The sense of smell is our second most powerful sense after vision. The human nose is a clever piece of kit, able to distinguish over 10,000 different odours, some of which are infinitely more pleasing than others. Consciously or not, our sense of smell dictates our moods and emotions, which goes some way to explaining why commuters on a crowded train or bus in August always look mighty fed up.

The 1985 novel Perfume perfectly sums up the pervasive power of scent. It's a macabre and disturbing tale of one man's obsession to create the human scent that he was born without. Attaching himself to a perfumier, he sees no wrong in slaying 25 women to steal their personal odour. The book, by German writer Patrick Sῧskind, was turned into a movie in 2006, starring Dustin Hoffman, Ben Whishaw and Alan Rickman.

Forget the showy duty-free airport names like Chanel, Dior and Guerlain, if you really want to source a special fragrance, Grasse is the place to visit. The town's perfume industry has been around since the 16th century and began, rumour has it, with then Queen of France Catherine de Medici's complaint over her smelly leather gloves. During the 18th century, Grasse became a winter resort frequented by Princess Pauline Bonaparte and Queen Victoria to regain strength in a warm climate and be surrounded by the rejuvenating fragrances of rose, lavender, jasmine, orange flower and tuberose blossoms.

Jean de Galimard, Lord of Seranon and a great friend of celebrated German writer Goethe, started the Parfumerie Galimard in Grasse in 1747. He supplied the court of Louis ‘the well beloved' King of France with pomades, olive oil and perfumes from the first formulas he invented. For over 250 years, that work has continued and today, serving a global market, Grasse's three main perfume factories, Fragonard, Molinard and Galimard each have guided tours around their establishments and museums with original artefacts and objects dating back five thousand years. A dizzying display of perfumes, eau de toilettes, colognes, lotions and soaps are all packaged beautifully to tempt the discerning shopper.

The Musée International de la Parfumerie is also well worth a visit, with exhibits that cover more than 3,000 years in the history of perfume making throughout the world. All four sites are within a few minutes' drive away in Grasse and can be toured in the morning and completed in time for lunch.

At Galimard, budding perfumiers can attend a two hour work shop at the newly opened Studio des Fragrances where the ‘Nose' will explain the architecture of a good perfume, consisting of the Top Note, the Middle Note and the Base Note. Visitors can create and name a fragrance of their choice to take home, which will also be classified and conserved so you can order it in the future. The price is a bargain basement 45 euros a head. For those with less time on their hands, the Galimard kit, complete with a selection of base fragrances, glass containers and a dropper for mixing is a good alternative at 55 euros.

Galimard, Le Studio des Fragrances
Route de Pégomas, 06131, Grasse
Tel : 04 93 09 20 00

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Parfumerie Fragonard
20 Boulevard Fragonard, 06130, Grasse
Tel : 04 93 36 44 65

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Molinard
60 Boulevard Victor Hugo, 06130, Grasse
Tel : 04 92 42 33 11

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Musée International de la Parfumerie
2 Boulevard du Jeu de Ballon, 06130, Grasse
Tel : 04 97 05 58 00

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