Theme Week French Riviera – Grasse and Menton

Saturday, 17 September 2011 - 02:52 pm (CET/MEZ) Berlin | Author/Destination:
Category/Kategorie: General, French Riviera
Reading Time:  6 minutes

Grasse

Parfurmerie Fragonard - Parfum Museum © Christophe.Finot

Parfurmerie Fragonard – Parfum Museum © Christophe.Finot

Grasse is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department on the French Riviera. The town is considered as the world’s capital of perfume. It obtained two flowers in the Concours des villes et villages fleuris contest and was made “Ville d’Art et d’Histoire” (town of art and history).

Grasse is the center of the French perfume industry and is known as the world’s perfume capital (la capitale mondiale des parfums). Many “noses” are trained or have spent time in Grasse to distinguish over 2,000 kinds of scent. It produces over two-thirds of France’s natural aromas (for perfume and for food flavourings). This industry turns over more than 600 million euros a year. Jasmine, a key ingredient of many perfumes, was brought to southern France by the Moors in the 16th century. Twenty-seven tonnes of jasmine are now harvested in Grasse annually. There are numerous old ‘parfumeries’ in Grasse, such as Molinard, Fragonard and Galimard, each with tours and a museum.

There is an annual Fête du Jasmin or La Jasminade, at the beginning of August. The first festival was on the 3 August–4 August 1946. These days, it is a big event; decorated floats drive through the town, with young women in skimpy costumes on board, throwing flowers onto the crowds. This is known as the ‘flower battle’ and everyone gets soaked by the natural perfume of the flowers. There are also fireworks, free parties, folk music groups and street performers. There is also an annual international exhibition of roses (“Expo Rose”).

Grasse’s main attraction is the Cathedral, dedicated to Notre Dame du Puy and founded in the 11th century. In the interior, are three works by Rubens and one by Jean-Honoré Fragonard, a French painter native of the town.

To inform you about latest news most of the city, town or tourism websites offer a newsletter service and/or operate Facepage pages/Twitter accounts. Read more on City of Grasse, Grasse Tourism and Wikipedia Grasse. Learn more about the use of photos.





Menton - Old town © Reinhard Wolf Menton - Palais de L'Europe © Berthold Werner Menton Citadelle © Berthold Werner Menton Beach © Reinhard Wolf Menton - Astoria Residence © Tangopaso Menton Panorama © Vicrogo Menton at night © Peter Gugerell Grasse - Place aux Aires © Berthold Werner Grasse - Parfurmerie Fragonard © Christophe.Finot Grasse - Parfumeur bronze statue © Ballista Grasse - Parfumerie Museum © Christophe.Finot Grasse - Palais des Congrès © Cayambe Grasse - Cathédrale Notre-Dame-du-Puy de Grasse © Christophe.Finot Grasse © Christophe.Finot Grasse © Christophe.Finot Menton - Rue du Vieux © Tangopaso Grasse © Christophe Finot Menton - Harbour and Old Town © Jpgross
<
>
Grasse - Cathédrale Notre-Dame-du-Puy de Grasse © Christophe.Finot
Menton

Menton - Harbour and Old Town © Jpgross

Menton – Harbour and Old Town © Jpgross

Menton, nicknamed the Pearl of France, is located on the Mediterranean Sea at the Franco-Italian border, just across from the Liguran town of Ventimiglia. It boasts a warm micro-climate favorable to lemon, tangerine, and orange groves whence one of the town’s symbols, the lemon.

Menton is famous for its gardens, including the Jardin Serre de la Madone, the Jardin botanique exotique de Menton (“Le Val Rahmeh”), the Fontana Rosa, and the Maria Serena garden. Le Val Rahmeh was established in 1905 by Englishman Sir Percy Radcliffe, the first owner of the gardens, and named for his wife. Villa Fontana Rosa was built in 1922 by Blasco Ibáñez, a Spanish novelist, and the gardens of the villa are now open to the public.

Main sights are the baroque basilica of Saint-Michel-Archange, the Musée Jean Cocteau is located in the Bastion of the port of Menton and the wedding room at the Mairie (town hall) was painted in the 1950s by Jean Cocteau, transforming it into a giant work of art. Menton is home to at least half a dozen beaches.

The Lemon Festival takes place every February. The festival follows a given theme each year; past themes include Viva España, Disney, Neverland, and India. The festival lasts a few days, with different bands passing through Menton’s streets on foot or on truck trailers. The Casino Gardens in the centre of town are decorated in the theme of the festival, using lemons to cover the exhibits, and huge temporary statues are built and covered with citrus fruit. The Casino Gardens are also the location for Menton’s Christmas Festival. The Menton Classical Musical Festival is also held every year in the centre of the old town.

