Fragrance is always in the air in the heart of the French perfume industry.
"Cannes is for living, Monte-Carlo for gambling and Menton for dying." Such was the Victorian perspective on the Côte d'Azur. But what about Grasse, the celebrated resort situated on the slopes of the lower Alps? Nothing too scathing, I expect, on the grounds that the good Queen Victoria herself spent a good many winters there towards the latter part of her long and imperious reign. She might not have been amused - but she certainly would have returned to both Buckingham Palace and Balmoral smelling absolutely delightful, for the ancient town of Grasse has been the heart and soul of the French perfume industry for the best part of 300 years.
Ideal destination
Although less famous than its glitzy and glamorous neighbours of Cannes and Nice (30 and 50 minute drives respectively) Grasse is well worth a visit. Cradled by sheltering hills and surrounded by flowers, it is an ideal place to appreciate the acute contrast between the Côte d'Azur and its bucolic hinterland, with breathtaking views all the way down to the Mediterranean. But what makes it truly unique is that at virtually any time of the year the air is laden with fragrance; golden mimosa flowers in March; acres of roses waiting to be picked and lavender to be processed in early summer - and the tiny white starts and heavy perfume of jasmine appearing as you edge towards the autumn. Hardly surprising, then, that Grasse should have been the birthplace of virtually every perfume of repute, including Coco Chanel's No. 5 back in the early 1920s.
But it would be a mistake to be lulled into thinking that there is nothing more to this enchanting little town than merely the enticing scent of Grasse. For back in the 12th century Grasse was a miniature republic, no less, allied to Pisa and Genoa and thus a focal point for local power. Half a millennium on, the fashion for perfumed gloves (masking the undesirable smell of the populace!) was introduced by Catherine de Medici. This encouraged the development of the perfume industry - but it was not until the 18th century that tanning and perfumery began to develop as separate trades. Nowadays the town tends to handle mainly imported raw materials, but it is still possible to see vast mountains of rose petals, vats of jonquils and spadefuls of violets and orange blossoms waiting to be processed every morning.
Perfumes are essentially alcoholic solutions. The flowers must be picked early, when the oil is most concentrated. But did you know that it takes enormous quantities of blooms to produce even the tiniest amounts of perfume? About 750 kg of roses for just one kilogram of rose 'absolute', about 4,000 kg for one kilogram of essential oil. Its part of the explanation, needless to say, as to why the prices of some perfumes soar sky-high. Of the basic methods of extracting the scent, two of the oldest remain in use to this day. Steam distillation is now mainly used for orange blossom; flowers and water are boiled in a still and the essential oils extracted by steam. A more expensive method, mainly used for jasmine and tuberose, is enfleurage; in which flowers are layered with lard which becomes impregnated with the scent before being washed out with alcohol. More modern methods include extraction by volatile solvents.
Fine perfumes
Fine perfumes may contain more than 100 ingredients; each perfume composed of a top note (the refreshing, volatile odour perceived immediately) a middle note (providing the full, solid character) and an end note - generally the most consistent.
And just so you can impress all your friends when doing the rounds of the perfumeries of Grasse, here's a beginner's guide to more immediately identifiable dominant fragrances:
- Floral group (jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, gardenia)
- Spicy blends (carnation, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg)
- Woody group (vetiver, sandalwood, cedarwood)
- Mossy family (oak moss)
- Orientals (woody, mossy, spicy oats combined with vanilla, balsam, musk, civet)
- Herbal group (clover and sweet grass)
- Leather-tobacco group (leather, tobacco, birch tar)
- Men's fragrances (citrus, spice, leather, lavender, fern, woody)
So now you know. But did you also know the correct name for a person highly trained in the art of perfumery? A person who can identify and classify hundreds of fragrances, subtly blending together different 'chords' of scent to create a harmonious combination that will radiate around the body in a slow process of diffusion that the French refer to as sillage? Why, that person is a nose, of course. I met one by chance the other day whilst researching this article in Grasse. If you are not careful it can be the mother-of-all conversation killers. "And what do you do," he inquired of me. "Oh, I'm a journalist," I replied. "And you?" "Moi," he informed me in a most matter of fact tone, "I am a nose."
Since perfume (from the Latin per fumum, incidentally, which means 'through smoke') established the renown of Grasse, you might think that it would be fitting for there to be a museum honouring this enticing hybrid between science and art. And you would be right.
Step forward, or rather step into, the Musée de la Parfumerie which gives you a compelling account of the history and technical development as the centuries have slipped by. From perfumed compositions made with natural (plant and animal) or synthetic raw materials, the museum skillfully presents everything you could possibly want to know, and more, in the steps necessary to create a perfume.
Housed in an elegant 18th-century mansion, you can witness the entire history and manufacturing processes of perfume, in addition to seeing a beautiful collection of related items from exquisite perfume bottles to Marie-Antoinette's travelling case. Who knows, you might even end up as a nose yourself! In fact at the Parfumerie Galimard's Studio des Fragrances you can emerge as a nose-designate after a fascinating 2-hour guided tour, upon the completion of which you are awarded a diploma certifying the completion of your seminar as an Honorary Master Perfumer.
Jasmine festival
Try to make your visit coincide with the Jasmine Festival of Grasse. For during this time-honoured féte the town truly comes to life with bands and folk groups from all over France and Europe, as the Queen of the festival and her companions throw flowers and jasmine water onto the cheering crowds from splendidly decorated flowers in a festival reminiscent of Jersey's equally historic Battle of the Flowers.
So why not take a leaf out of Queen Victoria's book? Take your mind away from the sun, sand and sea - at least for a day or so. And when on the Côte d'Azur make sure that you find sufficient time to put yourself out to Grasse!
