A La Francaise vs Catherine
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
39%scent match
Some overlap
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
A La Francaise takes 4 of 7 categories.
A La FrancaiseChoose it for a woody and earthy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
CatherineChoose it for a green and aldehydic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
A La Francaise4/7
Catherine3/7
- Ratings & consensus
- A La Francaise
- Community sentiment
- A La Francaise
- Longevity
- Catherine
- Sillage & projection
- Catherine
- Value for money
- A La Francaise
- Versatility
- A La Francaise
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Catherine
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
A La FrancaisePrincesse Marina De BourbonCatherineRasasiWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.04/ 5 · 92 votes
Have 42%Had 22%Want 37%
3.40/ 5 · 496 votes
Have 52%Had 48%Want 0%
Category winnerA La FrancaiseRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate38%Love
45%Like
2%Ok
14%Dislike
1%Hate
92 votes
24%Love
42%Like
7%Ok
27%Dislike
1%Hate
489 votes
Category winnerA La FrancaiseMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityCatherine
SillageCatherine
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerA La FrancaiseBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothwoody100%
earthy92%
green84%
fruity77%
patchouli69%
mossy61%
green100%
aldehydic92%
fresh84%
floral77%
woody69%
mossy61%
Scent match39%Some overlap · both green, woody and mossy
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedNotes
Black CurrantPatchouliGalbanumoak mossRoseIris
No top / heart / base split published
Top
AldehydesWater HyacinthGreen NotesGalbanumBergamotAmalfi Lemon
Heart
IrisLily-of-the-ValleyRoseJasmine
Base
oak mossMuskVirginia CedarSandalwood
InformationalShared notesGalbanum, oak moss, Rose and Iris. Durations are only published for A La Francaise, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring100
Summer38
Fall100
Winter54
Day100
Night50
Spring100
Summer0
Fall0
Winter81
Day–
Night–
Category winnerA La FrancaiseMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#14,925
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews15
Overall rank#7,802
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews20
Category winnerCatherineHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotA La Francaise by Princesse Marina De Bourbon is a traditional green chypre built on earthy oak moss, sharp galbanum, and dark patchouli. First launched in 1998, it skips modern sugary fruit in favor of a brisk, bitter opening smoothed out by powdery iris, velvety rose, and a touch of tart black currant. The overall p…
Reviews →Catherine by Rasasi is a floral aldehyde fragrance defined by a crisp, green opening and a structured, powdery heart. It feels like a vintage classic, built around sharp galbanum and soapy lily-of-the-valley, finishing with a mossy, woody dry-down. This scent suits those who enjoy clean, professional profiles for dail…
Reviews →InformationalRead bothTaste is personal
How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, A La Francaise or Catherine?
A La Francaise takes 4 of 7 categories. A La Francaise is rated 4.04/5 from 92 votes; Catherine is rated 3.40/5 from 496 votes. Choose A La Francaise for a woody and earthy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Catherine for a green and aldehydic character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Which lasts longer, A La Francaise or Catherine?
Catherine lasts longest (Catherine 78/100, A La Francaise 73/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, A La Francaise or Catherine?
Catherine projects furthest (Catherine 72/100, A La Francaise 61/100), based on community performance votes.
Do A La Francaise and Catherine smell similar?
Some overlap: a 39% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share green, woody and mossy accords. Common notes include Galbanum, oak moss, Rose and Iris.
Is A La Francaise or Catherine better for summer or winter?
For summer, A La Francaise is the stronger pick. For winter, Catherine is the stronger pick. A La Francaise suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in A La Francaise and Catherine?
A La Francaise features Black Currant, Patchouli, Galbanum, oak moss and Rose. Catherine has top notes of Aldehydes, Water Hyacinth, Green Notes and Galbanum, heart notes of Iris, Lily-of-the-Valley, Rose and Jasmine, a base of oak moss, Musk, Virginia Cedar and Sandalwood.
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