed bottle, created by Lancôme. The flacon was flat and square, its minimalist shape enhanced by raised concentric circles molded in relief. These quiet, rippling motifs echoed the calm serenity of its namesake valley. The bottle was topped with a rectangular stopper, understated yet refined.
Adding to its charm was the original white case, which stood on four delicate feet. The case’s decoration was thoughtfully designed to reflect the poetic contrasts that defined the scent itself—grandeur balanced with gentleness, vivid freshness paired with soothing calm. Together, the flacon and its case conveyed an atmosphere of clarity, elevation, and quiet sophistication.
La Vallée Bleue was available in two sizes:
– 30 grams (1 oz), Ref. 6302
– 60 grams (2 oz), Ref. 6303
In its extrait form, the fragrance offered a more concentrated and crystalline interpretation of the same luminous freshness found in Lancôme’s Lavandes—but with greater intensity and refinement. It was a scent designed not just to perfume, but to transport the wearer into the heart of a mountain valley in full bloom.
Borne Carrée (Jasmine) Standard Bottle:
Lancôme’s Bocages was presented in the house’s very first standard perfume bottle, the Borne Carrée—now commonly known as the Flacon Jasmin—a refined design introduced at the brand’s launch in 1934. Created by Georges Delhomme, Lancôme’s first artistic director, this flacon exemplifies timeless elegance with its cut and polished colorless crystal, square flat body softened by gentle curves and rounded edges, and a clear glass stopper intricately molded with jasmine blossoms—a symbol of beauty and refinement. Often mistaken for Lalique’s work, these stoppers were Delhomme’s original creation, produced mainly by Verreries Le Bresle. The understated yet luxurious Flacon Jasmin became Lancôme’s signature bottle from the 1930s through the 1960s, housing fragrances like Kypre, Tendres Nuits, and Magie. Available in multiple sizes and two main shapes—a standard square and a rarer tall, narrow form—it set the foundation for later iconic bottles such as the Pagode and the Flacon Classique, reflecting Lancôme’s enduring commitment to elegant, harmonious design.
The flacon was available in several sizes—2 oz (4"), 1 oz (3.5"), 0.5 oz (3"), and 0.25 oz (2.75")—to accommodate different price points and gifting occasions, and it appeared in two main forms: the familiar standard square version and a rarer tall, narrow variant.
Bouchon Vannerie Standard Bottle:
Bocages was also presented in Lancôme’s Bouchon Vannerie standard flacon, a 1940s design that blends refined elegance with a touch of artisanal charm. Its most distinctive feature is the frosted glass stopper, molded in relief with an intricate basketweave pattern that captures the look and feel of handwoven wicker. This tactile detail not only provided visual interest but also evoked the traditions of French craftsmanship, where artistry lies as much in texture as in form. The clear glass body offered a simple, graceful counterpoint to the ornate stopper, allowing the golden hue of the perfume to enhance the overall presentation. Discreetly embossed “Lancôme France” on the base, the flacon carried an air of authenticity and understated prestige, marking it as the work of one of France’s most celebrated perfume houses.
Fate of the Fragrance:
La Vallée Bleue was eventually discontinued, though the precise date of its withdrawal from the Lancôme line remains unknown. What is certain, however, is that the fragrance continued to be available for several years after its 1943 debut, with documented listings confirming that it was still being sold as late as 1958. Its presence nearly a decade after its introduction reflects both its enduring appeal and the slower turnover of perfume collections during the mid-20th century, when fragrances often remained on the market longer than today’s more rapidly shifting cycles. The eventual disappearance of La Vallée Bleue likely came quietly, without major announcement, as Lancôme expanded its portfolio and introduced new creations that shifted the focus away from earlier wartime launches.
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