THE SCENT OF GRASSE
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"Cannes is for living, Monte-Carlo for
gambling and Menton for dying". Such was the Victorian perspective on the
Côte d’Azur. But what about Grasse, the celebrated resort situated on the
slopes of the lower Alps? Nothing too scathing, I expect, on the grounds that
the good Queen Victoria herself spent a good many winters there towards the
latter part of her long and imperious reign. She might not have been amused -
but she certainly would have returned to both Buckingham Palace and Balmoral
smelling absolutely delightful, for the ancient town of Grasse has been the
heart and soul of the French perfume industry for the best part of 300 years.
Although less famous than its glitzy and
glamorous neighbours of Cannes and Nice (thirty and fifty minute drives
respectively) Grasse is well worth a visit. Cradled by sheltering hills and
surrounded by flowers, it is an ideal place to appreciate the acute contrast
between the Côte d’Azur and its bucolic hinterland, with breathtaking views all
the way down to the Med. But what makes it truly unique is that at virtually
any time of the year the air is laden with fragrance; golden mimosa flowers in
March; acres of roses waiting to be picked and lavender to be processed in
early summer - and the tiny white starts and heavy perfume of jasmine appearing
as you edge towards the autumn. Hardly surprising, then, that Grasse should
have been the birthplace of virtually every perfume of repute, including Coco
Chanel’s No. 5 back in the early 1920s.
More about perfumes in uno momento.
But it would be a mistake to be lulled into thinking that there is nothing more
to this enchanting little town than merely the enticing scent of Grasse. For
back in the 12th century Grasse was a miniature republic, no less,
allied to Pisa and Genoa and thus a focal point for local power. Half a
millennium on the fashion for perfumed gloves (masking the undesirable smell of
the populace!) was introduced by Catherine de Medici. This encouraged the
development of the perfume industry - but it was not until the 18th
century that tanning and perfumery began to develop as separate trades.
Nowadays the town tends to handle mainly imported raw materials, but it is
still possible to see vast mountains of rose petals vats of jonquils and
spadefuls of violets and orange blossom waiting to be processed each and every
morning.
Of course you would be unlikely to get
sloshed on them, but perfumes are essentially alcoholic solutions. The flowers
must be picked early, when the oil is most concentrated. But did you know that
it takes enormous quantities of blooms to produce even the tiniest amounts of
perfume? About 750 kg of roses for just 1kg of rose ‘absolute’, about 4,000 kg
for kg of essential oil. Part of the explanation, needless to say, as to why
the prices of some perfumes soar sky high. Of the basic methods of extracting the
scent, two of the oldest remain in use to this day. Steam distillation is now
mainly used for orange blossom; flowers and water are boiled in a still and the
essential oils extracted by steam. A more expensive method, mainly used for
jasmine and tuberose, is enfleurage; in which flowers are layered
with lard which becomes impregnated with the scent before being washed out with
alcohol. More modern methods include extraction by volatile solvents.
Fine perfumes may contain more than 100
ingredients, each perfume composed of a top note (the refreshing,
volatile odour perceived immediately) a middle note (providing the full,
solid character) and an end note - generally the most consistent. And
just so you can impress your friends when doing the rounds of the perfumeries
of Grasse, here’s a beginner’s guide to more immediately identifiable dominant
odours:
·
Floral group (jasmine,
rose, lily of the valley, gardenia)
·
Spicy blends (carnation,
clove, cinnamon, nutmeg)
·
Woody group (vetiver,
sandalwood, cedarwood)
·
Mossy family (oak moss)
·
Orientals (woody, mossy,
spicy oats combined with vanilla, balsam, musk, civet)
·
Herbal group (clover and
sweet grass)
·
Leather-tobacco group
(leather, tobacco, birch tar)
·
Men’s fragrances
(citrus, spice, leather, lavender, fern, woody)
Phew! So now you know. But did you also know
the correct name for a person highly trained in the art of perfumery? A person
who can identify and classify hundreds of fragrances, subtly blending together
different ‘chords’ of scent to create a harmonious combination that will
radiate around the body in a slow process of diffusion that the French refer to
as sillage? Why, that person is a nose, of course.
I met one by chance the other day whilst researching this article in Grasse. If
you are not careful it can be the mother-of-all conversation killers. "And
what do you do", he inquired of me. "Oh, I’m a journalist", I
replied. "And you?" "Moi", he informed me in
a most matter of fact tone, "I am a nose." Now you tell me - whatever
do you say after that?
Since perfume (from the Latin per fumum,
incidentally, which means ‘through smoke’) established the renown of Grasse,
you might think that it would entirely fitting for there to be a museum
honouring this enticing hybrid between science and art. And you would be right.
Step forward, or rather step into, the Musée de la Parfumerie
which gives you a compelling account of the history and technical development
as the centuries have slipped by. From perfumed compositions made with natural
(plant and animal) or synthetic raw materials, the Museum skillfully presents
everything you could possibly want to know, and more, in the steps necessary to
create a perfume. Housed in an elegant 18th-century mansion, you can
witness the entire history and manufacturing processes of perfume, in addition
to seeing a beautiful collection of related items from exquisite perfume
bottles to Marie-Antoinette’s travelling case. Who knows, you might even end up
as a nose yourself! In fact at the Parfumerie Galimard’s Studio des Fragrances you
can do emerge as a nose-designate after a fascinating 2-hour guided tour, upon
the completion of which you are awarded a diploma certifying the completion of
your seminar as an Honorary Master Perfumer. Touristy? Of course - but
nonetheless thoroughly enjoyable and informative for that.
Try to make your visit coincide with the
Jasmine Festival of Grasse, which this year takes place between 6th
and 9th August. For during this time-honoured féte the
town truly comes to life with bands and folk groups from all over France and
Europe, as the Queen of the festival and her companions throw flowers and
jasmine water onto the cheering crowds from splendidly decorated flowers in a
festival reminiscent of Jersey’s equally historic Battle of the Flowers.
So why not take a leaf out of Queen
Victoria’s book? Take you mind away from the sun, sand and sea - at least for a
day or so. And when on the Côte d’Azur make sure that you find sufficient time
to put yourself out to Grasse!
Ends.
*Musée de la Parfumerie
8 place du Cours Honoré Cresp, Grasse 06332
Tel: +33 (4) 93 36 80 20
*Parfumerie Galimard
Le Studio des Fragrances
Route de Pégomas, BP 65, Grasse 06332
Tel: +33 (4) 93 09 2000
Fax: + 33 (4) 93 70 36 22
The main Web site of freelance writer Jeremy
Josephs is at www.jeremyjosephs.com Please check there if you might be interested in
engaging him as a writer. Many of his articles are available online. Please
check the sitemap for a complete list.