Orange Blossom and Jasmine Sambac; base notes are Patchouli, Vanilla, Ambroxan and Vetiver.
Grasse Jasmine Festival: flower power wins in Provence!
Jasmines are widely cultivated for the characteristic fragrance of their flowers.
Jasmine may be a small flower but the power of its heavenly scent – as well as the exquisite fragrances of other blooms grown here, including roses, mimosa, lavender and orange blossom – has attracted the world’s best perfume houses and “noses”, creating a thriving perfume industry that has provided thousands of jobs for the region. And every summer, for three sweet perfumed days,
Grasse pays homage in extravagant style to the flower that has shaped the town’s destiny for centuries.
By the 1700s, more flowers than ever were being grown in the fields. Ever more prestigious perfume houses flocked to the town, concocting scents so sublime that Grasse soon became known as the perfume capital of the world.
Hotel le Patti £
Pretty, if small, rooms located in the heart of the Old Town with friendly staff and free Wi-Fi (0033 4 9336 0100; hotelpatti.com; doubles from £55).
