The world's perfume-making capital
The town of Grasse is nestled snugly about 350 metres (1,148 feet) above Cannes, amid scented meadows of wild and cultivated flowers.
Jasmine. Rose. Lavender. This town’s altitude, soil and microclimate have given it the perfect conditions to supply the perfume industry since the 1600s. In fact, the jasmine for Chanel No.5 still comes from one family farm here, under an exclusive agreement many decades in standing.
The 3 main perfume houses (Fragonard, Galimard, and Molinard) have their storied workshops and visitor centres in or near the old town. They all offer tours, giving you the chance to watch extraction and blending.
Depending on where you go, you can even compose your own fragrance. Unleash your inner “Nose” (what perfume makers are often called) by crafting a scent to your own liking.
The old town above the perfume houses is steep and shaded. The covered market on Place aux Aires runs most mornings – cheese, charcuterie, local honey, and dried herbs. The prices reflect the fact that most shoppers here are locals.
The Cathedral of Notre-Dame-du-Puy holds 3 Rubens canvases that most visitors to the Côte d'Azur never see – all powerful Baroque drama and tantalising light and shadow.
View French Riviera (Côte d'Azur)
