Plants have been grown for fragrances in Grasse for over 300 years. Enjoying the Mediterranean sun, fertile soils and the ideal growing conditions Grasse is, without a doubt, the home of French perfumery.
With a reputation for producing some of the best raw materials that any French perfumer could desire, the fields of Grasse were the natural choice when Chanel decided to create their infamous N°5 fragrance in 1921.
"CHANEL has sourced its flowers from Grasse for close to a century, and since 1987, it has been actively contributing to the sustainable farming of jasmine and rose. Today, the crops have expanded to include other flowers for fragrances, namely iris, geranium and tuberose. Five exceptional crops, exclusively reserved for CHANEL fragrances."
In 1987 Chanel signed the first partnership agreement of its kind with the Mul family, one of the region's largest flower producers, in order to further control and drive the process from flower to fragrance. Now working together they have ensured that the wonderful perfume heritage of Grasse and the surrounding area will continue for generations to come.
You can now read about each flower cultivated by the Mul family for Chanel and explore the relationship between the designer brand and the producers in a new series of books written by Lionel Paillès 'Dans les champs de Chanel'. Alternatively, you can visit the perfumeries of Grasse for yourself to learn more about their fascinating history and the future that is being driven by luxury brands such as Chanel and Louis Vitton.
