Grasse |
| Saturday, 07 March 2009 00:00 |
 In the wonderful Provence, halfway between Cannes and Nice, there you will find the beautiful city of Grasse which is famous for its perfume industry. It is also where Patrick Suesskind’s novel, The Perfume, takes place. Grasse can rightly call itself the world capital of perfumes. There are more than thirty well known manufacturers located here and in the old town you can even go to an expert who will instruct you on how to create your own perfume. Of course there is much more to Grasse than lovely fragrances. You still have a city with more than a thousand years of history and many attractions to see. In the old town there are real medieval tours that can be taken. These time travels will take you back to the life of the people back then, which in many ways was not as joyless as many tend to believe. Proof of this are the many beautiful ornaments, fountains and frescoes which can be found everywhere you go. Obviously in Grasse the people enjoyed themselves. The Romanesque cathedral dating back to the 12th century with its impressive, very simple Lombardian architecture is worth seeing. Inside you'll find a small collection of paintings by old masters such as Rubens, Fragonard and others. After touring the cathedral you can continue your trip by going on the special tour of “home churches”. Many of the upper class citizens had there own church in their homes and many of them were designed by well known artists. After a tour focusing on spiritual things, you might desire to see some of the more material things in this world. For this it is recommended to go to one of the many small restaurants in the old town. The typical Provencal cuisine comes served to the table rich, with lots of spices and is overall a feast for gourmets. The specialties of Grasse, however, are the desserts. These include Les beignets de fleurs de courge, a delicious pumpkin pie and Le Fougassette, a yeast-dough cake with an orange flavor. Once you have devoured these “sins” you should stop by and see the beautiful famous gardens of Grasse. It is only natural that the city has these gardens, since the perfume industry can’t get along without flowers. The town was once covered with fields of jasmine flowers, roses and night hyacinths, the three most important flowers in the perfume industry. Today there are beautiful gardens, which can be visited at any time: The Botanical Garden (Jardin des Plantes), the Garden of the Princess Pauline and the Flower Fields "Domaine de Manon." The Garden of the Princess Pauline goes back to Napoleon’s sister who liked to spend time here. From here you have a wonderful view over the flourishing landscape and adjoining Côte d'Azur. Upon seeing all of this you are sure to get an urge to drive around the area in your rental car from Grasse. You’ll come across many little mountain villages where time has stood still. Peace and relaxation await those that go into one of the many traditional country inns. This beautiful region is known as the Pays de France and is highly recommended for a long tour in a rental car. Outdoor enthusiasts will love the gorges of Verdon to the north of Grasse. Here you can go hiking or mountain climbing in a wild environment which will automatically add some recreation and fitness to your vacation. Of course with the rental car from Grasse you are only a few minutes away from the coast and from jumping into the beautiful, azure blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. On different beaches you will have the opportunity to play all kinds of water sports. Here you will find both action and exciting nightlife. The urban pleasure of Cannes and Nice are only a stone’s throw from Grasse and both of these wonderful cities are easily reached by means of a rental car. |
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