Grasse - World capital of perfume

Just 20km inland from Cannes and the French Riviera, the hilltop town of Grasse is World Capital of Perfume.

1 Flowers to make perfumes in Grasse Photo: Flowers - the raw material for Grasse's perfumeries

Grasse produces around two-thirds of France’s essential oils which supply a perfume industry which includes Balenciaga, Balmain, Cacherel, Cartier, Chanel, Dio, Givenchy, Guerlain, Hermes, Kenzo, Lacoste, Lancôme, Lanvin, Patou, Ricci, Rochas...

Grasse 20km from Cannes and the French Riviera This is another of those Mediterranean co-productions. The ancient Egyptians started it. Sprinkling herbs, leaves and resins onto a fire produced a plume of scented smoke, allowing them to communicate with the gods. They also used scented balms to wrap the dead, hence the term “embalming”.

This knowledge found its way along the Cretan and Phoenician maritime trade routes until it reached the Greeks. They developed it further. The Ancient Greek cult of the body was inextricably linked with the world of perfume.

The story’s coming ever closer to Grasse - as with many Greek customs, the Romans acquired the idea and applied it more widely. Soon scents, room perfumes, oils and balms for skin and hair, and spicy aromas from refined dishes were important parts of Roman life.
Photo: Grasse is a mere 20km from Cannes and the French Riviera

In the Middle Ages, bathing was seen as unhealthy and so the wealthy used more and more perfume to mask the inevitable odours. Queen Catherine de Medici came to France from Tuscany with gloves which were perfumed to hide the smell of the poorly-tanned leather.

The French court acquired the habit and the rest is history. Grasse had everything - a favourable micro-climate for the flower-farming industry, an abundance of water from the nearby hills. Most of all, there was support from the pharmacy faculty at Montpellier University. Even in the 17th Century, research and development were key.

Flower petals are distilled to produce essential oils Soon Grasse, with its fields of jasmine and rose, became the capital of production.

Perfume became increasingly luxurious and an art in itself. It was packaged in beautifully designed containers and linked with other luxury goods such as clothes. When Earnest Beaux created Chanel N°5 in 1925, the idea of the designer label was born.

Now it’s a fashion business and perfume designers or “noses” develop hundreds of new fragrances every year but few survive their first twelve months.

Photo: Rose petals ready for distilling into essential oils

Although Grasse provides much of the raw material for perfumers across France, there are still a number of artisan perfumeries in the town which make the finished product. Visitors are welcome to come and sniff around, so to speak. Of course, you’ll be tempted to make a purchase or two.

An entrepreneur, Eugène Fuchs, created the House of Fragonard in 1926 but he named it after the Grasse-born painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806). The business has remained in the family ever since. Fragonard offers free factory tours 7 days a week from 09:00 to 18:00. There’s a perfume museum and a factory shop.

Founded in 1849, Molinard claims to be oldest family-run business in France. Queen Victoria used to holiday in Grasse and was an early customer. They’re open 09:30-18:30 every day in summer but close on Sundays from October to March.

Jean de Galimard open his parfumerie in 1747. He was also founder of the corporation of Glovemakers and Perfumers thereby creating his own market. It seems a shrewd move to sell slightly smelly leather gloves along with a perfume to take the whiff away. Parfumerie Galimard is open every day including Sundays.

There's even a perfume museum, Musée International de la Parfumerie. It opens every day in summer, May to October 10:00-19:00. During the winter months, October to April, the hours are reduced to 11:00-18:00. The museum is closed on Tuesdays October to March.

As always, we include links to all these attractions and to Pure France rental homes in the vicinity of Grasse

Grasse - World capital of perfume

Just 20km inland from Cannes and the French Riviera, the hilltop town of Grasse is World Capital of Perfume.

Pure France in the Media

Pure France

Useful things

Who we are

Contact