#338 Coeur de Lyon
If you are tired of sweet designer clones and crave the crisp bite of authentic nature, #338 Coeur de Lyon was crafted for you. This artisanal chypre by Valery Sokolov is built specifically for cool autumn mornings, quiet rainy walks, and understated office wear. It speaks to confident individuals who love the rugged scent of damp moss, rich soil, and herbal bitterness over confectionary sweetness. The interplay between raw galbanum, woody oakmoss, and earthy patchouli creates a timeless personal signature. It wears like a well-tailored leather jacket, projecting quiet strength and grounded outdoor elegance wherever you travel.
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Performance Metrics
8 VOTESOpen Performance Breakdown 1 TAKE
On hydrated skin, this fragrance delivers seven to nine hours of continuous wear, while clinging to wool and cotton fabric for over twenty-four hours. Projection stays strong at two to three feet during the first ninety minutes. After two hours, it settles into an intimate one foot scent bubble that leaves a faint mossy trail whenever you move.
Notes Pyramid
Search these notesChoose where each note belongs.
#338 Coeur de Lyon is a classic dry chypre anchored by bitter galbanum, rich oakmoss, and earthy patchouli. It opens with an unapologetic snap of raw green sap before melting into damp forest soil, shaded bark, and warm amber resin. Soft musk rounds out the base, giving the wood notes a smooth, lived-in skin texture.
Main Accords
8 MAPPEDThe green accord dominates the opening thirty minutes with bitter, resinous sharpness akin to snapping wild shrub stems between your fingers. As the top notes evaporate, mossy and earthy accords take center stage, projecting the cool mineral sensation of wet stone and shaded forest floor. The drydown reveals quiet balsamic warmth and a soothing amber perfume note, wrapping the wearer in a comforting, dusty resin haze.
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When to Wear
TAP TO VOTETIME OF DAY · TAP TO VOTE
OCCASIONS · TAP TO VOTE
It looks easiest to wear in fall and spring. The vote picture leans most toward daytime. It makes the most sense for casual wear and work.
Pros & Cons
Quick take before you sampleWHY PEOPLE MAY LIKE IT
Authentic, vintage chypre structure featuring deep, tactile oakmoss.
Substantial longevity lasting eight to nine hours on skin.
Exceptional fabric cling that stays on wool coats for over twenty-four hours.
Controlled personal projection that stays polite in shared professional spaces.
Fierce bitter galbanum opening that wakes up your senses immediately.
Rich earthy patchouli heart that avoids cloying headshop sweetness.
Performs cleanly in crisp autumn weather and cool rainy spring days.
Truly genderless profile suited for anyone who enjoys raw botanical woods.
Small-batch formulation composed by independent perfumer Valery Sokolov.
Provides a refreshing green alternative to sweet modern vanilla designer scents.
WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR
Sharp, abrasive solvent lift during the first five minutes after spraying.
Bitter galbanum opening will alienate fans of sweet modern gourmands.
Can turn suffocating and overly dense in high summer heat and humidity.
Poor blind buy suitability due to its polarizing bitter green profile.
Not designed for loud nightlife or clubbing where sweet scents dominate.
May smell too medicinal or damp on skin that amplifies bitter herbal notes.
Niche availability makes tracking down full bottles and decants tricky.
Requires waiting twenty minutes before heading into close social meetings.
Lacks the crowd-pleasing fruity top notes found in commercial chypres.
Can stain light silk clothing due to rich natural moss and resin oils.
Fragranxe Review
EDITORIAL“Review of #338 Coeur de Lyon by Le Ré Noir”
The opening blast does not apologize. The galbanum hits immediately. You get five minutes of bracing, raw green solvent before the real botanical oils catch on your pulse points. It smells like snapped weed stems, crushed pine needles, and bitter leafy resin under a damp canopy. If you want a sugary introduction, look elsewhere. Valery Sokolov builds this as an uncompromised botanical wake-up call. The bitter green sap feels alive and sharp.
Within thirty minutes, the astringent sting recedes into a deep forest floor. A rich patchouli fragrance perfume core begins to breathe through the moss. This is not the sweet headshop patchouli of the seventies. It smells like damp black soil, dark cacao bark, and dried autumn mulch. Earthy perfume notes rise steadily as your body heat warms the blend. Oakmoss wraps around the timber, adding an old-school velvet shadow that feels both vintage and rugged.
The fragrance shifts from biting green to velvety moss over several hours. On bare skin, the earthy fragrance notes stay dry and cool rather than humid or swampy. Warm amber creeps in around hour three, providing a faint resinous glow that keeps the bitter woods from feeling stark. A quiet layer of clean musk softens the base. In cool fifteen degree air, the woody oakmoss perfume facets project with crystalline clarity. Under thirty degree summer heat, however, the heavy moss can feel thick and oppressive.
Longevity is impressive. You get eight solid hours on skin. On a wool sweater or denim jacket, the fixatives linger past the twenty-four hour mark with ease. Projection stays robust for ninety minutes, radiating about two feet before resting into an intimate personal aura. Three sprays maximum. It handles breezy autumn mornings, rainy spring strolls, and quiet office desks with effortless poise. Just avoid stuffy, crowded clubs.
