Grasse, perfumes’ homeland
Discover the magic world of essences
Whoever goes to Cannes for the Film Festival, for a week-end or a trip and loves artistic perfumery, cannot miss out a visit to Grasse, well-known worldwide as the perfume capital.
The city is an important medieval site and an ideal vacation venue, besides being the centre where, for over 100 years the tradition of perfumery has perpetuated, and where numerous legendary perfumes have been produced, like Chanel n.5. The activity is mainly based on international relations, thanks to which about thirty perfumes’ factories send their creations worldwide. The raw materials get to Grasse from all over the world and are there processed. That’s why the little town transformed its industry into a real art, creating refined and quality products.
In Grasse you can find the International Museum of Perfume, now open again to the public after a long restoration period. Here, around fifty thousand objects recount the history of essences and alcohols, but also of face powders and cosmetics in general. The most prestigious piece, exhibited at the museum, is a pix belonging to the Queen Mary Antoinette of France.
The most beautiful time to visit the city is spring, period characterized by the blossoming of the cabbage rose, lavender and jasmine. A great number of events revolve around the world of essences and many gardens open up to the public during the hot season to be visited.
May is the month of the rose that is here celebrated from 21st to 24th May at the Expo Rose. The theme of this year’s event is the flower and the music, gathering roses of any kind and enriching the atmosphere with concerts, exhibitions, round tables and competitions.
Lavender, on the other side, fills the air with its scent at the end of spring and you can find it in the villages close to Grasse, especially in the fields of Valensole, in Sault or Luberon, at the foot of the Lure mountain and in the Buëch area.
To discover its secrets you can also visit the distilleries, the museums, the gardens and the numerous theme-celebrations. A great number of tourist routes have also been signalled on the website www.routes-lavande.com.
In august, from 7th to 9th the Fête du Jasmin is scheduled. The celebration is dedicated to jasmine, another flower on which perfumery creations are based, culminating with the “flowers’ battle”.
The secrets of Provencal flowers can be discovered in the numerous private gardens, such as the park of Villa Fort France, built in the ‘30s for Lady Winifred Fortescue, British lady deeply in love with Grasse, where we wrote “Perfume from Provence”. The garden hosts thousands of different species, from citrus trees to apple trees. Other similar corners are found around the city: the Bastide des Parfumeurs di Mouans-Sartoux or the gardens of the Gourdon Castle.
In the streets of the old city you can also deepen your knowledge on perfume’s history entering the workshops that sell soaps and spices or visiting the Provencal Flowers’ market. You cant miss a visit to the sites of the historic perfumeries such as Fragonard, Galimard and Molinard.
Beauty, Destinations, Leisure, Man, Not To Be Missed, Perfumes, Travel And Holidays, Woman,
Tags: Cannes Film Festival, Expo Rose, Fête du Jasmin, Fragonard, Galimard, Grasse, International Museum of Perfume, Molinard, perfume
Would you like to keep informed on similar news? Sign up to LuxLetter
Related articles
Receive the latest updates from the luxury world!
