recorded for posterity

recorded for posterity (and future orders as Iloved it!).What to see aroundGrasseThree big names inGrasse:Galimard – the first to perfume glovesin Grasse – a bath of lavender, jasmine,roses, wild orange blossom, mimosa andmyrtle.Molinard – established in 1849, whenchemist J Molinard opened a shop inGrasse – his clients included QueenVictoria.Fragonard – founded in 1926 by EugeneFuchs who named his perfumery inhonour Grasse-born painter Jean-HonoréFragonard, son of a perfume maker. You cansee some of his most famous paintings in theFragonard Museum in Grasse (next to theParfumerie Fragonard) as well as a paintingcommissioned for the 13th Cathedral ofGrasse which is well worth a visit.Streets shaded by umbrellas the colour of the May RoseWander the pink umbrella (the colour of thefamous May Rose) shaded streets, admirestunning street art, visit museums – the ProvenceArt and History Museum is a must-see, it’shoused in an old mansion you could easily passby, but inside is a stunning time warp of the 18thcentury with gorgeous gardens. There are plentyof excellent restaurants in the town where youcan indulge in the authentic flavours of Provence– Restaurant La Tannerie is in a rather secret partof town and La Fleur de Lys is loved by the localsfor the warm welcome and excellent dishes. Foraperitifs, head to the Casino’s terraced bar withfabulous views over Cannes.Grasse is a fabulous base for exploringpicturesque, pickled in the past villagesthat dot the hills around the town includingGourdon (20 minutes by car from Grasse).Perched high above the Riviera, it’s avillage of exquisitely pretty cobbled lanesand oodles of charm. Officially one of themost beautiful villages of France, it has anancient castle, 12th century church andstunning views over the countryside. Nearbyfamily-run Confiserie Florian is a must-visit.Here they still make sweets and cakes totraditional methods by hand just as theyhave for more than 100 years. You can takea free guided tour of the factory at Pont duLoup, and watch the fascinating processes.They work with flowers and fruits to createspeciality products - from crystallised violetsto clementine jam, chocolate marshmallowsand rose flavoured cakes and all sorts ofutterly irresistible sweet things – beware thattheir shop is temptation central! There’s alsoa lovely café and a gorgeous garden withviews over the monumental bridge of Loup.GourdonBasket full of just plucked jasmine bloomsThere are loads of perfumed experiences toenjoy in Grasse but one of the most magicalfor me was picking jasmine early in themorning, when the little flowers smell theirbest. At the Domaine de Terre Jasmine, PierreChiarla and his small team plucked rapidly,filling baskets with blooms. “If you’re good atit, you can pick 60,000 in a day” says Pierre“and it takes 10,000 blooms to make a kg ofessence.” You can book this experience andmany more via the tourist office.But – there is more to Grasse than perfume…Grasse has a great foodie scene, with restaurants galoreConfiserie Florian, Gorges du Loup12 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 13