Grasse town, Alpes-Maritimes
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Grasse - by Lylambda (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Description
Grasse is a town in the Alpes-Maritimes department, in the Southwest of France, about 20km inland from Cannes. It is considered the world's capital of perfume, having been the center of the French perfume industry since the 18th century thanks to a micro-climate ideal for flowers farming. The main production is natural raw materials (e.g. essential oils and molecular distillation) and many "noses" are trained there to learn to distinguish up to 2,000 kinds of scent. Highlights of the town include perfumeries tours (e.g. Molinard, Fragonard or Galimard), the International Perfume Museum, the monumental gate of the Hôtel de ville, Place aux Aires and the Palais des congrès, the Provence Art & History Museum, the Saracen Tower, and the various old streets.
Access & Transport
Grasse is located 40km to the west of Nice and 17km northwest of Cannes. There are regional trains linking the town with both Nice (65mins) and Cannes (25mins). The train station is about 500m south of the center of town.
Instructions & Recommendations
We suggest combining this activity with one of the following visits: 1) the village of Mougins with its Classic Art Museum, 2) The Chateau de Gourdon (15km to the northeast) with the nearby Waterfalls of Saut du Loup, or 3) the Saint Cézaire Cave (15km to the west).
Environmental & Social
Most of the activities are environmentally neutral and help to preserve the city's manufacturing, cultural and architectural heritages.
Conclusion
Grasse combines a very unique background (perfume) with a pleasant and typically Provencal atmosphere that compensates the relative lack of monuments within town with several visit-worthy attractions in the area (30mins drive range). An excellent option when planning a day trip from the Cote d'Azur riviera or a regional itinerary.
Key positive
Best place to learn about perfumes
Charming center of town
Key negative
No top-tier attraction to see in town besides perfume museums / shops
Suitability
Most of the town is accessible for visitors with reduced mobility but it is unclear if the major buildings / museums are.
About this Rating
TYPE
Desktop
RESEARCHED IN
June 2024
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:0h 40m
est. visit time:3h
Sunrise / early morningNo
MorningOk
Lunch timeOk
AfternoonOk
Sunset / eveningOk
Night – bef. midnightNo
Night – aft. midnightNo