Lancôme, luxury brand of the French cosmetic giant L “Oréal, which celebrates its 90th anniversary, is not the only one to harvest these flowers in Grasse (south of France) – whose know -how in terms of perfumes has been listed as an intangible heritage of UNESCO. Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, are also part.
With its pink building at the round door and large bay windows, the Domaine de la Rose, open to the public once a month, is not just a beautiful showcase for Lancôme.
The brand also cultivates flowers such as centifolia rose, jasmine, verbena or even iris that will serve its perfumes.
In this 7-hectare property, bought in 2020, the “a few tonnes” of Centifolia harvested will be used in 14 limited edition perfumes, sold beyond 200 euros per bottle.
Here, the Centifolia grows surrounded by dry stone walls on a field rich in limestone and clay, crossed by several sources of water.
The harvest, traditionally in May, only begins when the rose decided to open. “”If you don’t pick the same day … it’s lost“, underlines Antoine Leclef, responsible for crops, who monitors the 40,000 agricultural roses in the field. Between harvesting and transformation into absolute (extract used to manufacture perfumes) by the company Firmenich,” there is no more than an hour and a half “.
It takes 800 kilos of roses to make a kilo of absolute. A thunderstorm, the passage of a wild boar … and the harvest collapses. “”This is the luxury rule, when there is no more, there are no more“, According to the director of the Lucie Careri domain, and in this case”There will be fewer bottles“Perfume.
Embroidery
“”It is an expertise, like hand embroidery, which can be lost“, explains to AFP Sabrya Meflah, president of Fine Fragrance of International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF), one of the world’s largest manufacturers of perfumes for major brands, which has created its” Scegueur Atelier “, a” Medici villa “of the profession.
“”We cannot compete with Bulgaria or Romania which have hundreds of hectares of roses, but the rose we have here is exceptional. The volumes being what they are, only large luxury houses have a chance to be able to use“, Explains at AFP Diane Saurat, expert in perfumes from the Domaine de la Rose.
Grasse has long attracted luxury perfumes. Chanel has an exclusive partnership with the Mul family for its famous n ° 5 and has been the only one to have, since 1987, an extraction plant in the field, avoiding intermediaries.
Dior (LVMH) has also signed exclusivity agreements here. The brand, like Louis Vuitton and Lancôme, is a member of the association “The exceptional flowers of the Pays de Grasse” which promotes local organic farming.
“”In Grasse, historically, the (between) industrial and farmer report was rather dominant-dominated“, According to Laetitia Lycke, director of the association.
Today, contracts between large companies and young farmers allow them to get started.
It also recognizes other recent advances such as that “to have put around the table ten industrialists around the table which usually are in the competition, to agree on a specifications for the geographical indication“Absolute of Grasse.
“”We also wait for these large houses to allow us to reintroduce forgotten plants“, Adds Laeticia Lycke,”This would offer new outlets to our farmers“.
“”We will never arrive at the 5,000 producers of the 1950s, because there is no longer the same area of land even if 70 hectares have been sanctuarized by the mayor” but “We still have a nice margin of progression“, She adds.