Grasse
World Capital of Perfumes
The legend relates that perfumes reveal themselves more in Grasse than anywhere else, their character, their depth, their richness. Don’t tell anyone…. it’s true!
What are the reasons for this ?
What are the reasons for this? The altitude of the Pre-Alps, the deep and generous earth from which the town takes its name, the temperate climate with mild and pleasant temperatures all year round, the hygrometry, the hills planted with olive trees that sway with the Mistral, the maritime influence. Or simply the collection of all these factors, which made this territory – a privileged place in Provence – where world-class artists and perfumers came to find the most creative and ideal place for the expression of their art.
Grasse, listed as a UNESCO site
For many years, the town of Grasse has been working on a project to be registered with UNESCO as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” for its skills related to the creation of perfumes. After much long and productive work with all the local actors who gravitate around the perfume industry, the art of Perfumery and its birthplace Grasse, have been officially awarded “World Heritage Status”. Aiming to preserve the world’s most precious traditions, the Unesco award is yet another proof that Grasse’s know-how in the field of perfumery is rich and that it must be recognized throughout the world.
Grasse has always been an exceptional territory
Grasse seems to have consciously positioned itself geographically to resist change, to resist the modern agricultural movement that praises the benefits of rampant mechanization and high yields.
As if the city had always wanted to preserve and contain the secret of an exceptional, confidential, handmade production.
As if time had stood still in Grasse for centuries.
Here, on the hillsides, at the foot of dry stone walls, in a heavy clay and generous soil, where no machines can go, the farmers, producers of perfume plants, strive ceaselessly, with delicacy, generosity and assiduity to reproduce gestures that do not change and that will never change. This is their singularity, their rarity, and it makes their productions exceptional.
In Grasse, we plant, cut, graft, pinch, and pick manually… to obtain a few grams of floral water, a ‘concrète’ or an ‘absolue’ equal to none.
This is somehow our blood, our gold in a bottle, and we must maintain and preserve it.
