Grasse is a small town located about 15 kilometers northwest of Cannes, in the Alpes-Maritimes department. Covering less than 45 square kilometers with a population of under 50,000, this modest town holds an impressive title—the Perfume Capital of the World.
Grasse benefits from an ideal natural environment, with a warm climate and abundant rainfall that support the growth of various plants. As early as the 18th century, the region surrounding Grasse boasted 800 hectares of jasmine fields, 700 hectares of rose fields, and 65 hectares of tuberose fields, along with countless fields of orange blossoms, lavender, and verbena. These high-quality raw materials provide the foundation for the art of perfumery.
Each year, Grasse celebrates two major flower festivals—the Rose Festival in May and the Jasmine Festival in early August. During these events, the entire town is adorned with beautiful flowers and filled with intoxicating fragrances, offering visitors a feast for the senses.
Jasmine from Grasse is particularly renowned and plays a vital role in the creation of the iconic Chanel No. 5 perfume, with most of the locally grown jasmine used in its production. After centuries of tradition and development, the perfumery skills of the Grasse region were recognized in 2018, when they were inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, drawing visitors from around the world.


Initially, Grasse was not connected to the perfume industry; before the 17th century, the town was known primarily for its leather manufacturing. However, to mask the unpleasant odor of leather goods—and inspired by new trends arriving from Italy—the local artisans began experimenting with adding fragrances to their leather products. This innovation, combining high-quality natural scents with fine leather, quickly brought Grasse widespread fame and laid the foundation for the town’s rapid development in the perfume industry.
By the mid-18th century, Grasse had already attracted many experts in the field of perfumery and developed a complete production chain, from planting and extraction to fragrance blending. The town’s prominence was further highlighted when it became one of the primary filming locations for the movie Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, which repeatedly emphasized its status as the “Perfume Capital of the World.”
For perfume lovers, a visit to the International Perfume Museum (Musée International de la Parfumerie, MIP), located in the heart of Grasse, is a must. The museum, originally built in 1989 and renovated in 2018, offers an in-depth look into the history of perfumery. It takes visitors on a journey through time, starting with the use of fragrances in Ancient Egypt and gradually moving forward, offering a fascinating historical perspective.
Throughout the exhibition, we discovered that in many ancient civilizations, the earliest use of fragrance was closely linked to religion and the divine, quite different from the purposes of modern-day perfumes.
The museum also boasts an extensive collection of perfume bottles, ranging from centuries-old intricately designed containers to discontinued editions of famous perfumes. In the contemporary section, visitors can spot many familiar names still available on the market today.
The only disappointment was that, due to the pandemic, the scent experience section was not fully operational. I look forward to returning one day to immerse myself in the delightful fragrances that have shaped human history for centuries.


A Unique Perfume-Making Experience
Grasse is filled with a wide variety of fragrance shops, from established heritage brands to new and niche boutiques, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in a world of scents. Among the many perfume houses in Grasse, the most famous are Galimard, Molinard, and Fragonard, founded in 1747, 1849, and 1926, respectively. Though they maintain a low profile internationally, these classic brands, shaped by centuries of craftsmanship, are well worth exploring.
In addition to their stores in the town, each of these brands has its own museum and perfume workshop in Grasse. Visitors can witness the perfume-making process up close, discover the secrets behind the scents, and even create their own personalized perfume.
Since each brand offers a slightly different experience, I decided to join the Galimard perfume workshop. Upon arrival at the designated time, I joined the other participants in the perfume lab. We were stunned by the setup: over 120 bottles of fragrance oils neatly arranged on each table, ready to be used during the workshop.
The session began with a brief introduction by the perfumer, who shared basic knowledge about perfume creation and answered our questions. Then came the exciting part—we started smelling the various fragrance oils one by one, selecting the ones we liked. With the perfumer’s guidance and recommendations, we carefully combined our chosen top, middle, and base notes in the correct proportions. After an hour of experimentation and refinement, each of us held a bottle of our own custom perfume.
Each perfume needed a name and was registered with a unique code in the brand’s system. If we liked the scent, we could reorder it anytime by simply providing the code. To make the experience even more special, every participant received a certificate of completion with their name on it—a thoughtful touch that added to the sense of accomplishment.
Freshly blended perfumes cannot be used immediately; they require about three weeks to mature. This means that even after leaving Grasse, a delightful surprise awaits when the time comes to unveil the full scent.


During the process of creating perfume, several things left a lasting impression on me. First, becoming a professional perfumer requires more than just formal training—it involves years of practical experience through internships before they are considered fully qualified. To maintain the sensitivity of their sense of smell, perfumers also have to follow specific routines and dietary restrictions in their daily lives.
Since the fragrance bottles were labeled in French, the perfumer encouraged us not to rely on dictionaries but to trust our sense of smell. The idea was to avoid forming preconceived judgments about the ingredients, allowing us to engage with the scents more freely and without bias.
After smelling more than a hundred different fragrance oils myself, I came to understand the depth of training and talent required to become a skilled perfumer. It gave me a whole new appreciation for the profession.
The shops of these three perfume houses offer more than just perfumes; they are filled with an extensive selection of soaps, scented candles, body lotions, and essential oils. The colorful array of products allows visitors to continue exploring the world of fragrance, once again immersing themselves in a sensory experience that is both delightful and unforgettable.
The central area of Grasse is compact, making it easy to explore on foot. One or two days are enough to discover the town and enjoy its fragrant atmosphere.


Travel Tips (Non-Commercial Recommendations):
- Transportation: There is a train connection between Grasse and Nice, so simply purchase your ticket and you’re set to travel.
- Perfume Workshops: All three major perfume brands offer their own workshops, but it’s recommended to book in advance through their official websites.
- Perfume Factory Tours: No reservation is needed for factory tours, but be aware that the store guides earn commissions from your purchases.
- Galimard Perfume Workshop: This workshop is located farther from the town center, and public transport may involve long waits, so plan your transportation accordingly.
- Brand Stores: Each of the three perfume brands has stores in Grasse and in the village of Èze, and some are said to also have branches in Paris.