Fragrance comparison

French Cancan vs Paris

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

Updated 13 Oct 2026 5,911 ratings analysed

French Cancan

Caron · 1936

4.54182 votes

Rank #22,787 White FloralPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

48%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Paris

Yves Saint Laurent

3.885,729 votes

Rank #1,116 PowderyFloral

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Paris takes 3 of 5 categories.

French Cancan
Choose it for a white floral and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus. Best in winter, evening wear.
Paris
Choose it for a powdery and floral character. Wins on longevity, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

French Cancan1/5

Paris3/5

Ratings & consensus: French Cancan
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Paris
Sillage & projection: Tie
Value for money: Paris
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Paris

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

French CancanCaron

ParisYves Saint Laurent

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.54/ 5 · 182 votes

Have 41%Had 11%Want 49%

3.88/ 5 · 5,729 votes

Have 50%Had 50%Want 0%

Category winnerFrench CancanRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

63%Love

33%Like

0%Ok

4%Dislike

0%Hate

24 votes · too few to score

34%Love

42%Like

4%Ok

20%Dislike

1%Hate

5,729 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate89

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate72

Category winners

LongevityParis

SillageTie

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value31

¤ Price value49

Category winnerParisBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

white floral100%

powdery92%

woody84%

floral77%

violet46%

rose30%

powdery100%

floral92%

rose84%

violet77%

yellow floral69%

green61%

Scent match48%Some overlap · both powdery, floral and violet

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

JasmineLilacViolet

Heart2-4 hrs

RoseAfrican Orange FlowerIrisPatchouliLily-of-the-Valley

Base6-10+ hrs

oak mossSandalwoodAmberOrris Root

Top

RoseMimosaHiacynthGeraniumGreen NotesOrange BlossomNasturtiumHawthorn

Heart

VioletLilyYlang-YlangLime BlossomLily-of-the-ValleyJasmineOrris Root

Base

IrisHeliotropeMuskSandalwoodOakmossAmberCedar

InformationalShared notesJasmine, Violet, Rose and Iris. Durations are only published for French Cancan, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring88

Summer38

Fall88

Winter100

Day35

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter45

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex25

Women75

Date 41%Party 26%Work 21%Casual 12%

Men1

Unisex7

Women93

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#22,787

PerfumerErnest Daltroff

Launched1936

Reviews2

Overall rank#1,116

PerfumerSophia Grojsman

Launched—

Reviews204

Category winnerParisHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

French Cancan by Caron opens with an assertive burst of sweet jasmine, dewy lilac, and cool violet. The top notes deliver a crisp punch that softens quickly into something much deeper. Within twenty minutes, the initial floral brightness plunges into a dense, velvety heart of powdery iris, earthy patchouli, and orange…

Reviews →

Yves Saint Laurent Paris is a cheerful, romantic floral centered around bright pink rose, powdery violet, and honeyed mimosa. Created in 1983, it bursts open with a lush garden medley of fresh geranium, hyacinth, and green leaves before settling into a warm cosmetic powder heart. As it warms on the skin, soft iris, cr…

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, French Cancan or Paris?

Paris takes 3 of 5 categories. French Cancan is rated 4.54/5 from 182 votes; Paris is rated 3.88/5 from 5,729 votes. Choose French Cancan for a white floral and powdery character. Wins on ratings & consensus. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Paris for a powdery and floral character. Wins on longevity, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, French Cancan or Paris?

They last about the same: Paris 73/100, French Cancan 72/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, French Cancan or Paris?

Projection is very close: French Cancan 67/100, Paris 67/100 for sillage.

Do French Cancan and Paris smell similar?

Some overlap: a 48% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share powdery, floral and violet accords. Common notes include Jasmine, Violet, Rose and Iris.

Is French Cancan or Paris better for summer or winter?

French Cancan suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in French Cancan and Paris?

French Cancan has top notes of Jasmine, Lilac and Violet, heart notes of Rose, African Orange Flower, Iris and Patchouli, a base of oak moss, Sandalwood, Amber and Orris Root. Paris has top notes of Rose, Mimosa, Hiacynth and Geranium, heart notes of Violet, Lily, Ylang-Ylang and Lime Blossom, a base of Iris, Heliotrope, Musk and Sandalwood.