Grasse The capital of Perfume

Known as the world capital of perfume since the 17th century, the French commune of Grasse is one of the must-see places to visit when travelling in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. If you are passionate about art and history, discovering this small medieval town will be a pleasure to share with family or friends. In addition, it enjoys a very mild Mediterranean climate, ideal for rejuvenation, as evidenced by the many fields of shimmering flowers that surround it. Camping Les Pêcheurs is 45 minutes by car from the city of Grasse, via the A8 motorway, which will make it an ideal starting point to visit the city. It is here that the essences used to create the prestigious perfumes are produced. Gallimard or Fragonard open the doors of their factories to let you discover the secrets of perfumery.

Renting a mobile home near Grasse

If you want to stay on a campsite in Grasse, the 4-star campsite Les Pêcheurs  is a 45-minute drive away via the A8 motorway, making it an ideal starting point for visiting the city. It is here that the essences used to create the prestigious perfumes are produced. Gallimard or Fragonard open the doors of their factories to help you discover the secrets of perfumery.

Tourism in Grasse

The first thing to visit when coming to Grasse is its tourist perfumeries, which make it famous and proud. As a reminder, Grasse was, in the Middle Ages, one of the most important places for leather tanning and was famous for this activity. But the strong smell of leather due to the tanning techniques used at the time did not please the rich customers who wore it on them, especially in the form of gloves. Galimard, a tanner from Grasse, then had the idea of perfuming his gloves with rose water or spice baths, which immediately pleased his customers, to mention only Catherine de Médicis. Soon, the perfume industry supplanted the leather industry and made the city the world capital of perfume.

So, if you have always wanted to know how to make perfume, a visit to the perfume shops in Grasse is an opportunity to satisfy your curiosity. Especially since free visits are offered by the great names in perfume such as Galimard, Fragonard, Molinard etc. to help you discover the secrets of how this elixir is made, from the distillation to the final product. There is also the possibility of "concocting" your own eau de toilette with the help of experts on site, and don't forget to bring a few bottles for your loved ones to the souvenir shops.

But Grasse is not only the city of perfume. It is also a city of art and history, especially with the label of the same name granted by the Ministry of Culture to cities promoting the enhancement of their heritage. Thus, you can take an official guide who will explain the history of the various monuments and buildings, or simply go on an adventure and discover for yourself the places and places steeped in history that the city has to offer. To see, there are for example the Museum of the Navy, the International Museum of Perfumery, the Museum of Art and History of Provence, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame-du-Puy de Grasse, the Church of Plascassier, and the Church of the Plan de Grasse.

After visiting the city, you may also want to find an outdoor activity. The region has no shortage of places for hiking, mountain biking or even horse riding. There is also the Monts d'Azur Biological Reserve and the Préalpes d'Azur Regional Nature Park to stroll as close as possible to nature. Finally, you can play golf, canyoning, climbing, fishing and even skiing in the resorts of Gréolières-Les-Neiges and Audibergue-La Moulière not far from the city.