Grasse produces almost half of the production of French perfumes and natural aromas for food flavorings, and is also home to the protected fields of jasmine and rose which Chanel uses in its signature scent Chanel No 5. Prospering in the perfume industry since the end of the 18th century, it’s no wonder Grasse has earned the title “perfume capital of the world”.
Whilst staying in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and exploring its charming towns, I knew that visiting Grasse for an afternoon of perfume-making was something that needed to be checked off of my bucket list.
There are a few perfumeries in Grasse offering lessons, Fragonard which is located in Grasse’s city center is a nice option as it allows you to explore Grasse before or after your lesson. There are a number of restaurants and boutiques in the area as well as the International Museum of Perfume which allows visitors to discover the uniqueness and history of manufacturers and large perfumery houses. There is also a large collection of perfumery and cosmetic labels dating back to the early nineteenth century.
While I didn’t technically book my perfume-making workshop at Fragonard, I did stop in for their free factory tour (photos below) before a quick 10-minute walk to my class which I’ll share more about below.
perfume workshop
at Galimard
Galimard (where I booked) is the most affordable of the perfume houses and offers the largest selection of oils, allowing guests the opportunity to create a custom 100 ml Eau de Parfum. As someone extremely sensitive to fragrance, I can count on one hand the number of perfumes I’ve owned since nearly everything gives me a headache.
I rationalized that choosing the perfume house with the largest selection of oils would give me the best odds of creating a fragrance I loved or that would at least act as a nice souvenir if it wasn’t wearable. Luckily, the workshop was fantastic and I created a really lovely scent!
The 2-hour workshop consisted of sitting at an individual workstation with a huge selection of oils labeled masculine, feminine and unisex. Each time I smelled an oil that I liked, I added it to my beaker (totally felt like a mad scientist) then wrote it on my fragrance worksheet which was broken down into various categories.
- Top notes: The top notes of a fragrance are generally the lightest of all the notes. They are recognized immediately upon application of the perfume. The top notes are also the first to fade given their light molecular structure, but this does not mean they aren’t of utmost importance.
- Middle notes: The middle notes, or the heart notes, make an appearance once the top notes evaporate. The middle notes are considered the heart of the fragrance. They last longer than the top notes and have a strong influence on the base notes to come.
- Base notes: The base notes are the final fragrance notes that appear once the top notes are completely evaporated. The base notes mingle with the heart notes to create the full body of the fragrance but are typically associated with the dry-down period. The job of the base notes is to provide a lasting impression. These often rich notes linger on the skin for hours after the top notes have dissipated.
Perfumery is a symphony, it has a beginning, middle and an end.
I was happy to know that I wasn’t alone in the process, professional fragrance makers also known as a ‘nose’ (pretty fitting name HA.) walked around offering suggestions on which scents meshed well together or were simply there to validate that you were on the right path which is what I did from time to time. At the end of the workshop, we were each handed a diploma while the ‘noses’ took each students fragrance worksheet and beakers carefully pouring our fragrance into the perfume bottle we hand selected along with the cap.
I thought the final product would be rendered useless since I didn’t particularly like the smell of any of the oils while mixing them together but after waiting a few days for the oils to blend together naturally, I sprayed my perfume and was thrilled with the outcome which was the perfect mix of soft, feminine, and slightly powdery.
There’s something really special about someone complimenting the way you smell, asking what you’re wearing and proudly responding it’s (insert name here) my signature scent that I created in the South of France.
Its a one of a kind scent that can never be replicated unless you’d like another bottle in which case you can easily place an order with Galimard using your custom fragrance number.
know before you go
helpful tips!
- Do a bit of research into the fragrances you already wear and love. Do you see any of the same notes appearing again and again? If so, you are naturally attracted to these particular scents, write them down and be sure to include them in your signature fragrance.
- The fun doesn’t stop at creating a fragrance, you also have the opportunity to name it. I recommend giving this thought before arriving at the workshop that way you don’t feel pressure to think of something creative on the spot.
- Galimard is located outside of the city center and is a bit tricky to reach with public transportation as most bus drivers don’t speak English. I recommend contacting Galimard to see if there is an easier way to reach them.
Perfume, a Cocktail of Memories & Emotion
- Isa Holmgren
For my fragrance, I chose a beautifully structured cap and glass bottle personalized with the name Dérive (origin: French) which I find perfectly fitting as a solo traveler. Dérive is also an entire theory outlined in “Theory of the Dérive” (1956) by Guy Debord, which is quite interesting.
The theory is of a traveler’s unplanned journey through a landscape, in which they stop focusing on their everyday relations to their social environment. It’s a technique of rapid passage through varied ambiance. Letting go of the usual reasons for walking and instead being drawn by the attractions of the place.
Not only is there so much depth to the name itself but the fragrance transports me back to the beautiful town of Grasse each time I walk out of my Los Angeles, California home.