Paris, Cannes and Grasse - a journey for Autumn
Itinerary At A Glance
6 night independent itinerary for Paris and Cannes, based on flying from Leeds, in September with a train journey between French locations
Highlights include a perfume-making course in Grasse with a visit to the flower garden of the International Perfume Museum, tour of Cannes with a screenwriter, picnic and snorkelling on the Lérins islands, and dinner at glamorous La Petite Maison overlooking the Bay of Cannes.
Based on a two friends travelling, with a focus on leisurely outdoor and cultural activities, interspersed with time to just relax and soak up the atmosphere
Why here?
Grasse is widely known as the world capital of perfumery, but its story begins with leather. In the 16th century, local tanners began scenting their goods to mask the strong smell of treated hides. This sparked a transformation: the hills around Grasse were soon planted with jasmine and roses, feeding the stills of the region’s earliest perfumers.
Today, Grasse remains a working centre of fragrance. Chanel still cultivates the rare Rose de Mai here for its iconic No. 5. Dior’s François Demachy established Les Fontaines Parfumées, a laboratory dedicated to scent innovation. And heritage houses like Galimard, Fragonard, and Molinard continue to produce perfumes using traditional methods.
Inspiration for my itinerary began with a hands-on perfume-making session in Grasse, guided by an expert. But rather than stay in the city, we’re basing ourselves in Cannes — a short drive away — to enjoy the chic energy of this cinematic town while dipping into the craft and culture of the region. Fate intervened with work commitments in Paris, so we tacked on a short trip to the capital and took the opportunity to try the double-decker TGV train between Paris and Cannes.
WHEN
September
We found it to be warm, pleasant, sunny.
LIGHT
Moderate daylight.
Sunrise: 06:56am - 07:27am
Sunset: 08:04pm - 07:09pm
12-13 hours of daylight
TRAVEL MEANS
Flight, Train, Car hire
Fly Leeds into Paris
Train Paris to Cannes
Car hire in Cannes
Fly Nice to Leeds
SCHEDULE
Day 1 - Paris
Fly in the afternoon, arrive and settle in
Dinner & Drinks: Brasserie Bellanger - a wonderful French Bistro
Day 2 - Paris
Exhibition: Azzedine Alaïa, Of Sculpted Silence
Dinner & Drinks: L’Aller Retour, Marais - traditional French bistro for steak frites
Day 3 - Travel to Cannes
Train journey: Depart Paris in the morning on a fast non-stop train to Cannes (roughly 5 hours)
Dinner: at home
Day 4 - Cannes
Lunch: took a long (slightly boozy!) lunch at Le Roof
Island afternoon: Took the water taxi to the Lérins island, Sainte-Marguerite. We walked the 7.4km coastal route, done in about 2h.
Alternative ideas: Get up early, pack a picnic and snorkelling gear, and head to Sainte Marguerite in the morning to also visit the Musée du Masque de Fer et du Fort Royal and snorkel the Underwater Ecomuseum by British sculptor, Jason deCaires Taylor. Have a picnic lunch in a well-chosen spot.
Dinner: at home
Day 5 - Cannes
City tour with a screenwriter: Booked this cinema-focused tour for a guided insight into how Cannes became such a juggernaut in the film industry.
Alternative ideas: Visit Le marché Forville (The Forville Market) to collect breakfast supplies and try a socca for sustenance.
Relax: spent the rest of the afternoon chilling out
Aperitif: Apéritif hours—l’heure de l’apéro—are usually 6pm to 8pm and a cherished part of the French day, not to mention an ideal pre-dinner ritual. The Dandy Club is my pick.
Dinner: at Aux Bons Enfants, relaxed bistro in its fourth generation of ownership - delightful. Advance booking essential (like many restaurants, note closed on a Sunday and Monday) and cash only.
Day 6 - Cannes & Grasse
Market-day Breakfast: Drove to Saint-Paul-de-Vence (50 mins driving, 28km) for a wander around
Day in Grasse for perfumery-making workshop: Drove to Grasse (40 mins driving, 22km) for a private Haute-Couture perfume creation workshop at Studio des Fragrances Galimard (2 hours, advance booking essential). FAN-FLIPPING-TASTIC. Worth every penny.
Alternative ideas: On the way back to Cannes, stop at Jardin du Musée International de la Parfumerie for a tour of the perfume gardens organised by olfactory note and current exhibition ‘Vibrations du vivant’ by glass artist, Antoine Pierini.
Dinner: Dressed up for a sunset dinner at LA PETITE MAISON, part of the legedary Palm Beach complex on La Croisette, hotspot for the glamour crowd since its construction in 1928, and with a panoramic view from Cap d'Antibes back to the Lérins Islands. Very, very glamourous.
Day 7 - Cannes, Travel home
Travel home: Fly from Nice back to Leeds
Ideas for another visit
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Maison Carla Rosa - boutique hotel in the style of a Californian villa split into luxurious apartments
Villa des Parfums - for a bigger groupes here
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IN OR NEAR CANNES
As an alternative to Sainte-Marguerite, visit Saint-Honorat, which has been inhabited by Cistercian Monks since the 5th century (410 CE). Walks, swimming and panoramic views are all on the agenda. Have a picnic lunch in a well-chosen spot. The monks have also produce liqueurs (La Lérina) olive oil and lavender. All for sale in the Lérins Abbey shop.
Book a Wine-And-Vine day with the monks on St Honarat, to learn about their wine production on the island (first Friday of each month only)
Rent a solar boat (no license necessary) for a morning or afternoon to visit the Bay of Cannes
Head out to The Estérel Massif (west of Cannes) for walking, mountain biking or trekking
Relax, swim, enjoy a picnic or do some kayaking at Lac de Saint-Cassien
IN PARIS
For a Friday in Paris, book a Guided Tour with Textile Tours of Paris. Led by a couture embroiderer around the haberdasheries of Paris, telling the fascinating story of how Paris became the capital of luxury textiles and fashion.
IN OR NEAR GRASSE
Two-part guided tour themed around one perfume flower, led by a gardener and a perfumer, at the Jardins du Musee International du Parfum (once per month between April and October, Saturdays at 10am)
Visit Grasse in May, for the annual ExpoRose Festival to celebrate the rich history of perfume and local floral agriculture. Roses garland the streets of Grasse creating a stage and inspiration for dance, theatre, music, exhibitions, workshops, demonstrations, screenings, concerts and artistic performances at every street corner.
Course at Grasse Institute of Perfumery, to take the perfume-learning even further
Once-per-week guided visits at Domain de Manon, flower-growers and cultivators whose produce is exclusively destined for use in Christian Dior perfumes. Offered during the appropriate harvest season for each flower (rose in May, jasmine and tuberose in August, September and October)
Fragonard factory, for insight into the process of making both the raw materials and the perfumes
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Aperitifs at Le Roof, rooftop bar at 5 star hotel, Five Seas
Cabaret Dinner: at Medusa Cannes - built in the 1930’s, this cabaret restaurant was revived in 2018, offering dining and performance in one experience
Other French Inspirations