Here you can find the complete Overview of all Theme Weeks.

Read more on City of Menton, Menton Tourism and Wikipedia Menton. Learn more about the use of photos. To inform you about latest news most of the city, town or tourism websites offer a newsletter service and/or operate Facebook pages/Twitter accounts. In addition more and more destinations, tourist organisations and cultural institutions offer Apps for your Smart Phone or Tablet, to provide you with a mobile tourist guide (Smart Traveler App by U.S. Department of State - Weather report by weather.com - Global Passport Power Rank - Travel Risk Map - Democracy Index - GDP according to IMF, UN, and World Bank - Global Competitiveness Report - Corruption Perceptions Index - Press Freedom Index - World Justice Project - Rule of Law Index - UN Human Development Index - Global Peace Index - Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index). If you have a suggestion, critique, review or comment to this blog entry, we are looking forward to receive your e-mail at comment@wingsch.net. Please name the headline of the blog post to which your e-mail refers to in the subject line.




Recommended posts:

Share this post: (Please note data protection regulations before using buttons)

Theme Week Channel Islands - Herm

Theme Week Channel Islands - Herm

[caption id="attachment_151191" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Ferry approaching the Rosaire Landing © geograph.org.uk[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]Herm is the smallest of the Channel Islands that is open to the public and is part of ...

[ read more ]

Abbey of Fontenay in Burgundy

Abbey of Fontenay in Burgundy

[caption id="attachment_231094" align="alignnone" width="590"] The cloister © Jjpetite/cc-by-sa-4.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]The Abbey of Fontenay is a former Cistercian abbey located in the commune of Marmagne, near Montbard, in t...

[ read more ]

The European Union: Bon voyage!

The European Union: Bon voyage!

[responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]Past posts of the EU series have focused on the EU as such, its different political fields and institutions, and culinary aspects. In this post, the EU and its federal states can be experienced at first hand. The EU s...

[ read more ]

The Sea Cloud Spirit

The Sea Cloud Spirit

[caption id="attachment_235501" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Sea Cloud Spirit in Hamburg © Jkg52-wiki/cc-by-sa-4.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]The Sea Cloud Spirit is a three-masted full-rigged ship built as a cruise ship by the Ha...

[ read more ]

The international maritime city of Southampton

The international maritime city of Southampton

[caption id="attachment_151007" align="aligncenter" width="590"] RMS Queen Mary 2 in the Southampton Dock © Sassan[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, an...

[ read more ]

Spain's autonomous city of Ceuta

Spain's autonomous city of Ceuta

[caption id="attachment_153500" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Ceuta map © Omar-Toons[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]Ceuta is a 18.5 square kilometres (7.1 sq mi) autonomous city of Spain and an exclave located on the north coast of Nor...

[ read more ]

Nazaré on the Atlantic coast

Nazaré on the Atlantic coast

[caption id="attachment_153719" align="aligncenter" width="590"] © Joaomartinho63/cc-by-sa-3.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]Nazaré is a town in Nazaré Municipality in Portugal with a total area of 82.4 km² and a total population of 1...

[ read more ]

The British Library

The British Library

[caption id="attachment_24939" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Model of the British Library © Mike Peel - www.mikepeel.net/cc-by-sa-2.5[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. The...

[ read more ]

The Lotte World Tower in South Korea

The Lotte World Tower in South Korea

[caption id="attachment_168219" align="aligncenter" width="590"] © Neroson/cc-by-sa-4.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]Lotte World Tower is a 123-floor, 555-metre (1,821 ft) supertall skyscraper located in Seoul in South Korea. It opened ...

[ read more ]

Theme Week Algarve

Theme Week Algarve

[caption id="attachment_152685" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Beach of Carvoeiro © Haloorange[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]The Algarve is the southernmost region of mainland Portugal. It has an area of 5,412 square kilometres (2,090 ...

[ read more ]

Mirabell Palace and Gardens in Salzburg

Mirabell Palace and Gardens in Salzburg

[caption id="attachment_169055" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Mirabell Palace and Gardens © Steveurkel/cc-by-sa-3.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]Mirabell Palace is a historical building in the city of Salzburg. The palace with its ga...

[ read more ]

Kristiansand, the gateway to Norway

Kristiansand, the gateway to Norway

[caption id="attachment_152762" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Odderøya Lighthouse © Philip Gabrielsen[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]Kristiansand is a city, municipality and the county capital of Vest-Agder county in Southern Norway. ...

[ read more ]

Return to TopReturn to Top