Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
COL DE VENCE
The northbound D2 from Vence leads to photogenic
Coursegoules
, a hilltop village with
11th-century castle ruins and fortifications, via Col de Vence (963m), a mountain pass of-
fering good views of the
baous
(rocky promontories) typical of this region.
The landscape across these lofty plateaux is very arid, a far cry from the orchards and
lush valleys around the Loup River. A number of trails criss-cross the area; walkers
should use Guides RandOxygène (
Click here
)
for itinerary suggestions (paper copies
available at tourist offices).
Grasse
POP 53,150
It is the abundance of water in the hills that helped turn Grasse into a perfume centre. Tan-
ners, who needed reliable water supplies to clean their hides, first settled here in the
Middle Ages. With the advent of perfumed gloves in the 1500s, the art of perfumery took
shape. Glove makers split from the tanners and set up lucrative perfumeries. New irriga-
tion techniques allowed flower growing to boom, sealing Grasse's reputation as the world
fragrance capital.
Today, Grasse is still surrounded by jasmine, centifolia roses, mimosa, orange blossom
and violet fields, but the industry, which counts some 30 perfumeries, is rather discreet,
with only a handful offering tours of their facilities.
CORINNE MARIE-TOSELLO, PERFUMER IN
GRASSE
Corinne Marie-Tosello has two routes to work: one through olive groves, the other one through fields overlooking
the sea. Most people would revel in the view, but Corinne revels in the smells: she runs the 'olfactory training' of
perfumery Fragonard's staff (scent identification, production process, types of perfumes etc) and also works as an
olfactory consultant (she advises on scents for incense, candles and so on).
Apart from the perfumeries, where else can you learn about Grasse's perfume industry?
The flower fields
around Grasse, such as the Bastide aux Violettes (
Click here
)
, the Domaine de Manon (
Click here
)
or the Jardins
