Since the end of the 18th century, Grasse has been at the forefront of the perfume industry. Now deemed the capital of perfume, people travel from across the globe to Grasse, to learn the art of perfumery.
The reason why Grasse is so prominent in the perfume world is due to its location. It’s warm, not too close to the coastline, yet has enough water nearby (due to the hills surrounding it). 27 tonnes (2700kg) of jasmine are harvested every year, just from the area of Grasse.
And not only does it supply the world with the aromas for many well-known perfumes, it also gives aromas for food flavouring such as ice cream.
Chanel is known for having its own plantation of roses and jasmine in Grasse, with Grasse being the main source for Chanel No. 5.
The fields for Chanel have remained the same since 1921, meaning Chanel No 5 has never had its formula or scent changed over the years.
Each day, 100-200kg of Jasmine is picked by harvesters, with the flowers immediately processed to ensure their aromas are captured as soon as possible before they fade.
According to Chanel, one bottle of Chanel No 5 contains a thousand jasmine flowers and 12 May roses. That’s a lot of flowers!
The fields, however, are not open to the public, but there’s an International Perfume Museum with two hectares of flowers, including roses, orange blossom, jasmine, and more.
The perfume business in Grasse is huge. Approximately 3,500 people are employed across the three main perfumeries, along with about 10,000 locals (harvesters, pickers, etc.).
Each year, in August, to celebrate the start of the jasmine harvest, Grasse throws a festival called Fête du Jasmin (Festival of Jasmin). The town enjoys fireworks, events, and a flower parade down the main street of Grasse.
For those who are especially interested in becoming perfumers, there’s a school called the Grasse Institute of Perfumery, located in the centre of Grasse.
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