The centifolia rose, grown in Grasse
For millennia, the pink fascinates. Artists have always seen in her an inexhaustible source of inspiration, an emblem of absolute love, to the point of raising her to the coveted rank of queen of flowers. Rose growers have been able to tame it and endow it with countless shapes, colors and scents for our greatest happiness.
For the record
The rose is one of the first scents to have been used in perfumery. The Romans were already extracting the essential oil and consuming roses in an incredible way, especially for their perfume. Its petals filled cushions, and perfumed baths... His essence, intoxicating and sensual, was thus invited to the preparations for love. It is even said that Cleopatra and Mark Antony spent their first night of love on a bed of rose petals 45 cm thick...
In perfumery
Perfumery mainly uses the Damask rose (Rosa damascena) and to a lesser extent the cent-feuille rose (Rosa centifolia L.), also known as the "May rose". The olfactory qualities of the centifolia de Grasse are such that they are found in the great names of perfumery, its lemony facet evokes the sun, its spicy and honeyed aspects bring richness and sensuality. Of course, the Rose de Mai Pays absolute is used as a base note to give an unparalleled volume equal to a composition and obviously reminds us of Chanel N° 5, Joy de Patou... emblematic perfumes born in our Grasse basin.
The Centifolia rose represents no more than 10% of the production of roses for perfumery compared to the Damascena rose which is much more common. The latter is grown mainly in Morocco, Turkey, Iran and Bulgaria.
The Centifolia rose grows in the shape of a bush. It is a resistant plant with deep roots. Quite greedy in water and fertilizer, rose bushes can however live for decades if they avoid diseases and pests.
And the harvest in all this
Pruning is done in February, it is necessary for the plant to remain vigorous.
The harvest is spread over a few weeks in May. It is done manually so as not to damage the flowers.
The flower fears heat, so it is harvested in the morning during the weeks of bloom to preserve its freshness and essence.
Extracted fresh, Rose Centifolia absolute is the result of meticulous work throughout the supply chain: from working the land to obtain this fragile raw material to our know-how to extract the best from it.
