FRAGRANCE OF THE FRENCH RIVERIA
Fragonard Perfume Museum and Factory Tours
Scents
and aromas for personal adornment have been in use since
the beginning of known
time, oils and balms, incense and myrrh
perhaps the original gifts fit for a king. The art of manufactured perfumes,
essence of fragrances distilled into a delicate pure liquid came into
being in the smelly growing rise of urban cities of the Renaissance.
The town of Grasse along the French Mediterranean coast around
Nice became the capital of perfume production in the 16th Century.
Originally created to scent tanned leather products manufactured in
the area from the wild
flowers growing in the alps-maritime hills, the aromas soon became sought
after luxuries of the wealthy society.
There
are over 30 active perfume companies making their secret essences for
a collection of well known
brands, but Fragonard is now the perfumery most associated
with Grasse and Ezé where its
factories
are
located.
Started in 1926
by Eugene Fuchs and named
for the French painter Jean-Honore Fragonard, the company is still run
by the family descendents. Jean Francois Costa, grandson of Fuchs and
company manager for over 6o years and his wife were avid art and clothing
collectors and assembled a museum of perfume history as well as local
Provencal costumes and jewelry in the historic factory building in Grasse.
Visitors to the factory are offered a free guided tour of the laboratories
and workshops, where master perfumers create aromatic magic. The museum
in the 19th Century mansion presents objets d’art from over 3,000
years of perfume history and jewelry and clothing designs from the 18th
and 19th Century.
There are two modern factories that can be visited, at the entrance
to Grasse the Perfumerie Fragonard is surrounded by gardens of local
flowers and fragrant plants dedicated to the aromatic art in perfumes
and soap making. The other factory in Eze, near Monaco, is larger and
focused more on manufacturing soaps and cosmetics which now make up the
Fragonard product line as well as the perfumes. Of course, the object
of providing free factory tours is not an education in soap making, but
the stores in each of the locations to purchase Fragonard exclusive products
which are available at factory prices. And should you miss the French
Riviera experience or not take enough perfume with you to gift to all
the relatives, Fragonard also has a museum and boutiques in Paris.
The Fragonard tours and perfumeries in Grasse and Eze can be reached by car or public bus and tour busses can be found through tourist offices in Nice, Cannes and Antibes. There is also a Fragonard Museum de Parfum in Paris near the Opera Garnier (see Paris Hotels at Opera-Louvre) on the Rue Scribe in the Paris shopping district midpoint between the Galleries Lafayette and the Place Vendome.. © Bargain Travel Europe
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Grasse
Musee
Fragonard
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See Also:
THREE
CHOICE HOTEL BARGAINS IN NICE
ROMAN
AMPHITHEATER ORANGE PROVENCE
GORGES
VERDON - CASTELLANE
