Fragrance comparison

Apercu vs Madame

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 9 Oct 2026 2,414 ratings analysed

Apercu

Houbigant

4.13219 votes

Rank #24,297 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

41%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Madame

Rochas

4.162,195 votes

Rank #739 WoodyWhite Floral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Madame takes 5 of 7 categories.

Apercu
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Madame
Choose it for a woody and white floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring.

Apercu2/7

Madame5/7

Ratings & consensus: Madame
Community sentiment: Apercu
Longevity: Apercu
Sillage & projection: Madame
Value for money: Madame
Versatility: Madame
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Madame

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

ApercuHoubigant

MadameRochas

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.13/ 5 · 219 votes

Have 72%Had 28%Want 0%

4.16/ 5 · 2,195 votes

Have 63%Had 38%Want 0%

Category winnerMadameRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

40%Love

46%Like

2%Ok

12%Dislike

0%Hate

219 votes

39%Love

44%Like

3%Ok

13%Dislike

1%Hate

2,186 votes

Category winnerApercuMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate78

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityApercu

SillageMadame

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value58

¤ Price value67

Category winnerMadameBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

woody92%

aromatic84%

earthy77%

green69%

citrus61%

woody100%

white floral92%

green84%

powdery77%

earthy69%

aldehydic61%

Scent match41%Some overlap · both woody, green and earthy

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top20-30 mins

Green NotesAmalfi LemonJasmineBergamotNeroliTuberose

Heart2-4 hrs

CinnamonGeraniumYlang-Ylang

Base6-8+ hrs

OakmossClovePatchouliCassiaVetiverSandalwood

Top

AldehydesHiacynthGreen NotesNeroliHoneysuckleBergamotOrange BlossomLemon

Heart

IrisNarcissusOrris RootYlang-YlangBulgarian RoseVioletLily-of-the-ValleyJasmine

Base

OakmossSandalwoodVetiverMuskCedarAmberTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesGreen Notes, Jasmine, Bergamot and Neroli. Durations are only published for Apercu, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring79

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day100

Night53

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter96

Day–

Night–

Category winnerMadameMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex47

Women53

Work 40%Casual 31%Date 20%Party 9%

Men2

Unisex12

Women86

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,297

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#739

PerfumerGuy Robert

Launched—

Reviews199

Category winnerMadameHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Houbigant Apercu brings traditional chypre construction into sharp, modern focus. It opens with bitter bergamot, crisp neroli, and crushed green stems. The oakmoss hits quickly. Fresh Amalfi lemon balances a dry heart of spicy cinnamon and brisk geranium. There is no candy here. The fragrance dries down into dark patc…

Reviews →

Madame Rochas is a classic floral aldehyde that centers on a bright, crisp bouquet of hyacinth, iris, and ylang-ylang. Created in 1960, it offers an airy, sophisticated profile that remains a staple for lovers of vintage perfumery. This scent performs beautifully in warmer weather, leaving a clean, powdery, and slight…

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Apercu or Madame?

Madame takes 5 of 7 categories. Apercu is rated 4.13/5 from 219 votes; Madame is rated 4.16/5 from 2,195 votes. Choose Apercu for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Madame for a woody and white floral character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Apercu or Madame?

They last about the same: Apercu 72/100, Madame 71/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Apercu or Madame?

Madame projects furthest (Madame 65/100, Apercu 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Apercu and Madame smell similar?

Some overlap: a 41% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, green and earthy accords. Common notes include Green Notes, Jasmine, Bergamot and Neroli.

Is Apercu or Madame better for summer or winter?

For summer, Apercu is the stronger pick. For winter, Apercu is the stronger pick. Apercu suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Apercu and Madame?

Apercu has top notes of Green Notes, Amalfi Lemon, Jasmine and Bergamot, heart notes of Cinnamon, Geranium and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Oakmoss, Clove, Patchouli and Cassia. Madame has top notes of Aldehydes, Hiacynth, Green Notes and Neroli, heart notes of Iris, Narcissus, Orris Root and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Vetiver and Musk.