Paris’s chic apothecary Buly 1803
A magical emporium inspired by 19th-century French hospital pharmacies
One of the most wonderful new additions to Paris’s Saint-Germain-des-Prés is Buly 1803, a boutique specialising in scented oils, lotions, soaps, candles and creams. Although open for less than a year, this chic apothecary on Rue Bonaparte was inspired by traditional 19th-century French hospital pharmacies.
Image: Alexandre Guirkinger
Buly 1803 is a true labour of love for husband and wife owners Ramdane Touhami and Victoire de Taillac, and no detail has been overlooked, from exquisite oak shelves, marble counter surfaces and Sicilian floor tiles to the stylish, calligraphic labels and elegant back-lighting that renders glass vessels glowing. The duo had an impressive journey to launching the boutique: Touhami was the co-owner and artistic director of luxe candlemakers Cire Trudon, while de Taillac was communications director for Colette. Together, they have revived a venerable French brand – originally opened in 1803 under the name Bully (one “l” has been dropped to contemporise the name) – and have reimagined its formulations for a new age.
Image: Alexandre Guirkinger
Image: Alexandre Guirkinger
Inspired by the firm’s original vinegar perfume-making catalogues, the new concoctions now include natural ingredients – all free from parabens, phenoxyethanol and silicones. This jewel box of a shop invites experimentation and the eight water-based perfumes (€110 each, example in second picture) seemed an excellent place for me to start. Tuberose, bergamot, Scottish lichen and macassar scents were my favourites, each subtle and light. I also liked the Pommade Virginale (€35) face moisturiser, whose sweet almond-oil and linden-water mix I bought in a handy travel tube (it has proven particularly useful for long-haul flights). A similar version for the body – Pommade Concrete (€28, third picture) – enticed me with its tarot-card-inspired label, and is now my cold-weather staple for dry, chapped hands.
Image: Alexandre Guirkinger
I also stocked up on Buly’s vast selection of vegetable oils: from apricot kernel oil (from €4 for 10ml) to one pressed from baobab seeds (from €6 for 10ml). My favourite finds, however, were the scented “glass bell” candles (€120 each) made of rice, soy and copra, with names like “Genereaux D’Empire”(fourth picture) and “Retour D’Egypte”. The ultimate souvenir, however, might just have been the Opiate Dentaire (€18, sixth picture) – a brightening toothpaste with hints of rose.
It was near closing time when I discovered drawers full of natural-honeycomb sponges, horsehair gloves, boar-bristle brushes and Japanese-boxwood combs. They are top of my shopping list for next time...