Our delightful “La Rose Boudoir” was inspired by a memorable visit to the famous small town of Grasse on the French Riviera during their annual Rosa centifolia harvest in May 2007. An hour’s drive from Monaco, Grasse is noted for its narrow streets lined with pink-painted buildings and, thanks to what some perfumers consider a perfect microclimate (it’s in a hilly, irrigated area that’s far enough inland to be protected from sea breezes), an outsize reputation as a perfume capital since the late eighteenth century. Many of the elite French fragrance houses, including Hermès, Chanel, and Dior, source their roses and jasmine here.