Fête du Jasmin

The queen flower of Grasse celebrated since 1946

The Fête du Jasmin was born on August 3 and 4, 1946, in the aftermath of World War II, to celebrate jasminum grandiflorum, cultivated in Grasse since the mid-19th century. From its very first edition, the festival featured concerts, painting exhibitions, and music parades during the jasmine harvest month. In 1948, the first flower-decorated floats appeared, pulled by magnificent horses and presided over by young girls carrying armfuls of flowers, giving birth to the tradition of the floral parade.

The floral parade: the beating heart of the festival

The most anticipated moment of the Fête du Jasmin is the floral parade on Saturday evening. Floats sumptuously decorated with tens of thousands of flowers with multicolored petals—over 35,000 flowers in some years—parade through the streets of Grasse's historic center. The Grasse firefighters spray the public with jasmine-scented water, creating a magical and refreshing atmosphere. The Queens distribute flowers to spectators, accompanied by acrobatic dancers, batucadas, and music groups. The parade is traditionally opened by Provençals in traditional costumes.

Three days of festivities

The festival unfolds over three days. Friday evening opens the festivities with a dance party and fireworks launched from the Jardin des Plantes, above the Cours Honoré Cresp. Saturday is the main festive day: a flower market on the Place aux Aires in the morning, street performances in the historic center in the afternoon, and the floral parade in the evening. Sunday is dedicated to Provençal traditions with a Provençal mass in the Jardin de la Princesse Pauline, a grand aïoli offered by the restaurants in the historic center, and the Mondial Parfumé de Boules Carrées on the Place du Petit Puy.

A tribute to the perfumed heritage

The Fête du Jasmin is more than just a popular festival; it is a living tribute to Grasse's perfumed heritage, inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2018. Jasmine, along with May rose, is one of the most precious raw materials in Grasse perfumery. By celebrating this emblematic flower, the festival maintains the link between the growers, the perfume houses, and the inhabitants of the city of perfume, attracting around 20,000 spectators each year.

Grasse, world capital of perfume

Nestled in the hills of the Nice hinterland, Grasse has been recognized as the world capital of perfume since the 17th century. Historic perfume houses—Fragonard, Galimard, Molinard—perpetuate centuries-old know-how. The Fête du Jasmin is part of this unique olfactory history, offering visitors the opportunity to discover the workshops, flower fields, and manufacturing secrets of the world's most prestigious perfumes.