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18
BOX: The “Perfume Capital” Grasse
On the French Côte d’Azur,
just a few kilometers from
Cannes, above the numerous
flower fields lies the “perfume
capital” Grasse, which enjoys
a worldwide reputation for
its pleasant fragrances. Here,
roses, jasmine, violets and
orange blossoms, which are
planted in the immediate
vicinity of the city, are used
to create fine perfumes. The
origins of this specialization
date back to the sixteenth
century: From Italy, the fashion
for perfumed gloves spilled
over to the Côte d’Azur, a habit
that Katharina von Medici
(1519–1589) was particularly
fond of. Grasse was at that
time a tanner town where
leather was produced, also for
gloves. In order to hide the
sometimes unpleasant smells of
leather production, the scents
of the flowers growing in the
surroundings were used: The
perfume industry of Grasse
was born! Whoever comes to
this beautiful city today should
not miss the “International
Museum of Perfumery” or
a guided tour of one of the
three large perfume factories
Fragonard, Galimard and
Molinard. The visit includes a
tour of historical distillation
(. Fig. 18.1), enfleurage and
extraction equipment. After
the tour, you can buy perfumes
and fragrances (also in liter
amounts) at reasonable prices,
which smell like the big brands,
but are not officially allowed to
call themselves like them.
. Fig. 18.1 In the Fragonard perfumery in Grasse (© Diana Domingo, alias “Towanda”, 7 www.bellezapura.com)
18.1 · Definition and History