The BEST Grasse Factory & workshop tours 2023 - GetYourGuide Charming Studio | This compact, modern studio apartment has been around for a while, and has an abundance of excellent reviews. Admission is 4 euros, or about $4.75. Aside from the fantastic opportunity to get up close and personal with the savoir-faire of a person who designs perfumes for individuals and brands, it was incredible fun and everyone takes home a good-sized bottle of their own creation! If you choose to purchase through these links, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Alberto Morillas 2.5 6. On the train ride back to Paris, I hung out with two young Australians, friends who were on holiday through Europe and who smelled lemony clean and crisp like youth and freedom. Here are three mythical factories to discover during your stay on the Cte dAzur, for an activity that will interest children as well as all the family. Champ DArome sells oils and perfumes, while Parfumerie Ambiance Natureis crowded with candles, soaps fragrances and more from brands like Panier Des Sens. Francois and Helena Oulmont pick petals in one of Grasses rose fields. Debbi Kickham I had actually created a bespoke perfume at Galimard in Grasse about 15 years ago, but I accidentally broke the bottle, and was eager to have the experience again. Tagged: what to do in grasse, things to do in grasse, How to get to grasse from nice, Grasse Nice Bus, Grasse Nice Train, Train Grasse Nice, Grasse Nice, Nice Grasse Bus, Cannes Grasse Train, Cannes Grasse Bus, Grasse Perfume Tour, best perfume tour grasse, fragonard tour, molinard tour, galimard tour, fre perfume tour grasse, where to eat in grasse, lunch recommendation grasse, cathedral grasse, notre dame de puy, rubens grasse, traverse st martin, best view in grasse, grasse, guide to grasse france, Visite Parfumerie Grasse, best hotels in grasse, where to stay in grasse, grasse perfume, visite parfumerie grasse, grasse france hotels. Chiarla says jasmine is so delicate that it still must picked by hand. Parfumerie Fragonard et Muse du Parfum 32 Museums Perfume "I never heard of this perfume until I went to Grasse. They offer a free 30 minute tour of the museum which is a must do if you go to Grasse. Amouage 2.2 2. Grasse, France, is especially known for the May rose, which is an ingredient in the iconic Chanel No. Find out more here. 2 Niche Perfume Brands: The List 2.1 1. There are not many hotels in Grasse, Les Passiflores B&B is a great value for the location right outside the Old Town. Later, our small group was seated at individual perfume organs half circles of small bottles of essential oils and an empty 100-milliliter glass beaker. "Even 10 milliliters is too much for me," she replies with a laugh, "but let's go for it.". You learn everything from how fragrances are made from the harvest to the distillation process and bottling. In and around Grasse, France, a confluence of soil, sun and temperature nurtures the roses, jasmine and other flowers that make this town a perfume capital. So lets get to what exactly there is to see in the town, shall we? The best options in town are: | Fragonard Perfume Workshop: This is the class that we joined, where you are making the perfume for 90 minutes and then join a guided tour for 30 minutes. The town is so associated with perfume, its history and the skill involved in making it, that industry locals have applied for a place on Unescos Intangible Cultural Heritage list, an inventory of traditions that rely on a wealth of transmittable knowledge that could be considered fragile in an increasingly globalized world. International Perfume Museum Gardens (979 Chemin des Gourettes, Mouans-Sartoux; www.museesdegrasse.com/en/presentation-gardens) is the International Perfume Museums plant conservatory. The perfumes are much cheaper than the brand names you would find in the US. The workshop features Now, when I wear my almost-homemade fragrance, I am transported back to the time when I was in a lovely French town with equally lovely inhabitants who, even though I mangled their language and complained about their traffic laws, let me sit at their table while they discussed this magical thing called alchemy. When you arrive at Grasse, you will notice that much of it looks quite new and ordinary. If intense perfumes are off-putting for you, opt for this subtly-scented, glowing body oil that helps you smell beautiful on your special day, and adds a shine to any exposed skin. There are many perfumery companies in Grasse, most of which offer a tour of the factory. I had fallen in love not only with perfume, but also with the deft and curious descriptions of fragrance at the hands of gifted perfume critics, namely Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez who together wrote the vastly entertaining Perfumes: The A-Z Guide. I felt as though I had discovered two new strains of art not to mention the most underrated of the five senses. It is known as the perfume capital of the world. Perfume publisher Frdric Malle: 'I'd rather go to the V&A than to Today, the town's perfume heritage, including methods of plant cultivation and fragrance creation, is included on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. If you have a real passion for perfume, then you may wish to base yourself here for a night or two so that you can sample all of the parfumeries and perhaps visit more of the surrounding countryside. You will take home a 75 ml bottle. Mge says fragrance formulas are very precise. There are three historic perfumeries that still operate in Grasse: Galimard, Molinard and Fragonard, though there are many other less well known perfumers all over town. Galimard The lush greenery and flora on the hillsides in Grasse are used to make perfumes. 