The city of Grasse, the cradle of the global perfume industry, has just been added to the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by a specialized UNESCO committee meeting in Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius.
These skills encompass three different aspects, as detailed by UNESCO in a statement: “the cultivation of perfume plants, the knowledge of raw materials and their transformation, and the art of composing perfume.”
The city of Grasse, the cradle of the global perfume industry, was counting on this listing to better protect its fields of tuberoses and jasmines.
For Charles Ange Ginésy, president of the Departmental Council: “This listing is a magnificent reward for the community and brings pride to our department.”
This dossier, initially initiated by the former Mayor of Grasse, Senator Jean-Pierre Leleux, and carried forward by the current mayor Jérôme Viaud, represents a recognition that finally highlights, after ten years of waiting, the acknowledgment of the skills related to perfume in the Pays de Grasse over several generations.
This municipality of the Côte d’Azur saw the blossoming of perfumery from the 16th century, around its tanneries which required aromatic raw materials to treat the leather and scent the gloves.
The perfume hub of Grasse, which already houses the creation of future fragrances for major houses such as Louis Vuitton and Dior, has been contributing for years to the success of Chanel perfumes, including the famous No. 5, thereby solidifying its global reputation for excellence in the perfume sector.
This recognition thus honors the horticulturists who cultivate jasmine, roses, iris, and all these perfume plants in the Grasse region, as well as all those who collaborate in the knowledge chain, from the harvesting to the production of exceptional perfumes.
All contribute to the global reputation of French perfumery and hold a unique set of skills.
