FLOWERS AND EXTRACTION METHODS

At the top of this display case, fragrant plants are on display.

In the Grasse region, May roses, jasmine, orange blossoms, violets, and mimosa have been cultivated for centuries. Other fragrant plants, such as vetiver, ylang-ylang, and iris, are imported from various parts of the world.

Depending on the type of plant, a specific extraction technique is used to extract its essence.

The two best-known methods are on display here: distillation and cold enfleurage.

Distillation is represented by the copper still on your left in the display case.
Invented by scholars in the Arab world as early as the Middle Ages, this process became the cornerstone of modern perfumery. This technique follows the same production principle as brandy and relies on the ability of water vapor to capture essential oils. Flowers or plants are placed on a perforated tray located in the upper part of the still’s vessel, which is filled with water brought to a boil. As the steam passes through, it absorbs the fragrance of the plants and carries it into a coil. This special tube incorporates a cooling system to allow the steam to condense. Lighter than water, the oil is collected in the upper part of the still, while the scented water—also known as floral water—is set aside.

The second process is cold enfleurage, which is demonstrated by the glass frame on your right.
This process is reserved for so-called fragile flowers whose fragrance is altered by heat, such as jasmine, tuberose, and daffodils.
Widely practiced in the Grasse region from the 18th century through the late 1950s, it involves spreading a layer of odorless fat on the walls of a glass frame, which is then covered with freshly picked flowers—replaced daily—until the fat is saturated.
Once saturated with scents, this “pommade” is harvested and then processed to extract the absolute used in perfumery.
Although largely replaced around 1950 by modern techniques such as extraction using volatile solvents or supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, this method is making a comeback today due to its undeniable ability to preserve flowers—particularly tuberose and jasmine.

Once the essences have been obtained, they are blended to create a fragrance.

It’s important to note that creating a fragrance is an art form in itself, and the artist who creates it is commonly referred to as a “nose.”

A fragrance is structured according to what is known as an olfactory pyramid, beginning with the top notes—which reflect the perfumer’s initial intentions and are light and fleeting—followed by the heart notes, which form the core and identity of the fragrance (often floral accords), and finally the base notes, which are the most long-lasting. The vocabulary of perfumery can sometimes be complex, but it has borrowed heavily from musical terminology: “notes” and “accords” are part of a perfumer’s jargon. In fact, the perfumer’s work tool is called a “perfume organ.”
On average, a perfumer works with 200 to 300 raw materials but may have as many as 1,200 on hand. A skilled perfumer can memorize several hundred primary scents in order to create blends tailored to a clientele with specific demands and cultural backgrounds, while being assisted by computers and specialized software.

Once the fragrance formula has been approved, the blends are created at the production sites.
For Fragonard, production takes place in Grasse at the historic factory and at the Usine des Fleurs. It is specifically at these factories that our famous estagnons are packaged. They are made of aluminum, so they are unbreakable and protect the perfume from light, allowing it to be preserved for a longer period (more than 6 years). Be sure to check them out at the end of the tour.

Let’s now move on to the second part of our exhibition space, which begins to the right of the stairs.

Please come closer to the display case featuring the painting to scan the next QR code.