Up-to-Date 2025
GRASSE
Without Car
Nice > Grasse
- 🚆 Train
🕓 1h06min
🧭 Route
⚙️ Timetable (SNCF Website)
Grasse > Nice
- 🚆 Train
🕓 1h06min
🧭 Route
⚙️ Timetable (SNCF Website)
Train Station Locations
Nice has 1 main train station
📍 Nice-Ville
and 2 secondary ones
📍 Nice Riquier
📍 Nice Saint-Augustin (Airport)
Grasse
📍 Grasse
Things to Do
Itinerary Idea
🚆 Route to Grasse by Train

Perfume Factory
Grasse is home to several major perfume houses that open their doors to visitors, giving you a behind-the-scenes look at how perfume is made, from raw ingredients to the final bottle. Historic factories like Fragonard, Molinard, and Galimard all offer free guided tours of their workshops. You’ll walk through various production rooms, like the enfleurage and distillation areas, and get to see how the “noses” work, those experts who can create complex fragrance blends. These places combine centuries-old know-how with modern innovation, highlighting high-quality ingredients like jasmine, rose, and tuberose, all emblematic of the Grasse region.

Perfume Workshop
Some perfume houses in Grasse, including Galimard, Fragonard, and Molinard, go beyond just tours, they also run hands-on workshops where you get to create your own perfume. With guidance from a pro, you pick from a curated set of essences and build your custom scent. The workshop includes a quick intro to fragrance families and the basics of perfumery. At the end, you take home your personalized bottle and the formula is saved in case you want a refill later. It’s a fun, educational, and sensory experience that’s just as appealing to kids as it is to adults.
🍴 Lunch

International Perfume Museum
The International Perfume Museum is a must-visit in Grasse. It’s set in a beautiful old mansion right in the heart of town and traces the story of perfume across different times and cultures. You’ll see rare objects like ancient perfume bottles, oriental incense burners, and 18th-century perfume kits. The museum dives into both the cultural history and the technical side of perfume making, with exhibits on raw materials, extraction methods, and perfume-related trades.

Notre-Dame-du-Puy Cathedral
Notre-Dame-du-Puy Cathedral overlooks Grasse’s old town from its hilltop perch. This 13th-century Provençal Romanesque church might look plain from the outside, but step inside and you’ll find a peaceful, intimate space with some impressive art. There are three paintings by Rubens and one by Fragonard, who was born here. The old liturgical furniture and the massive stone arches add to the solemn vibe. It’s an often-overlooked cathedral that’s well worth a visit, if only for the views and the rich heritage it holds.

Old Town of Grasse
Grasse’s old town is a maze of narrow alleys and vaulted passageways, with a strong medieval feel that’s still very much alive. You’ll wander past ochre-colored houses, shady little squares, and age-worn staircases, all wrapped in a warm, Provençal atmosphere. Along the way, you’ll come across artisan shops, perfumer studios, and a few small museums. The historic center also hides charming courtyards and elegant townhouses with understated façades. A stroll here gives you a real sense of the town’s spirit.
🚆 Route to Nice by Train
GRASSE + ST. PAUL-DE-VENCE
Without Car
There is no train station in St. Paul-de-Vence.
And the bus connections between Grasse and St. Paul-de-Vence are too long and complicated.
By Car
Itinerary Idea
Nice > Grasse > St. Paul-de-Vence > Nice
🚗 Route to Grasse

Perfume Factory
If you’re in Grasse, visiting a perfume factory is a must. Iconic perfume houses like Fragonard, Molinard, and Galimard open their doors for free guided tours. You’ll get to see how perfume is made step by step, from extracting natural essences to crafting the final fragrance. Along the way, you’ll learn about the vital role of the “noses” and the importance of local flowers like jasmine and May rose. Most of these places also have small museums, shops, and sometimes even workshops where you can create your own scent, making the whole experience even more immersive.

International Perfume Museum
The International Perfume Museum in Grasse takes you on a deep dive into the history of perfume across cultures and time periods. You’ll find rare objects, perfume bottles from different eras, old tools, and items showing how perfume has been used around the world. The museum also explores how perfume is made, from raw materials to production techniques, and introduces you to the different trades involved. Just outside town, its garden showcases the plants traditionally grown in the area for perfume. It’s a fascinating and informative stop that really rounds out a visit to the local perfume houses.

Old Town of Grasse
Grasse’s old town is a maze of medieval alleys, stone squares, and covered passages. It might look a little worn in places, but it’s full of charm and hidden gems: colorful houses, historic facades, small fountains, and tucked-away courtyards. As you wander, you’ll come across perfumer workshops, small galleries, and cafés with sunny terraces. It’s the perfect place to stroll and soak up the authentic soul of Grasse.
🍴 Lunch
🚗 Route to St. Paul-de-Vence

Stroll through the Village and Walk the Ancient Ramparts
In Saint-Paul-de-Vence, every street feels like an invitation to slow down and wander. This hilltop village has kept its medieval layout, with cobbled lanes, tightly packed houses draped in bougainvillea, quiet stairways, and shaded passageways. You follow the old ramparts, pass by the church, cross flower-filled little squares, all in a setting straight out of a postcard. What makes the walk so special is the harmony of the buildings, the peaceful atmosphere, and that feeling of stepping into an open-air museum, untouched by time.
The village is surrounded by 16th-century ramparts that are still in great shape and open for walking. A stroll along the top gives you stunning views of the hills around and, on a clear day, all the way to the sea.

Explore Local Art Galleries or Relax at a Café
Saint-Paul-de-Vence has a real artistic vibe. The village is packed with contemporary galleries, often set up in old houses, showing everything from paintings to sculptures to photography. Art is everywhere here, from shop windows to working studios, and it reflects the legacy of artists who stayed in the village over the years, like Chagall.
Between gallery visits, you can grab a seat at one of the many cafés in the center, often shaded by plane trees or tucked into quiet squares. It’s a great way to take in the village atmosphere, in a setting that’s both simple and inspiring.