The 20 Best Things to do in Grasse, France
Grasse is one of the biggest tourist destinations in France. It has a rich history and is well known for its perfume industry. It has three perfumeries you can tour and a museum for making perfume. Moreover, you can visit the farms where they harvest sweet-smelling flowers for fragrance. Therefore if you are a perfume lover, visit Grasse, France, and have your mind blown away. However, it has much more to offer tourists apart from perfumeries and museums. It also takes pride in having a lush nature, distilleries, creameries, and adventure parks.
20. You can visit the Parfumerie Fragonard
You can tour the Parafumerie Fragonard, which has a major smell in Grasse. It is where the flowers are distilled for their fragrance and then bottled. While you are in this place, you will end up with a huge emporium, and you will not resist the temptation of wanting to buy perfume. If the fragrance does not fascinate you enough, you can sign up for the “Perfumer’s Apprentice.” It is a workshop perfume at Fragonard. The workshop is normally competitive; therefore, you must sign up early.
In this workshop, you will meet up with qualified perfumers and experience different fragrances from different designers. You will learn how to design a perfume from the heart, head, and base. The workshop lasts nine minutes, and you will experience the best fragrances in this world.
19. You can take a Tour of the Domaine de Royrie
Grasse has the perfect environment for olive farming. There are also many ancient cultures on the hillside and plateaux of hemming town. Moreover, the Domaine de Royrie has an olive grove planted by the monks (of Lernis Abbey) in the 1400s. On your visit, you will uncover the history of different venerated trees. You will learn how to press and pick olives and the maintenance of the soil. You will see vegetable garden estates and small houses of the 1700s where plantation peasants lived. Moreover, at the end of the tour, you will have a tasting session to detect different flavors and scents of their oils that have won awards.
18. Visiting the International Museum of Perfume
The museum opened in 1989. It has all the cradle of the French Perfume. According to Wandering Carols, it was opened to promote and safeguard the heritage of scents in Grasse. That explains why the French value their rich history of perfume. The history explains how a project such as the Siagne Canal and historic trade is tied to this museum. You will encounter 3,000 years old of perfume history. You can also smell several petals found in the museum’s rooftop garden. As you tour the museum, look for Egypt’s ancient bottles of perfume and the travel toiletry set of Marie Antoinette. Moreover, check out the different aromatic sensing points in the museum for different ingredients and scents.
17. The Frangonard Villa –Museum
The villa museum should not be confused with the Fragonard Perfumerie. The museum is a 17th-century house where Jean Honore Fragonard lived. He was a painter and Grasse’s son. He lived in this country house during the time of the French revolution. Fragonard is known for his cheeky late-rococo and lyrical paintings about love. As you visit the museum, you will see the house is decorated with thirteen paintings of Fragonard. Palm trees also shelter the garden. Moreover, the gorgeousness of the estate will make you want to pose for a picture. Apart from the thirteen paintings, there are other drawings by Jean in this villa. There are also replicas of four paintings created for Maitresse-en Tire, Madame du Barry to Louis XV, and Game of Love.
16. The Museum of History and Art in Provence
This museum is located at 2 Rue Mirabeau Grasse, France. It is an ochre-walled house built for Marquis of Cabris, who was a key player during the French Revolution. As you tour the museum, you will see archaeology galleries, ceramics, and art. In the art gallery, there are paintings of Charles Negre. He was a pioneer of photography during the 1800s. Moreover, in this residence, you will find a collection of weapons, textiles, furniture, and porcelain.
15. Indulge in Taking Champagne Cristian Senez
If you are a wine lover, this is the place to tour. According to Trip101, Champagne Cristian Senez dates back to 1973. It boasts of having a wide selection of exemplary wine experiences. Therefore visit and experience the wine culture and vineyard of France. The Champagne Cristian Senez wine company has existed for half a century and continues to provide tourists and locals with good wine quality. Moreover, this is the place to visit if you want to learn more about wine.
14. Visiting the Gorges du Loup
It is located fifteen minutes north of Grasse. It has beautiful wild scenery, with titanic walls of limestone rock. Moreover, it has a canyon that has three waterfalls. How you enjoy, the view of this beautiful Gorges du Loup is up to you. You do not have to leave your car during a magnificent whirlwind visit. Drive through the serpentine D3 and D6, tracking the Loup River path from opposite sides. Moreover, you may decide to access the visitor center. It has turnstiles and walkways for viewing the Gorge in all directions.
13. Attend the Jasmine Festival
The Jasmine festival happens for three days, and the whole city becomes flooded with these flowers that have an enchanting scent. According to Travelvibe, the Jasmine Festival has been there for 70 years and is held annually in August.
If you tour Grasse when August is beginning, make sure you attend this festival. Dozens of highly decorated jasmine flowers are normally all over the streets. Moreover, the festival has street performers, brass bands, and folk groups; therefore, do not miss it.
12. The Gourdon
The Gourdon has a village squeezed up high on a small perch. The village has a nickname (Eagle’s Nest). Moreover, the beautiful stone village is 700metres above the popular Loup valley. You will also see the chateau, dating back to the 1100s; however, you cannot go inside but pass by the parterre. The Gourdon provides beautiful scenery for bird watching. During summer afternoons, the small village is normally heavy with tourists.
