Parc de la Paix

Little is documented about the Parc de la Paix itself, so it is best understood through the town around it. Grasse sits on the slopes of the hills above the Riviera, roughly twenty-five kilometres inland from Cannes, and it has been the centre of French perfume-making for centuries. A public park in a town like this serves a simple purpose: it is a place to sit, let children run and escape the sun and the crowds of the old centre. Expect shade, benches and a quiet corner away from the lanes, rather than a large formal garden or a major monument.

Grasse's connection to perfume began with leather. The town was known for tanning, and in the sixteenth century local craftsmen began scenting gloves, a fashion that spread through the courts of Europe. As the demand for fragrance grew, flowers took over from leather. The hills around Grasse proved ideal for jasmine, rose de mai, tuberose and orange blossom, and perfumers built workshops that extracted the scent and sold it to the great fashion houses. Perfume-making knowledge in Grasse has been recognised by UNESCO as part of humanity's intangible cultural heritage, and the town's jasmine and roses still feed famous scents, including Chanel No. 5.

The painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard was born in Grasse in 1732, and the town keeps a link to him through the Fragonard perfumery and through the Musée du Parfum Fragonard, though the perfume brand takes his name rather than being a museum of his paintings. For a more complete story, the Musée International de la Parfumerie traces perfumery through the centuries, with raw materials, bottles and tools, and a garden on the same theme. The Jardin des Parfums et des Plantes shows the plants themselves, which helps explain why this landscape became so important.

In the old town, the lanes around Place aux Aires and the Rue de la République are lined with houses in warm colours, and the Église Notre-Dame-du-Puy stands at the top of the old town. The Marsan Perfumery is another place where visitors can see how scents are made, and the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire adds local history to the picture.

A break in the park fits easily between these visits, especially on a hot afternoon. It suits families and anyone who wants a quiet moment. Because there are few reliable details about its features, check on arrival what is open and how it is arranged.