Grasse | French Riviera - Cote d'Azur

Grasse (Provençal Occitan: Grassa in classical norm or Grasso in Mistralian norm) is a town and an episcopal see in southeast France.

It is a commune of the Alpes Maritimes département (of which it is a sous-préfecture) on the French Riviera.

The town is between the mountains and the sea, 17 kilometres from Cannes and 34 kilometres from Nice.

Probably founded in Roman times, it was a commercial centre during the Middle Ages.

Destroyed many times by the Saracens, it was an independent republic at the beginning of the 12th century until its union with the earldom of Provence in 1226.

In 1536 the town was destroyed by Francis I to prevent the advance of Emperor Charles V.

Surrounded by fields of flowers and rose gardens, Grasse is a centre of the French perfume industry and is known as the world's perfume capital (la capitale mondiale des parfums).

Points of interest include a splendid early Gothic cathedral (12th century); a town hall built partially in the Middle Ages; and a museum containing paintings by Jean Honoré Fragonard, who was born in Grasse.

The two most important parts of your visit are the old town and the museums.

You can discover the old town on your own just by walking about the shaded streets enjoying the architectural treasures as you come across them.

You can rent a portable tape at the tourist office and follow the arrows while listening to the history of Grasse.

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Perfume

Besides all of the traditional museums in town one mustn't forget that it is the foremost city in the world for perfumes.

Here you will find others perfume museums and even perfume factories to visit.

The town wouldn't be complete without a museum that tells the whole history of perfume.

From the fact that parfume started out to be very popular in modern times as a means to make gloves smell nicer in the 16th century.

Grasse, having a very important leather industry, immediately embraced this new development, a choice that now seems to have been a very wise one.

In the museum one however shows the 3000 years history of the city: perfumes!

Quite interesting are also the memorabilia, among which the travel-beauty case of Marie-Antoinette.

The city has had a prospering perfume industry since the end of the 18th century.

It produces over two-thirds of France's natural aromas (for perfume and for food flavourings).

This industry turns over more than 600 million € a year!

Grasse's particular microclimate encouraged the flower farming industry.

It is warm and far enough inland to be sheltered from the sea air.

There is an abundance of water, thanks to its situation in the hills and the 1860 construction of the Siagne canal for irrigation.

The town is 350 m above sea level and 20 km from the Coast.

Jasmine, a key ingredient of many perfumes, was brought to the South of France by the Moors, in the 16th century.

Twenty-seven tonnes of jasmine are now harvested here every year.

There are numerous "parfumeries" in town, each with tours and a museum.

Fragonard, Galimard and Molinard are the wordwide known and the most visited.

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Ecclesiastical History

In the 13th century, the see of Antibes was transferred to the city.

Bishops of Grasse worthy of mention are: Cardinal Agostino Trivulzio (1537-1648); the poet Antoine Godeau (1636-53), one of the most celebrated habitués of the Hôtel de Rambouillet, where he was nicknamed "Julia's dwarf" on account of his small stature.

The arrondissement of of the town was separated from the diocese of Fréjus in 1886, and given to the bishopric of Nice which since unites the three former Dioceses of Nice, Grasse and Vence.

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Festivals

There is an annual Fête du Jasmin or La Jasminade, at the beginning of August.

Big event! Decorated floats drive through the town, with young women in skimpy costumes on board, throwing flowers onto the crowds.

This is known as the "flower battle" and everyone gets soaked by the natural perfume of the flowers.

There are also fireworks, free parties, folk music groups and street performers.

There is also an annual international exhibition of roses ("Expo Rose").

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Twin Towns

The town is twinned with:

• Ingolstadt, Germany.
• Opole, Poland.
• L'Ariana, Tunisia.
• Carrara, Italy.
• Murcia, Spain.
• Marblehead, Massachusetts, United States.

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Virtual Tours

Choose your viewer, Quicktime or Java by clicking on the corresponding logo.

Old town Cathedral plaza Virtual tours courtesy of Philippe Laval for this page. Place Roustan Place de la Poissonnerie Le Cirier de Grasse (handicraft) Rue de l'Oratoire Rue de la Délivrance (and other different locations on the French Riviera) Virtual tours courtesy of VRMAG Project for this page.

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Useful Links and Resources

• City Council Official Website (French only).
• Tourism Official Website.
• The Riviera Times Website (English newspaper).
• The Riviera Reporter Website (English magazine).
• Riviera Radio Website (English radio).
• International Radio Website (English radio).

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