Set amidst the unforgettable sights and smells of 18th and 19th century Paris, 'Elixir' tells the story of Edouard Laugier and Auguste Laurent, the son of a perfumer and a fellow aspiring chemist, who met on the Left Bank while pursuing their passion for science. Spurned by the scientific establishment, the pair ended up working out of Edouard's family perfume shop, Laugier père et fils. By day they prepared the revitalising elixirs and rejuvenating eaux it was famous for, but by night using the ingredients of the perfumery and the principles of alchemy, they pursued the secret of life itself. 'Elixir' reads like a novel, brimming with eccentric characters, experimental daring, and the romance of the Bohemian salon.