France has given the world a lot of amazing artistic masterpiece be it in fashion, art, entertainment or food. But France has also given the world Grasse, which is the world capital of perfumeries. When in Grasse there’s aroma everywhere. This little town is where perfumes started orchestrating the olfactory of the humans. History says that the city was not a place for fragrances initially. It was land that was once had a strong business in leather products and tanning. The smell of leather was annoying to the locals and the visitors. Therefore a local tanner named Jean de Galimard decided to invent perfumed gloves for the workers. A while later the aroma was so liked the people of Grasse that scented gloves became a status quo for all the aristocrats. And it was then the world got its favorite brand the Gallimard in the year 1714.

Currently, the beautiful city of Grasse has multiple perfumery institutes, museums, and shops that employ near about half the town. Perfumery is the civic exercise that every resident of Grasse indulges in. What else is better if not perfumes? The city is such an expert in perfumes that even while you have lunch and coffee, any random stranger could tell you the best fragrance based on your preference. Grasse also lets you make your perfumes. Maybe this is why Grasse is the sweetest smelling city on the entire planet.

With such an international reputation, I had to travel to Grasse sooner. I was anyway visiting Paris for a family occasion, so I figured out a way to plan my one day trip to Grasse. Once I booked my low-cost airline deals to Grasse from FareFerry, I set my tour to witness the mastery of perfumes myself. By the way, the nearest airport to the city is Cannes-Mandelieu Airport. I did not know about this until I called the FareFerry customer service asking them to book airline tickets. They informed that the city hardly 10 miles away from Cannes. God! I was so thankful. Once I reached Grasse, I immediately wanted to visit the famous museums and churches. These are the places I visited.

Musée international de la parfumerie de Grasse – I LOVED IT! Having the opportunity to explore the history of perfumes, its cultural and manufacturing process, I left the museum feeling a little overwhelmed. The aroma was too sweet and fruity for my personality. Ah! Nostalgia is still kicking me hard.

Grasse Cathedral – Enough about the perfumeries. Since my visit to the museum caused me a nose block, I decided to take a short break before I head the market to buy the perfumes. I wanted to see the historical landmarks of the city. So I visited this Roman Catholic Church. Fantastic view and even this smelled amazing.

Visit a perfume store – Grasse lets you make your perfume. I was lost. I wanted to gift my family back to Paris a few of the best scents, so I custom made based on their personalities. I was so overwhelmed by the fragrance and aroma at the store than I had to smell and drink a lot of coffee. But trust me it was all worth the pain.

And then I took my flight back to Paris at night. My entire Grasse experience was one hell of a kind because firstly I do not make one-day trips, and secondly, I had never experience France at this olfactory level ever. The city is surrounded by natural beauty and is a place every French culture lover should witness. I wish to come back here and discover the city without keeping the fragrance perspective in mind but to relax and admire the French Rivera.