15 Best Things to Do in Grasse (France) - The Crazy Tourist Sunday 9:00 AM - 6:15 PM. The perfume house Galimard was established in 1747, followed by others, and Grasse soon became famous as a center for perfume production. Perfumer Workshop - Fragonard Usine Historique GRASSE Grasse Description This worshop allows you to create a unique fragrance with notes of citrus, aromatic and orange blossom depending on your taste. hide caption. VISIT THE THREE HISTORIC PERFUMERS IN GRASSE The Fragonard, Galimard and Molinard perfumers offer a perfume immersion! Once a simple church, it became Grasses cathedral in 1244. The small Old Town of Grasse on top of a hill is quite walkable, and stroller and handicap-friendly. Note that, in the summer months, accommodation in Grasse is in high demand so booking in advance is essential. Things didnt always smell so good in Grasse. "We're testing scents and trying to mix our own perfume, so it's very exciting!" So if you enjoy perfumes, you will not want to miss visiting Grasse, on your trip to the south of France. Grasse has a local train station, and is easily accessible from nearby cities like Cannes andNiceby TER train. The youngest of the trio, having started up in 1926, Fragonard is not to be outdone with its historic factory in the heart of the town and a very refined shop that includes all its products: perfumes, cosmetics, and textiles When you visit, why not try a perfume creation workshop? ", But climate change is a concern. Thus the area around the city was covered with roses and jasmine to feed the stills of the very first perfumers. I bought a few products and I can't wait to use them. Annick Mnardo 2.2 9. Gift shops selling pastel soaps, sachets and, of course, perfume lured window shoppers eager to pay for what Grasse does best: make things that smell good. When the essence of jasmine, may roses, and lavender are becoming a little too much, then its a sign that you should take the opportunity to wander around the picture postcard streets of Grasse. Create your own perfume in Grasse with Fragonard ? More recently, I decided to take a deeper look into the fragrance industry and knew there was no better place to do this than Grasse, France, a medieval town in southern Provence known as the perfume capital of the world. You even get to see how the are soaps are made, right in front of your eyes. There are a number of French Riviera tour groups and buses stopping off for a few hours in Grasse, and so things can become really quite busy at between 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Nishane 2.9 9. I peeked around a corner at a perfume workshop and realized I was a day away from my own. #1 I think I'm rethinking my decision. Bndicte Desrus for NPR They went to the perfumery school. The rock stars Ms. Buchanan refers to may be Hermss recently retired perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena and Louis Vuittons Jacques Cavallier. Fragonard perfumery is one of the oldest perfumeries in Grasse. | A Private Perfume Creation Class: A more intimate and personalised perfume making experience with Molinard, including a private class and champagne. And it takes about a ton of flowers to extract a kilo of jasmine absolute. Book the Fragonard experience here, or the Molinard experience here. Elorea. Many renowned noses (or perfumers) work and pull inspiration from Grasse. Perfume factories from the 1700s ornate, jewel-box-like buildings dotted the old town. The 14 Best Summer Fragrances of 2023 to Spritz on Repeat - Forbes 5.CreditAndy Haslam for The New York Times. Still, Grasses influence and relevance in the fragrance industry remains almost unmatched based on its history, the growers quality and the creative gifts of the perfumers who live here. Other luxury fragrances houses like Dior, Herms and Louis Vuitton also source their ingredients from Grasse, while major fragrance companies like Robertet and IFF, who are behind some of the worlds most memorable scents, also call Grasse their home. Grasse, The Perfume Capital Of The World, Is A Hub For Fragrance - NPR ", Jessica Buchanan, owner of the 1,000 Flowers shop in Grasse, creates perfumes at her perfumer's organ displaying hundreds of vials of scents. Bndicte Desrus for NPR General view of the International Perfume Museum's gardens in Grasse. The namesake for the famous perfumerie was born in Grasse in 1732, and would later return to the town whilst Paris was in the throes of the French Revolution. Discover the history of perfume in Grasse. I knew I wanted to have my own fragrance blended while in Grasse. Ms. Buchanan, who is preparing to open a boutique this fall in the old section of the town, said that growers and perfumers here consider themselves a family. In