Mont St Michel Eau de Cologne L'Originale
Mont St Michel (1920)

The smell of France in the 80's...of workers on their Sunday best, farmers, school teachers, masons and lunch ladies.
Memories flooded back..just a nice EDC, a staple of French toilette.
Not something I can wear, associated with provincial France, middle school dormitories, 30 a room, old school.
If you want to smell or smell like "vieille France."

I came across this brand at a supermarket near my house in Montreal, Qc. They have 5 of their fragrances. I picked Ambree Authentique but the others was as much attractive to my nose. Good stuff for 11 can.$.

I bought my schwarzkopf version bottle in a small general goods store in Dijon. I didn't know the brand thenl, grabbing the bottle just for my curiosity.

It's a very pleasant scent, with the fresh of peppermint herbal and a slight of floral notes. I'm prefer this than those more famous 4711 or Jean-Marie Farina ones. The sweet floral notes give it a tender and delicate feeling, and a less harsh opening than those traditional cologne.

The original Mont St Michel cologne is Impossible to find. Swartzkopf bought the name brand but reformulated the essence. It is not near the original smell. It is good but that is the extent of it. The original however that came in an ebossed, kind of frosted crystal bottle ( Last time I saw one was in 1969 ) was a fantastic eau de cologne like no other ever made. Years looking in the internet have had cero results. If only for a second, I would love to relive a few moments of my childhood.

I found a large new bottle of Mont St Michel only a few years ago at a flea market in Florida. I loved its cool, crisp, clean and invigorating scent. Great in the summer, I found it lasts with a nice lingering softness through the day. Nothing harsh. I'm savoring the last quarter of the contents as I have done with others, such as Lactopine, a Swiss pine extract that no one seems to know.

I'm not sure if it's the same as your father's, but I am never without the soap, showergel and eau de cologne from Mont St Michel. I like the 'original amber' fragrance. I buy it in the supermarket in France when I visit - can't get it in the UK, but in France it's a cheap and cheerful chainstore brand from the Swartzkopf stable. I love it and find it smells fresh but still complex on me; great in the summer.