The Fragrant City of Grasse, Perfume Capital of the World
Julie Szimon discovers the intricate world of perfume making in the Grasse. Images courtesy of Shelley Lamantia.
Grasse, located in Provence, is the perfume capital of the world. It’s mild temperatures and sunshine make Grasse the perfect place for growing perfume-yielding flowers. Grasse originally was known for it’s tanning industry until Catherine of Medici made scented gloves popular. This then grew into the perfume industry.
We visited the Fragonard Perfumery, one of the last family-owned perfume factories in Grasse, and were given a tour of how perfume is made. Our guide walked us through the laboratory explaining the process of extracting the scents from the flowers. Some flowers are washed and put into huge copper vats. They are then heated with water and the steam travels up the tubing and is captured. Some of the more delicate flowers like jasmine cannot be washed. They are laid on screens lined with animals fat to draw the scent out of the flower. When each flower dries up, it is replaced with another for approximately one month. We were also shown large glass containers that hold the essential oils that are extracted from the plants. In the essential oils laboratory run by a professional figure labeled a “nose” in French, scents are mixed at an organ-like work station to create new perfumes. A “nose” studies for many years and is highly regarded and highly paid in the industry. They are like famous wine makers or chefs who have incredible palates. From the moment you walk into the museum, the smell of perfume surrounds your body. It is amazing that with all that scent floating in the air you are still able to pick out the perfume that has a high concentration of rose or a fresh clean citrus smell.
