Fragrance comparison

Montaigne vs Maxim's de Paris

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

Updated 13 Oct 2026 960 ratings analysed

Montaigne

Caron · 1987

4.09677 votes

Rank #22,754 Yellow FloralCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

46%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Maxim's de Paris

4.12283 votes

Rank #1,475 FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Maxim's de Paris takes 4 of 7 categories.

Montaigne
Choose it for a yellow floral and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, daytime wear.
Maxim's de Paris
Choose it for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall.

Montaigne3/7

Maxim's de Paris4/7

Ratings & consensus: Maxim's de Paris
Community sentiment: Maxim's de Paris
Longevity: Montaigne
Sillage & projection: Montaigne
Value for money: Maxim's de Paris
Versatility: Montaigne
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Maxim's de Paris

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

MontaigneCaron

Maxim's de ParisMaxim's de Paris

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.09/ 5 · 677 votes

Have 45%Had 13%Want 42%

4.12/ 5 · 283 votes

Have 64%Had 36%Want 0%

Category winnerMaxim's de ParisRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

39%Love

37%Like

17%Ok

7%Dislike

0%Hate

54 votes

51%Love

43%Like

2%Ok

5%Dislike

0%Hate

247 votes

Category winnerMaxim's de ParisMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate85

Category winners

LongevityMontaigne

SillageMontaigne

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value39

¤ Price value68

Category winnerMaxim's de ParisBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

yellow floral100%

citrus92%

powdery84%

floral69%

white floral61%

green46%

floral100%

green92%

aromatic84%

rose77%

powdery69%

yellow floral61%

Scent match46%Some overlap · both floral, yellow floral and powdery

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

MimosaBitter OrangeJasmineCorianderTangerine

Heart2-4 hrs

NarcissusBlack Currant

Base6-8+ hrs

AmberSandalwoodVanilleAmbrette (Musk Mallow)

Top

HyacinthCassisMelonMint

Heart

RoseCarnationNarcissusGeraniumJasmineMimosaDyer’s GreenweedAfrican Orange Flower

Base

oak mossAmberMuskSandalwoodFrench labdanumPatchouliHeliotropeVanille

InformationalShared notesMimosa, Jasmine, Narcissus and Amber. Durations are only published for Montaigne, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring80

Summer27

Fall87

Winter100

Day100

Night53

Spring67

Summer24

Fall100

Winter88

Day–

Night–

Category winnerMontaigneMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

Work 36%Date 28%Casual 22%Party 14%

Men0

Unisex26

Women74

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#22,754

PerfumerJean Claude Delville

Launched1987

Reviews3

Overall rank#1,475

PerfumerDominique Ropion

Launched—

Reviews48

Category winnerMaxim's de ParisHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Caron Montaigne is a sunny, textured floral with serious presence. The opening hits immediately. Sharp bitter orange and aromatic coriander spark on the skin, delivering a crisp, punchy burst that wakes up your senses. Within twenty minutes, the citrus bite recedes into a deep field of yellow florals. Powdery mimosa t…

Reviews →

Maxim's de Paris is a classic green floral chypre with a plush rose heart, mossy depth, and a faint fruity lift from melon and cassis. It opens brisk and aromatic, then settles into powdery florals, oakmoss, patchouli, soft woods, and amber. This suits someone who enjoys vintage-leaning perfumes with structure and cha…

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, Montaigne or Maxim's de Paris?

Maxim's de Paris takes 4 of 7 categories. Montaigne is rated 4.09/5 from 677 votes; Maxim's de Paris is rated 4.12/5 from 283 votes. Choose Montaigne for a yellow floral and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, daytime wear. Choose Maxim's de Paris for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in fall.

Which lasts longer, Montaigne or Maxim's de Paris?

Montaigne lasts longest (Montaigne 78/100, Maxim's de Paris 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Montaigne or Maxim's de Paris?

Montaigne projects furthest (Montaigne 69/100, Maxim's de Paris 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Montaigne and Maxim's de Paris smell similar?

Some overlap: a 46% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral, yellow floral and powdery accords. Common notes include Mimosa, Jasmine, Narcissus and Amber.

Is Montaigne or Maxim's de Paris better for summer or winter?

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

What are the notes in Montaigne and Maxim's de Paris?

Montaigne has top notes of Mimosa, Bitter Orange, Jasmine and Coriander, heart notes of Narcissus and Black Currant, a base of Amber, Sandalwood, Vanille and Ambrette (Musk Mallow). Maxim's de Paris has top notes of Hyacinth, Cassis, Melon and Mint, heart notes of Rose, Carnation, Narcissus and Geranium, a base of oak moss, Amber, Musk and Sandalwood.