11. Take a Trip to Cannes
Explore Cannes, where you will learn and appreciate the heritage and nature of Grasse. Canne has the best things to offer, such as visiting the Haute Ville. You will also see the whole city in a panoramic view surrounded by blue seawater (blue). You will also go to the Vieux Port for fishing or take a ride in a pleasure boat and cruise the blue sea along Croisette. It is the most popular promenade worldwide. If you are into shopping, Rue Meynadier has various shops for different items.
10. Local Gastronomy
Grasse is surrounded by countryside, giving it access to unique delicacies and a constant supply of fresh produce. Therefore when you visit this place, enjoy the different delicacies such as Fougassette. It is flavored with orange blossom, and you enjoy it with hot chocolate or coffee.
The best main course in Grasse is Fassum, which is cabbage leaves stuffed with green vegetables, pork, and bacon. There is also a classic peasant recipe that involves slow cooking of casserole with bacon, lemons, shallots, hearts, and artichoke. Pumpkin pie is enriched with latticed pastry, orange blossom water, and vanilla essence during Christmas. Therefore when in Grasse, make sure you try all these different foods.
9. A Tour to Domaine de Manon
If you want a unique experience of the Grasse perfume, you should plan a visit to the Domaine de Manon. This lovely flower farm is 7 kilometers southeast of Grasse. Moreover, according to Lonelyplanet, this farm has been cultivating jasmine and centifolia roses for three generations. Currently, the farm supplies Dior. If you plan to tour, you need to be aware of their tour schedule for visitors. Touring takes place from late August to the middle of October for the jasmine flower. For roses, it takes place from early May to the middle of June every Tuesday at 9:00 am. Therefore plan yourself and enjoy the fragrance of these beautiful flowers.
8. The Fondation Maeght
It is a museum containing the modern art of Colline des Gardettes. It is located southeast of Grasse and was established by Aime Maeght and Marguerite. When you visit this museum, you will see sculptures, collages, paintings, modern art, and ceramics. Spanish architect Josep Lluis Sert designed the building. Moreover, when you tour this museum, you will encounter more than 11000 pieces of art, and it prides itself on hosting on average 180,000 visitors per year.
7. Visiting Grotte Saint –Cezaire
It is a twenty-minute drive west of Grasse, and you will cover a network of five kilometers of underground chambers. Vintner discovered them in 1888. However, at three hundred meters, you will only see stalactites, aragonite, and soda straws. During summer, when there is heat, you will see a stalactite of 1.5 meters formed over 140,000years and encounter a bottomless chasm if you go deeper into the caves.
6. Touring the Provencal Jewellery and Costumes Museum
It is located at the gateway of Grasse town in a beautiful mansion, which was the home of Marquise de Cabris. According to Usinesparfun Fragonard, the museum is home to Jewellery and clothing of 18th century to 19th century. Therefore if you are into clothing and Jewellery, this is the place you must visit. The clothing and Jewellery included earrings, crosses, chatelaines, droulets, corsets, caracos, and skirts. Moreover, the dresses have been put in individual jars in the center of the room to allow you to see the front and backside.
5. The Lavender Fields
The lavender fields are fascinating and attractive. If your dream has been to visit these fields, it is time you went to Grasse. They are the perfect environment for outdoor photography, especially when they are in their full glow. However, you must make sure your timing is right. The best time to visit these fields is from mid-June up to mid-July. During this time, they bloom; make sure to experience and capture every moment.
4. Experience de Saint Donat
If you like golf, you will enjoy playing on this golf course. It is located between Cannes and Nice. It is between the mountains and the sea, making it the most beautiful course on the Riviera in Grasse, France. This place has an 18-hole course par seven and a 9-hole course par 3, making it perfect for both expert and novice players. It is a good environment to hone your golf skills.
3. Experience the Riviera Nature
The Riviera nature has an exceptional park ideal for families and groups. It has a cabin where you can stay overnight or for several nights. The cabin has comfortable beds and is equipped with everything necessary you may need. According to visittheFrenchRiviera, the Riviera nature is an excellent choice for family excursions. The park has many activities to ensure children are entertained and enjoy their time. If you also love picnics, this park has umbrellas, chairs, and tables. It also has a barbecue area to ensure your lunch is sorted.
2. Have Some of La Nouvelle Cremerie
If you are a fan of dairy products and cheese, you should visit this place if you are in Grasse, France. They have a wide variety of dairy products that will astonish you. This shop also offers fresh eggs, butter, yogurt, and cheese. Marie and Pierre own it, and the shop always has tourists from different parts of the world. Moreover, you can be sure everything you purchase from here is fresh, and you will be uplifting the local business in the area.
1. Visit the Le Puy Cathedral
Plan to visit this cathedral if you love old churches, temples, and sanctuaries. It resembles a ship, and it was built during the Gothic Age. It is the oldest Marian Sanctuary in Europe. Moreover, the pilgrims have been using the sanctuary since the V century. From this sanctuary, all the popular routes of Pilgrim to Santiago started here. The cathedral is a blend of Baroque elements influenced by several Italian, Mozarabic, and byzantine. Moreover, it forms the highest point in the city and is a state monument.