medieval times, the town had a thriving leather business, but the tanning process made for pungent merchandise that didnt sit well with the gloved nobility. The Complete Guide to Grasse Perfume - Cannes Estate Visit a museum. When one of the towns tanners presented Catherine de Medici, Frances queen from 1547 to 1559, a pair of scented leather gloves, perfume became wedded to luxury. Today she has her own boutique, 1000 Flowers, in town and does a brisk online business. It is warm and sufficiently inland to be sheltered from the sea air. Stainless steel vats store various fragrances at Fragonard. They offer a free 30 minute tour of the museummore, The reason she said that is because this the birth place or origin of the France perfume.more, She recommended some very good perfume for me and gave me samples after.more, The building, displays, and history were fabulous, then the sensory display of their perfumes wasmore, This is a perfume shop located in the village on one of the smaller streets.more. A view of Old Grasse, which was once known for its leather products. 2019 Mouratoglou Hotel & Resort - 3550 Route des Dolines, 06410 Biot, French Riviera - 04 92 96 68 78. Tickets & Tours - Grasse Fragonard Perfumery (Parfumerie - Viator She was aware that I was in the next group of budding perfumers and she wanted my olfactory facility unconfused. Note that, in France, public transport is less frequent on Saturdays and Sundays, so double-check departure times for buses and trains if travelling on those days. They look at everything from the plant growers and their knowledge base to the harvesters, all the way to the extraction in the factories to the perfumers.. Grasse is also home to the prestigious Grasse Institute of Perfumery, which offers a number of levels of perfume-making instruction, including a nine-month immersion experience that accepts only 12 students a year. It also inspires its visitors in a fascinating and dynamic discovery of the universe, through videos, projections, interactive terminals and olfactory and tactile stations. The Best 10 Perfume in Grasse, Alpes-Maritimes, France - Yelp In a class led by an accomplished nez - a professional perfumer -we had the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the creative process and make our very own perfume (ok, it was actually an eau de toilette, but still!). Fid out full details here. Why not follow me for a getaway in Grasse, the world perfume capital? Created in 1926 by Eugne Fuchs, it takes its name in honour of the painter Jean-Honor Fragonard. It was the glove makers who first tried to make their product smell better, using a technique called maceration. Perfumeries of Grasse - Sylvaine Delacourte On the way, while being jostled by high schoolers, I noticed the ubiquitous signs pointing the way to the three big historic perfumeries in Grasse that offer tours, perfume workshops and fragrance products: Galimard, Molinard and Fragonard. 5 was originally created with jasmine grown in Grasse, so it must always be made that way. For example, Chanel No. Bndicte Desrus for NPR Canadian Jessica Buchanan came to Provence in 2007 to attend the Grasse Institute of Perfumery. Book here. Both flowers are at the heart of more than a few famous fragrances, including Chanels breathtaking star, No. As a hothouse of luxury perfumery, Grasse in Provence is an incredible destination for any perfume lover. Grasse may have a viable bus system, but after the ride from Cannes, I had little interest in mass transit, so I rented a tiny Fiat that proved useful in managing traffic on streets barely designed for people, much less vehicles. It is an unexpectedly sunny spring afternoon and perfume publisher Fre de ric Malle has asked to meet for lunch at Chucs, an eight-table bistro on Mayfair's Dover Street where we're now tucking in to chicken Milanese (me) and roasted Var salmon (him). After Ms. Buchanan and I said goodbye, I set out for Molinard, one of the most beautiful old perfumeries in Grasse. The tour ended in their shop and you can use the tips you learned from the tour to help you pick out which type of product you want. Molinard Mansion (60 Boulevard Victor Hugo; molinard.com/en/content/14-the-visit) displays artifacts and gives a glimpse into the daily operations of the fragrance house, which dates back to 1879. Grasse is a typical Provenal town, with ochre-colored houses and giant shutters to close against the noonday sun. Molinard. 5 and must be shared with others. Arriving by rental car, we spent a full day exploring its picturesque medieval streets, whiffing the scents of its famous parfumeries, enjoying the atmosphere of small town France, and even making our own perfume; here are our favourite things to do in Grasse (which we think youll love too!). With Free Shipping within the U.S. and E.U. Although the exterior looks a little mundane, its belies a more opulent interior which houses three paintings by the great Baroque artist Rubens (hailing from our favourite Belgian city), as well as one by Fragonard. It makes sense to pair your old town strolls with a leisurely lunch (you are in France after all). Along with learning about the art of perfumery, you can also make your own perfume. Decorated floats drive through the town, with