Perfumer: Jean Claude Ellena
One of the two fragrances created by Jean Claude Ellena to celebrate the history and craftsmanship of Grasse, the cradle of modern perfume aesthetics and the royal floral couple of the region: jasmine grandiflorum and rosa centifolia.
Rose de Mai is a term perfumers’ use exclusively for roses harvested in May in the Grasse region in the South of France. The flowers need the unique combination of the rich soil of the French Riviera and the aquatic breath of the Mediterranean to become ‘rose de Mai’.
The eponymous perfume is built around the most refined extract one can obtain: absolute. It is available on a very limited scale from the rose plantations in the region.
Rose de Mai is a beautiful rose perfume, voluminous and richly nuanced but also it’s a story the perfumer wanted to tell with the physical aroma.
"A rose is a rose is a rose..." this famous saying written by Gertrude Stein, one of the most prominent artists of the 20th century. This phrase simply states that among all flowers the rose is truly unique and today we have more than 50 varieties. Roses can be light, sublime, fresh, seductive, soft and also erotic when blended with patchouli and musk. I answered this delicate flower’s provocative calling with soft and voluptuous notes, and among all I have chosen the May Rose as it is the most cultivated flower in Grasse. For me Rose de Mai smells the brightest and most cheerful. “
Jean Claude Ellena
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
This is a fragrance for close range and quiet confidence: the kind of rose that reads as freshly picked rather than dressed up. It suits an unhurried morning or a calm, polished setting where its green brightness and soft floral volume can stay near the skin and feel natural, not formal.
How to wear
Best in mild to warm weather, when its fresh rose and airy musk can open cleanly without becoming heavy. Apply lightly for a soft, skin-close effect; a few sprays are enough to let the geranium-green lift and rose absolute stay luminous through the day.
Who it’s for
For rose lovers who prefer clarity over sweetness, and for wearers drawn to naturalistic florals, green nuances and a refined, unforced finish. It will especially appeal to those who like their florals bright, airy and quietly sensual rather than plush or powdery.
Release year
2019
The nose
Jean-Claude Ellena is a Grasse-born perfumer known for his spare, transparent style and his ability to make materials feel lucid rather than ornate. His work often favors clarity, texture and natural light over density, which is why his fragrances can read as intimate, architectural and quietly radical. For Rose de Mai, Ellena turns to the centifolia rose of Grasse and shapes it as a photorealistic floral portrait: fresh, green, airy and gently sensual. The composition reflects his long-standing interest in precision and restraint, letting the rose absolute, geranium and musk suggest the bloom’s full character without weighing it down.
Collaborators
Gian Luca Perris shaped the creative vision as the brand’s creative director, guiding the fragrance as part of the Les Parfums de Grasse tribute to the region’s heritage and craftsmanship.
Perris Monte Carlo’s story
Perris Monte Carlo is a family-owned house that builds its identity around exceptional raw materials, artisanal sourcing and a balance between heritage and modernity. Its fragrances often feel ingredient-led and carefully edited, with a strong respect for classical perfumery traditions and the places where those materials are grown.
Rose de Mai’s concept
Rose de Mai was created as part of Perris Monte Carlo’s Les Parfums de Grasse collection, a tribute to the perfumery heritage of Grasse and its celebrated floral materials. Jean-Claude Ellena drew on the May rose of the region, evoking the early-morning harvest, the dewy air of Provence and the fleeting beauty of centifolia in bloom. The result is a rose portrait meant to feel immediate and physical rather than abstract.
Extra info
Rose de Mai refers specifically to roses harvested in May in the Grasse region, and the fragrance centers on that prized centifolia material. It is part of Perris Monte Carlo’s Les Parfums de Grasse line, created to honor the region’s floral heritage and craftsmanship.
Perfumer: Jean Claude Ellena
One of the two fragrances created by Jean Claude Ellena to celebrate the history and craftsmanship of Grasse, the cradle of modern perfume aesthetics and the royal floral couple of the region: jasmine grandiflorum and rosa centifolia.
Rose de Mai is a term perfumers’ use exclusively for roses harvested in May in the Grasse region in the South of France. The flowers need the unique combination of the rich soil of the French Riviera and the aquatic breath of the Mediterranean to become ‘rose de Mai’.
The eponymous perfume is built around the most refined extract one can obtain: absolute. It is available on a very limited scale from the rose plantations in the region.
Rose de Mai is a beautiful rose perfume, voluminous and richly nuanced but also it’s a story the perfumer wanted to tell with the physical aroma.
"A rose is a rose is a rose..." this famous saying written by Gertrude Stein, one of the most prominent artists of the 20th century. This phrase simply states that among all flowers the rose is truly unique and today we have more than 50 varieties. Roses can be light, sublime, fresh, seductive, soft and also erotic when blended with patchouli and musk. I answered this delicate flower’s provocative calling with soft and voluptuous notes, and among all I have chosen the May Rose as it is the most cultivated flower in Grasse. For me Rose de Mai smells the brightest and most cheerful. “
Jean Claude Ellena
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
This is a fragrance for close range and quiet confidence: the kind of rose that reads as freshly picked rather than dressed up. It suits an unhurried morning or a calm, polished setting where its green brightness and soft floral volume can stay near the skin and feel natural, not formal.
How to wear
Best in mild to warm weather, when its fresh rose and airy musk can open cleanly without becoming heavy. Apply lightly for a soft, skin-close effect; a few sprays are enough to let the geranium-green lift and rose absolute stay luminous through the day.
Who it’s for
For rose lovers who prefer clarity over sweetness, and for wearers drawn to naturalistic florals, green nuances and a refined, unforced finish. It will especially appeal to those who like their florals bright, airy and quietly sensual rather than plush or powdery.
Release year
2019
The nose
Jean-Claude Ellena is a Grasse-born perfumer known for his spare, transparent style and his ability to make materials feel lucid rather than ornate. His work often favors clarity, texture and natural light over density, which is why his fragrances can read as intimate, architectural and quietly radical. For Rose de Mai, Ellena turns to the centifolia rose of Grasse and shapes it as a photorealistic floral portrait: fresh, green, airy and gently sensual. The composition reflects his long-standing interest in precision and restraint, letting the rose absolute, geranium and musk suggest the bloom’s full character without weighing it down.
Collaborators
Gian Luca Perris shaped the creative vision as the brand’s creative director, guiding the fragrance as part of the Les Parfums de Grasse tribute to the region’s heritage and craftsmanship.
Perris Monte Carlo’s story
Perris Monte Carlo is a family-owned house that builds its identity around exceptional raw materials, artisanal sourcing and a balance between heritage and modernity. Its fragrances often feel ingredient-led and carefully edited, with a strong respect for classical perfumery traditions and the places where those materials are grown.
Rose de Mai’s concept
Rose de Mai was created as part of Perris Monte Carlo’s Les Parfums de Grasse collection, a tribute to the perfumery heritage of Grasse and its celebrated floral materials. Jean-Claude Ellena drew on the May rose of the region, evoking the early-morning harvest, the dewy air of Provence and the fleeting beauty of centifolia in bloom. The result is a rose portrait meant to feel immediate and physical rather than abstract.
Extra info
Rose de Mai refers specifically to roses harvested in May in the Grasse region, and the fragrance centers on that prized centifolia material. It is part of Perris Monte Carlo’s Les Parfums de Grasse line, created to honor the region’s floral heritage and craftsmanship.