A fragrant and immersive journey into the heart of the French Riviera

By Valérie Roustan, Skål International Côte d’Azur

Between the Mediterranean Sea and the Southern Alps, the medieval city of Grasse leans gracefully against the mountains at 350 meters. With its mild climate and charming streets blending Genoese and Provencal architecture, Grasse, a classified City of Art and History, invites travelers to discover an exceptional destination.

Grasse is renowned globally as the world's perfume capital. This status was cemented when its historic expertise (cultivating perfume plants, understanding natural raw materials, and fragrance composition) was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The region’s microclimate fosters exquisite flowers like the iconic Rose Centifolia, Jasmine Grandiflorum, and Tuberose, inspiring master perfumers worldwide.

To share this living heritage, the Grasse Tourism Office proposes the "Chemins Parfumés" (Fragrant Pathways): immersive visits and workshops inviting travelers to hand-pick flowers, witness the distillation process, and compose their own perfumes.

Two local members of Skål International Côte d’Azur offer exceptional ways to experience this fragrant world firsthand.

At Galimard, a historic perfume house founded in 1747, visitors can create their unique fragrance. Through renowned composition workshops, guests sit at a perfumer's organ, learn the delicate fragrance architecture, and compose their own signature scent to take home.

This sensory immersion continues at the Domaine de la Cascade Parfumée. This 18th-century historic bastide is beautifully restored into an eco-chic boutique estate. Here, guided by passionate hosts, visitors harvest seasonal flowers by hand in magnificent terraced gardens and use a traditional glass alembic to extract their very own floral essence.

Combining Grasse's cultural roots with the luxurious comfort of spacious suites, the Domaine de la Cascade Parfumée transforms a holiday into a captivating sensory journey. It is the perfect place to experience the authentic, fragrant soul of the French Riviera.