A petition to "save" the last factory in the historic center, "a true showcase of perfumery expertise" in Grasse

More than 470 signatures in nearly two months. The online petition launched by Grasse mayor Bastien Botazzi, an opponent , appears to have found its audience. The goal of the fight launched on March 23: "Save the former Fabrique Hugues-Aîné." The member of the Grasse pour tous group is responding to a February 25 municipal council resolution that he wants to have "cancelled."

The municipality had approved the sale of the municipal premises of this former perfume factory located on Rue Mirabeau. The sale was to the semi-public company (SEM) Pays de Grasse Dynamique, for €300,000. Bastien Botazzi's fear: that this exceptional property, "a true showcase of Grasse perfumery expertise," would eventually escape municipal control, that these premises would be sold "for the benefit of a private law organization (although the municipality is a stakeholder)," pointing out that "the City has still not carried out any work" since it purchased it in 1985.

Note that in 2019, the restoration of the main facade was completed thanks to the patronage of Robertet-Charabot, through the Baudelaire endowment fund (1) for an amount of 80,000 euros.

"An underground link" between the museums of the old town

The professional architect and history researcher wants to "fight" against this decision and puts forward his ideas for using this "property in an exceptional location, located in the square of the museums of the historic city." This "historical, heritage and physical link could, in the long term, create an underground link between the International Perfume Museum [MIP] and the Museum of Art and History of Provence," he presents. While he says he is "aware that it is difficult to raise funds today," Bastien Botazzi believes that the Hugues-Aîné factory "could be used for many purposes for the MIP and help lead tourists and visitors to the history museum." "Let's not deprive ourselves of it," he adds.

Today, it serves, in part, as an annex to the museums, the "last nearby one since the closure of the one located in the former courthouse, which was converted into a campus," argues Bastien Botazzi.

"False statements," according to the mayor

Jérôme Viaud, who produced a joint response for Nice-Matin with the SEM Pays de Grasse Dynamiques, "is keen to re-establish the truth" in the face of what he considers to be "false statements" and "attempts at disinformation": "It is completely false to say that the Hugues-Aîné building would be sold to a private luxury developer," the mayor replied. "No sale to a speculative player is envisaged."

"The building currently requires nearly one million euros of work, according to estimates made by the City in 2020, for its rehabilitation," points out the mayor. "It is in this context that the SEM Pays de Grasse Dynamiques, a local mixed economy company (a public tool with a majority of municipal and intermunicipal assets), has applied to acquire and rehabilitate this emblematic building," he argues. "Far from a privatization logic, this project aims to create an incubator for local businesses oriented towards luxury, in line with the DNA and history of Grasse, of which the SEM would remain the owner," specifies Jérôme Viaud.

He points to "transparent and predominantly public funding (City of Grasse, CAPG, Banque des Territoires, private investors and the State to the tune of 900,000 euros)" supported by a "collegiate structure that brings together elected officials from the municipal council and the opposition, who are familiar with this project and its merits." He judges that "the SEM has already demonstrated its effectiveness with the revival of the former HSBC building located on Place aux Aires, which it has acquired, and which will soon house a brasserie at the end of 2025."

According to him, the goal of this "orchestration" is to "slow down a constructive and participatory dynamic of revitalization" aimed at "slowing down structuring projects for our city center." For his part, Bastien Botazzi assures that his approach "is not within a political framework but to save a heritage link of prime importance."

The last factory before the industrial era

A place with a "remarkable character recognized by all," "a much-photographed gem, both by tourists and the people of Grasse." Bastien Botazzi has no shortage of superlatives to describe the Hugues-Aîné factory. The last factory "in its original state" in the city center, "the last factory before the industrial era," he emphasizes.

A building that is the fruit of the work of a perfumer from Grasse: Jean-Joseph Hugue. "He had a certain intelligence regarding his profession regarding water requirements," says construction specialist Hugues-Aîné, who has been studying the subject "for nine years." "He began to harness the sources he could for his business to bring water into his factory. He had to create air vents, so he created water vents and sold them as concessions. He bought the necessary lots around the factory to build its very, very beautiful facade. Even though he was only an average perfumer compared to other big names, he really pushed perfumery forward."

1. The Baudelaire endowment fund, initiated in 2018 by residents of Grasse, aims to raise money to restore the town's architectural heritage to its former glory and also to organize cultural events there.