Why is the manufacture of perfume linked so closely to the Grasse region?

The town of Grasse is known for its manufacturing of perfumes. In fact, this town is the world’s capitol of perfume-making, and attracts every great perfume maker in France for its various products. The town of Grasse, located some 2O km north of Cannes, is situated between 100 AND 1,000 metres above sea level. Beyond its breathtaking view of the French Riviera, this town is home to many specialists, and being a Grasse perfume manufacturer has become a symbol of quality production.

Tournaire, your Grasse specialist in perfume equipment, offers you a quick overview of this town and its many assets.

Grasse perfume manufacturer: the unique history of this town

This town in the South of France is a unique place which saw the birth of many Grasse perfume manufacturers, and whose history has its roots in the Middle Ages. At that time, the town specialised in leather tanning. Since this activity emits a strong odour, it became necessary to mask the smell of the hides. A Grass perfume maker then came up with the idea of creating perfumed gloves, which he gave as a gift to Catherine de Medici. The trend of perfumed gloves grew, and bit by bit, each tanner began making these types of scented hides, gradually transforming themselves into Grasse perfume manufacturers.

Thanks to this history, the town of Grasse enjoys a unique type of expertise in the world and is recognised as part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Grasse perfume manufacturers: the town and its activities today

With this unique expertise, it’s not surprising that the town of Grasse attracts every great perfume manufacturer in France and throughout the world. The town is also very popular for its raw materials. International companies and the most innovative perfumers source their products here. Grasse perfume manufacturers can find the perfect scent among the various plants and flowers that grow there: jasmine, rose, orange blossom, lavender, etc. These plants benefit from an exceptional climate in which to flourish and grow, hence the unique quality of local production.

The entire town has grown around this industry, with museums and perfume schools which offer nose training. They are highly prized for their talents in recognising and dissecting every scent and perfume. And each quality Grasse perfume manufacturer must have a well-trained nose to be successful.

Tournaire, supplier of equipment for perfume manufacturers in Grasse for several centuries

Founded in 1883 to satisfy the needs of the first plant distillers for perfume making in the region, the company quickly made a name for itself among perfume makers in France. We’ve developed our business and our expertise in order to provide the best possible support for this very special field and its precious products. Today, we provide support to perfume makers in Grasse for their every need (extraction, evaporation, filtration, etc.) and also supply perfume-specific packaging. We offer technical aluminium packaging and co-extruded plastic throughout the world for the storage and transport of precious materials.