You will definitely find it unsurprising that perfume tourism (at least in Europe) is focused in the cradle of perfumery – France (in the small Mediterranean town Grasse to be exact).
Of course, when it comes to perfumes, the first place that comes to your mind is Grasse. This is the place where the Mediterranean climate, helped by the exquisite perfume specialists, lets the growing and distillery of some of the most commonly used perfume ingredients: jasmine, lavender, rose, mimosa, as well as many others.
The perfume industry in Grasse includes the notable over 60 perfume companies, and the perfume production employs over 3500 people. Having in mind that some of the most famous perfume noses have started their professional career there, you shouldn’t underestimate the attractive power of this place.
Did you know that about 2/3rds of the natural aromas for the perfume and food industry of France are produced in Grasse? This is an industry for over 600 million EUR per year…
Choose Grasse for your trip into the world of perfumes and you will have the opportunity to walk in numerous perfume museums and enjoy special group tours organized by some of the most famous perfume houses in the world. There you will be able to find out more about the different methods used for perfume ingredients extraction, the history of the perfume industry, as well as some of the perfume secrets that have been revealed from one generation to the next in this area.
While you are in Grasse, you can take advantage of visiting the 3 distilleries Fragonard, Molinard and Galimard – their factories are always open to the public and you can get acquainted with the contemporary methods for perfume production as well as traditional techniques that have been used in the perfumery for centuries.
The Jasmine Festival is the most famous event in Grasse. It takes place annually at the beginning of August and gathers together perfume fans and different professionals from the perfume industry from around the world. The first Jasmine Festival took place back in 1946. If you have decided to sink in the history of perfumes, don’t miss this festival as it will inevitably charge you with positivity and unforgettable memories.
During this festival, you will be able to enjoy the pleasant sight of young ladies throwing flowers at the crowds from specially crafted moving platforms, the jasmine garlands embellishing all parts of the small town, as well as a lot of good moods, live music, and fireworks. You can even get sprayed with jasmine water by the local fire station brigade!
Fans of high-quality perfumes will fall in love with the captivating town Grasse where they will have the privilege to touch “the cradle of perfumery” and to peek in the “perfume kitchen” which sets the beginning of some of the most famous perfumes in the world. Adding the countless events that are connected with perfumes, the group visits, the opportunity to create your own perfume, as well as the diverse attractions, among which the game “odorama” (Guess what this smells like!”), a visit to Grasse will inevitably leave you with the irresistible willingness to boast about your perfume adventures in front of all your friends!