The "Know-how related to Perfume in Pays de Grasse" unanimously inscribed in the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The approach was initiated nearly 10 years ago, led by the Association Patrimoine Vivant du Pays de Grasse, which brings together all the practitioners in the sector, whether farmers of the perfume plant, experts in raw materials or again perfumers without forgetting historians, scientists, researchers... A unifying approach, supported by many elected officials from the Pays de Grasse and neighboring countries and which tries to express gratitude towards past generations who have worked so hard to offer us this legacy.
This historic event for France and for the World History of Perfumery, was held at the end of November in Port-Louis under the chairmanship of the Minister of Arts and Culture of the Republic of Mauritius in the presence of diplomatic representatives of the 178 states signatories of the Convention on the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The French Delegation present was made up of His Excellency Laurent STEFANINI, Ambassador of France to UNESCO, Mr Jean-Pierre LELEUX, Senator of the Alpes Maritimes, Honorary Mayor of Grasse and President of the Association Patrimoine Vivant du Pays de Grasse, Ladies Isabelle CHAVE and Isabelle HURDUBAE representatives of the Ministry of Culture and Communication, Mr Pierre-Yves KERVENAL, adviser to the Ambassador of France to UNESCO and Mrs Nadia BEDAR, director of the Candidature Project.
This prestigious recognition is historic for the Pays de Grasse, for the Côte d'Azur and for the whole of France. It salutes the work and commitment of a federated team around the project as well as the mobilization of producers and master perfumers. It is a collective work that allowed after ten years of approach, the culmination of this international recognition for the city of Grasse, capital of perfume.
Cradle of perfumery, the city of Grasse hosted, in the Middle Ages, a high concentration of... tanneries. The floral raw materials were then used there to counter the strong odors given off by the skins. Gradually, the city acquired its letters of nobility by inventing the perfumed glove, popularized at the court of France by Catherine de Medici.
Micallef, Fragonard, Molinard… So many names that now resonate in the world of perfumery. Nevertheless, international competition and the rise of synthetic raw materials are weakening this industry, where around sixty specialized companies occupy the territory of Grasse.
The awarding of this label should allow the city to regain visibility on the world stage. It should, moreover, promote the protection of the local natural heritage - fields of roses, mimosa, jasmine, lavender... - but also of the trades and know-how related to the production of raw materials, their transformation and the creation of precious juice.