Patrick's Perfumes: Impressions from Grasse

It starts at the airport in Nice. As the first suitcases are still doing their lonely rounds on the baggage reclaim conveyor belt, my bladder makes itself known. Luckily, the toilet is right next door and my bag is nowhere to be seen. Once I've taken a deep breath and in anticipation of the usual odour nuisance of public toilets, I'm standing at the urinal shortly afterwards and can hardly believe it. It smells nice here. Oh, what am I saying: it smells good here. While the toilets at railway stations and airports usually make me either want to vomit or flee, here I am almost disappointed when the business is done. It makes you want to do an extra round.

The next pleasant olfactory encounter is not long in coming. At the airport information desk, I ask for the bus to Grasse. While the friendly lady at the counter explains the way to the bus station, my nose catches the scent of a passing gentleman. He smells fantastic. "Pardon, quel est le parfum you're wearing," (my French is mediocre) I want to ask him, but then leave it at that.

Whether airport toilets in Nice, restaurants and souvenir shops in Antibes or large and small perfumeries in Grasse: the next few days are a feast for my nose.

La vie en rose

About 20 kilometres north of Cannes lies Grasse, the world capital of perfume with around 52,000 inhabitants. As the setting for Patrick Süskind's 1985 novel "Perfume" and the 2006 film adaptation, the holiday resort in the hinterland of the French Riviera became famous around the world. But it is also architecturally attractive. The striking townscape is characterised by small narrow streets, elegant 19th century palaces and magnificent 17th and 18th century buildings.

The climatic conditions here are ideal for growing some sensitive plants such as jasmine, tuberose or Rosa centifolia, also known as the "May rose" in France. It blooms in May, but characterises the cityscape all year round. Pink umbrellas are stretched several metres high over the alleyways and streets of the city. They bathe life in a pink light during the day.

This weekend in early August, however, a different plant takes centre stage: the town celebrates the Jasmine Festival. Grasse has been celebrating the small white flower every year since 1946.

Molinard, Fragonard and Galimard

Three large perfume houses characterise the town: Molinard, Fragonard and Galimard. In between, countless small shops invite you to take a look around at every turn.

In addition to the Musée International de la Parfumerie, founded in 1989, the Maison Fragonard also exhibits objects on the topic of perfume.

The Musée International tells the story of perfumery: raw materials, production, industry, innovation, trade, design and use are thematised in very different forms in the exhibition. Art objects, decorative art, textiles, archaeological evidence, individual pieces and industrial forms are all on display.

Holidays for the nose

After a week in the land of perfume bliss, I'm back at the airport in Nice. While anticipation was the predominant feeling on arrival, I am now feeling nostalgic in the departure lounge. It was a holiday for the nose. I have never taken so many good olfactory memories home with me from any other place in the world as from here. I'm almost tempted to make a quick stop in the toilet, even though I don't have to.

PS: As a souvenir of my trip to Grasse, I treated myself to a Molinard fig fragrance. On the one hand, because I'm a fan of perfumes with fig. And on the other, because the sweet aroma caught my nose as soon as I entered the boutique in the old town centre.

My name is Patrick. Bardelli, not Süskind. Like the author of the book "Perfume". Nevertheless, I am also a perfume fan and write here from time to time about good and bad fragrances. You can be sure of my textual vapours if you follow me as an author. Always follow my nose.