people throwing flowers into the crowd. GRASSE, France The town of Grasse sits in the hills above the more famous French Riviera city of Cannes, and it doesn't have the Mediterranean Sea at its doorstep. Xerjoff 2.8 8. TOP 3 Grasse perfumeries to visit | Mouratoglou Resort Grasse, perfume location per excellence TOP 3 : Mythical factories It is in the Azure hinterland, above Cannes, that the most renowned laboratories are developing ever more innovative techniques to create fragrances with ever more intense fragrances. Creating Custom-Made Perfume in Grasse, France - Forbes La Bellaudiere|For a romantic, traditional French experience, this is a great option. Youll walk out with bric-a-brac that you didnt think youd want but are convinced you need (hope you have enough room in your suitcase). 06130 Grasse Philippe mass - P. Mass APVPG 2014 Fields of irises in Grasse, the world capital of perfumery on the French Riviera. You receive a 50 ml bottle of of your own creation and a 10% discount on any perfume purchased at the gift shop. You can check prices and availability. 15 Best Things To Do In Grasse, France | Trip101 Fragonard Historic Factory (20 Boulevard Fragonard; fragonard.com/en/factories/historic-factory), which is in one of Grasses oldest factories, offers free tours, a product line and group and individual perfume workshops by reservation. Tip Tip // If youll be touring around the Cote dAzur, consider purchasing the Cte d'Azur France Pass which includes access to many of the regions most popular activities with a single ticket - and saving you up to 30% off over the individual cost of attraction tickets. Visitors to town are able to learn more about the process - from the incredible cost of creating a single litre of rose essence, the global supply chains for botanicals, evolving techniques, and the artistry and chemistry involved in creating a scent,with the free tours on offer at each of Grasses most famous perfume houses: Fragonard, Molinard, and Galimard. If youre looking for a great read for your visit to Grasse, then this is it. What are people saying about perfume in Grasse, 06? Perfume flower grower Pierre Chiarla picks jasmine flowers in his field in Grasse, France. There are perfumers you would never know who work in the big companies and who work on functional products. Most of them smell wonderful and are all sold at an affordable price. They visited the Chanel rose fields. The historic center of Grasse was once home to perfume factories that have since moved out of the old town. This elicited an audible gasp from the gaggle of tourgoers who included a chatty man from Ireland, a few from Britain and me the lone visitor from the United States. 528 See the best of beautiful Provence during a small-group day trip from Nice. Pierre Bourdon 2.3 8. The 45 minutes train service from Antibes costs 9 per person for a single ticket. Jean-Claude Ellena 2.8 3. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Entry is 6 per person (there are a variety of concession tickets available also), and it can be found here on 2 Boulevard du Jeu de Ballon. In Grasse, most of the perfume factories have a workshop where you can learn the art of perfumery and see how your favorite perfumes are made. Our main advice though is to either arrive here earlier in the morning (i.e. Check availability here. A collection of old Galimard bottles on display at the perfumerys museum. It is quite an interesting experience to create your own perfume with the help of the perfumer. Five centuries have passed and Grasses know-how has grown. The following morning I roamed through the citys winding cobblestone streets to get a taste of Old Grasse. As such, Grasse began producing gloves, handbags and belts made of leather. Inspired by the founders' Korean heritage, Elorea's fragrances balance the traditional with the modern. Warm, Light & Bright Apartment | This gorgeous, modern, light-filled apartment has nothing but 5* reviews! Many of the perfume factories have also offer (paid) appointments where you can try your hand at making your own perfume and see where the process of scent starts. Les Fleurs dException du Pays de Grasse, a consortium of organic flower growers formed in 2008, produces around 40 acres of perfume plants for large companies rose, jasmine, iris, tuberose, orange blossom, violet, Madonna lily and Iris pallida, along with mimosa, narcissus, broom and lavender. The top 10 things to see and do in Grasse, Office de Tourisme de Grasse Carlo Barbiero, Visit the Muse International de la Parfumerie in Grasse, Receive our newsletter and be informed of all events and useful information. Founded in 1747, Galimard is one of the first French perfume houses. Top 10 Best Perfumers Of All Time (2023) - Scent Grail If you are passionate about perfumes, Grasse is the city to visit. Held in the historic centre of Grasse, we highly recommend this two-hour class for anyone visiting France's perfume town - it's great fun, interactive, and a very unique experience. In the perfume museum's Mediterranean garden, you can get a whiff of all the plants that have made up the economy and history of Grasse in the last 300 years. 5. Come and discover the very essence of the Pays de Grasse, its DNA, and its history.