Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, born in eighteenth-century Paris and abandoned on the street, discovers he has an extraordinary - almost superhuman sense of smell. As he sniffs his way across France, this gift is exploited by Grenouille to make the world's most marvellous perfumes. Yet in seeking perfection in his experiments, he realises that a vital ingredient is missing for the perfect scent: innocence. And in order to get the ingredient he needs, he must capture it- whatever the price.