2y.s GRASSE. 



the hill. Tlie [leople throng the streets in the evening. 

 Sometimes the crowd is so dense as ',t6 impede the traflic. 

 Here and tliere the old houses, grev with age, have 

 been fitted witli large shop windows displa^-ing goods 

 whicli are little in keeping with tlieir surroundings. From 

 man^- of the liouse doors there issues a smell of grease, 

 onions and garlic. Dishes of ummlstakable Mediterranean 

 sa^'our are being fried. But this smell of oil is combined 

 with a penetrating perfume which might be pleasant 

 enough in more open places; it comes from Sandal-wood 

 which is spread out in the perfume factories. The work- 

 ing of it had just began. 



Grasse is ot \erA' ancient origin, but has been repeat- 

 edh" destro\ed. Its restoration in tlie sixth centur^• 

 was, according to a legend, accomplished by Jews, The}' 

 were said to be descendants of those Jews who were 

 driven out of Rome b\' Tiberius towards the ^-ear IM of 

 our era. Diiring the persecution which broke out in 

 Provence in the sixth centur^• these Je\vs turned t_liristian 

 and received the ruins of the old Roman town as a 

 reward. It is the^' who giwc it the name of "Gratia". 

 The arms of Grasse bear a sih'er Paschal Lamb on an 

 azure field, and some have sought to connect this with 

 the former conversion of those who rebuilt the town. 



A\'e do not consider Grasse exacth' beautiful; even 

 the ^■iew of the distant sea from its squares and gardens 

 does not enchant us. For the stiff ixnd formal barracks 

 be\ond the hills are an e\'esore. But the view of Grasse 

 itself is pleasing from the garden of the (rrand Hotel, 

 which is reached in t\'^■ent^' minutes b\- the new Avenue 



