Per Fumum Endowment Fund: The book on olfactory education is now ready to be published, with a press launch in October and a bookstore release by the end of the year, is that correct?
Sarah Bouasse:
“Yes, exactly. The publication date is set for October 30. We will then organize a press launch after the school holidays, most likely at the beginning of November. We are currently finalizing the last details.”
Per Fumum Endowment Fund: What does this represent for you and for the team?
Sarah Bouasse:
“I speak on behalf of the entire team who worked on this book—my two co-coordinators, Alix and Amandine, the Nez team, and the Nez en herbe contributors. We are very happy. This project has been huge, ambitious, and pioneering: it’s the very first book dedicated to olfactory awakening. We are proud to have carried it through. After a year of intense development, there is also a lot of relief to see it completed. The book is beautiful: the illustrations are wonderful, and the layout truly reflects the spirit of Nez—clear, readable, and pleasant to look at. We hope the public will be as charmed as we are. Sending it to print last week was a big moment.”
Per Fumum Endowment Fund: How did you structure the theoretical and practical sections?
Sarah Bouasse:
“They are not separated: they intertwine across the six chapters of the book. Each chapter combines theoretical content with practical activity sheets. This prevents a reader from focusing solely on one aspect. For us, it was essential to provide both keys to understanding—about the sense of smell, the importance of olfactory awakening—and concrete tools for putting it into practice. It’s the combination of the two that works best: to inspire and to support. Some content goes into more detail, for example on how smell functions, but there are also accessible testimonies, such as those from perfumers or parents. In this way, everyone, whatever their level of interest or knowledge, will find something in it.”
Per Fumum Endowment Fund: Will any actions or events accompany the book’s release?
Sarah Bouasse:
“Yes. A press launch is planned for early November. We are considering a friendly afternoon for the press and influencers, with workshops for children and parents, to show concretely how to put the proposed activities into practice. Then, a more institutional event will be organized for our partners—such as the Per Fumum Endowment Fund—and for journalists who prefer a more traditional format.
We will also reach out to the schools we are already working with, and expand to others, including those outside Paris. The idea is to put the workshops into practice and allow journalists to discover them. We are also considering conferences and cultural or educational partnerships, but these are still being developed.”
Per Fumum Endowment Fund: Have the practical activities already been tested?
Sarah Bouasse:
“Yes, most of them were carried out by members of Nez en herbe, particularly in schools. The activity sheets in the book come directly from these experiences. So we know they work. It’s a bit like a recipe that has been tested before being published. The feedback from schools has been very positive and enthusiastic.”
Per Fumum Endowment Fund: What reactions have you received so far?
Sarah Bouasse:
“Since the book hasn’t yet come back from the printer, we don’t have outside feedback. However, since we’ve been able to speak about it officially, the reception has been very enthusiastic. The feedback day with the Per Fumum Endowment Fund confirmed the interest generated by this project. It resonates because it brings together more than fifty people—the Nez en herbe members, the Nez team… It is truly a collective project around smell and education.”
Per Fumum Endowment Fund: Finally, what lever do you see for integrating the book into educational policies?
Sarah Bouasse:
“For years, several actors have been trying to convince the Ministry of Education of the importance of olfactory awakening. It’s difficult. But the fact of now having a book—a concrete, accessible tool—may change things. It won’t be simple or immediate, but this book can be sent to institutions, school boards, and teachers. It is a manifesto for the values we have upheld for a long time. We hope it will open doors and foster encounters that will advance this cause.”
