Parfumerie Fragonard

At the heart of a region of lavender, roses, carnations, violets, jasmine, olives, and oranges is the hilltown of Grasse. Grasse’s initial industry was the tanning of imported sheepskins from Provence and Italy. It was Catherine de Medicis who introduced the concept of perfume when she commissioned scented gloves from the town in a trade agreement with Tuscany. When gloves fell out of fashion and their sales dwindled, the town refocused on the perfume industry. The town is constantly growing, but the old section is fun to wander through. Interesting tours of perfume factories are given in English by Fragonard (at 20 Boulevard Fragonard and at Les 4 Chemins), Molinard (60 Boulevard Victor-Hugo), and Gallimard (73 Route de Cannes).