This is a true genderless chypre for people who appreciate vintage backbone and tactile nature. Anyone looking for what is the best amber perfume or a sweet floral dessert will likely run away from its bitter opening. Fans of classic green chypres like Bandit or vintage French Lover will feel instantly at home. It suits quiet confidence, leather jackets, and wet hiking boots. Beginners might find the galbanum shocking at first spray, but patience rewards the nose.
#338 Coeur de Lyon is a triumph of authentic botanical mood over crowd-pleasing fluff. The pairing of bitter resin, rich moss, and shaded patchouli creates a deeply contemplative scent bubble. It demands respect and proper weather to shine. Buy a sample first if you fear bitter greens. If you crave unvarnished woodland chypre textures, this bottle belongs on your vanity.
FAQs
What does the opening of #338 Coeur de Lyon smell like?+
The opening delivers an intense burst of bitter galbanum and pungent green sap with a brief solvent lift. Expect three to five minutes of sharp botanical friction before the alcohol flash clears. It immediately evokes crushed pine needles and broken weeds, offering a fiercely invigorating start that quickly calms as the oils settle on warm pulse points.
How does #338 Coeur de Lyon transition from heart to drydown?+
The fragrance shifts from sharp bitter greenery into damp, velvety oakmoss and dark, earthy patchouli over several hours. As the volatile galbanum dissipates around the thirty-minute mark, dense forest floor tones dominate the projection. By hour four, warm amber and clean musk soften the base, creating a soothing, woody skin scent that feels deeply peaceful.
How long does #338 Coeur de Lyon last on skin and clothes?+
This perfume reliably lasts seven to nine hours on skin and more than twenty-four hours on heavy fabrics. While dry skin absorbs the top green notes within an hour, the rich oakmoss and patchouli fixatives cling tenaciously. On wool jackets or cotton shirts, the warm woody base lingers until your next laundry cycle.
What is the sillage and projection radius of #338 Coeur de Lyon?+
It projects moderately around two to three feet for the first ninety minutes before pulling into an intimate aura. You will create a clear, elegant woodland sillage trail whenever you move through a room. After two hours, it creates a personal one-foot scent bubble that stays respectful in close indoor environments.
What are the best seasons and temperatures to wear #338 Coeur de Lyon?+
#338 Coeur de Lyon performs best during autumn and spring in temperatures ranging between ten and twenty degrees Celsius. Cool, crisp breezes let the bitter green top notes sparkle without evaporating too quickly. Conversely, high summer heat above twenty-five degrees can make the concentrated earthy moss feel heavy, suffocating, and overly swampy.
Is #338 Coeur de Lyon suitable for office wear and casual settings?+
Yes, this fragrance works exceptionally well for professional offices, weekend outdoor walks, and quiet daytime gatherings. Its dry, non-sweet chypre composition projects maturity and calm focus rather than party loudness. Two conservative sprays under your shirt provide all-day polish without overwhelming coworkers sharing your workspace.
Is #338 Coeur de Lyon masculine, feminine, or truly unisex?+
#338 Coeur de Lyon is a completely unisex chypre that appeals to anyone who loves raw botanical woods. While marketed unisex, it breaks far away from sweet women s patchouli perfume conventions by highlighting bitter, mossy facets. Its clean musk and warm amber base ensure it wears gracefully on all skin types regardless of gender.
How does #338 Coeur de Lyon compare to Frederic Malle French Lover?+
#338 Coeur de Lyon is greener, earthier, and significantly more bitter in the opening than Frederic Malle French Lover. While French Lover highlights dry angelica root, cedarwood, and clean incense, Coeur de Lyon leans heavily into dark forest soil, raw galbanum sap, and authentic, brooding oakmoss for a more rustic artisanal feel.
Does #338 Coeur de Lyon offer good value for money?+
It delivers solid value as a handcrafted indie perfume made in small batches with genuine chypre ingredients. Because its rich concentration of oakmoss and patchouli oils lasts eight hours, you only need two or three sprays per application. A standard bottle provides long-lasting everyday wear for dedicated green fragrance enthusiasts.
Which fragrances or scent families layer best with #338 Coeur de Lyon?+
This perfume layers best with simple single-note vanilla fragrances or bright citrus colognes like bergamot and neroli. A touch of sparkling citrus softens the bitter galbanum bite in the first fifteen minutes. Adding a drop of sweet vanilla or clean sandalwood warms up the oakmoss, creating an opulent, rounded custom profile.
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Dupes & Alternatives
COMMUNITY DUPESCOREFans of Rogue Perfumery Chypre-Siam or Frederic Malle French Lover will recognize this fragrance's uncompromising earthy backbone. While French Lover relies on drier cedar and angelica, and vintage Guerlain Mitsouko leans into peachy velvet, #338 Coeur de Lyon stays far greener and more herbal thanks to its heavy galbanum punch.
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