France - Provence-Alps-Côte d’Azur

Parfumerie Gallimard

A Karen Brown Recommendation

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).

Located along this Karen Brown Itinerary:

Hilltowns of the French Riviera

Traveler Reviews:
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Nearby Hotels and Bed & Breakfasts:
Listed Alphabetically, Not By Distance.

• L’ Auberge des Seigneurs et du Lion d’Or
• Bastide aux Oliviers at Vence
• Bastide Saint Mathieu
• Le Cagnard
• Château de la Chèvre d’Or
• Château Eza
• La Colline de Vence
• Hôtel la Colombe d’Or
• Hôtel le Hameau
• Le Manoir de L’Etang
• La Mas Samarcande
• Les Moulins de Ramatuelle
• Romantik Hotel La Ferme d’Augustin
• Romantik Hotel La Grande Bastide
• Les Rosées
• Hôtel Le Saint-Paul
• Villa d’Estelle
• Villa Panko
• Le Yaca