Grasse Hotels

Grasse is the home of the perfume industry that is built on the side of a hill inland from the coast of the French Riviera. Views of Grasse are inspiring and the views of the coast (e.g. Cannes and Antibes) from Grasse and the hills above are marvellous. The surrounding villages are generally charming and not as despoiled by tourists as their more famous neighbors towards the coast. In 2005, the brand new train line opened, connecting the flourishing, centuries-old hilltop town with the coast. Surrounded by fields of lavender, jasmine, centifolia roses, mimosa, orange blossom and violets, Grasse is one of France's leading perfume producers. Its tightly coiled streets make for an absorbing stroll – the tourist office hands out maps directing you along a trail of golden plates embedded in the cobblestones, with multilanguage interpretive signs highlighting points of historical interest along the way.