A most illustrious family lived in this bastide located in the heart of Grasse for more than 80 years, from 1805 to 1888. These are the Fragonards, a famous family of perfumers. “The Fragonard family moved into the house, made it her main residence, and extended it by creating a turret. The property then became a bastide», explains Jérémy Amar, sales manager at Sotheby’s International Realty. At the top of this tower is a belvedere, an open office with a view of all of Grasse and Mandelieu, from the Cannes hinterland to the sea.
A nose, future owner of the place?
The current owners, who have occupied the residence for 24 years, also wish to sell the bastide of more than 600 square meters to a perfumer, in order to echo the history of the place. They are getting rid of the house built on 6,000 square meters of land because it is too big for them and requires a lot of maintenance.
Sotheby’s organized several visits after the publication of the advert three weeks ago: that of a family who lives near Grasse and is looking for a large property with several bedrooms (editor’s note, the house has 5), that of a person who wants to make a donation to his grandchildren and that of a Monegasque client who wishes to transform the place into a luxury hotel.
Or even English people who also want to make it a small hotel or other Monegasque clients who want to spend their retirement a little further than Monaco. “A nose (Editor’s note, a perfumer who creates odors) for a soda brand also fell in love with the property. Living in a perfumer’s property is a no-brainer for a nose», Says Jérémy Amar.
In addition to the notoriety of the former owners of the place, the bastide is also remarkable for its garden with its period fountain, which dates from 1648, its river and its stone swimming pool with spring water as well as its vegetable garden with its fruit trees. . This is the last bastide still intact in Grasse: “You cannot find two bastides like this on the market, it is one of the last architectural jewels of Grasse of yesteryear. There is a fireplace in each room, moldings on the ceilings, and mosaics.
The bastide has kept its letters of nobility», assures Jérémy Amar. In addition, it is located not far from the Grand Hôtel where Queen Victoria stayed, believing that Grasse offered the best climate to recharge her batteries. The bastide actually benefits from a microclimate conducive to the cultivation of exotic plants and plants used in perfumery. A nod to the former master of the place.