1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 363 Dead Brain, Remember This!

The Grasse Perfume Museum has three staircases.

After touring the fourth floor, Cherno and Ronan descended via a new set of staircases.

In the stairwell, Ronan noticed several protected oil paintings hanging on the walls on both sides. They looked like collectibles, but the content had nothing to do with perfume; they were portraits, and there were no descriptions of the works next to them.

"Are these paintings also related to perfume?" Ronan asked Cherno, who knew a great deal about perfume and Grasse.

Glass's "little encyclopedia" immediately gave him a smug look, as if to say, "You've come to the right person."
“These paintings have nothing to do with perfume; they are related to the Fox family.”

"What's the connection with the Fox family?" Ronan asked curiously.

Cherno slowed his pace and began to speak slowly and deliberately:
"Before making leather goods and perfumes, there were several famous artists in the Fox family. These paintings were painted by one of the family members who was active in high society during the reign of Louis XV."

He continued to introduce Ronan:
"This artist was particularly skilled at painting themes related to love and sex. Madame du Barry, Louis XV's mistress, was his patron and commissioned him to create a series of four oil paintings called 'Love Series.' Many people speculate that the reason why the Fox family was able to make such wonderful perfumes is because their ancestors had psychedelic and sensual genes flowing in their blood."

Cherno's description reminded Ronan of Astrid.

Ronan has confirmed that the woman must be a descendant of the Fox family, as Miss Patricia has confirmed this information.

But Astrid consistently promoted herself as a descendant of the Marquis de Sade, rather than the more prestigious Fox family.
Whatever the reason, it means that the two families once intermarried.

"Do you know the history of the Fox family? Before Louis XV?" Ronan continued to ask Chernot.

This time, even the little encyclopedia didn't work, and he shook his head apologetically:
"If they hadn't deliberately exhibited these 15th-century oil paintings, people would have thought that the Fox family's history only began in the 16th century. However, there is a theory that the Fox family may have existed since the 5th century AD, and that they were descendants of a declining noble family at that time."

Fearing that Ronan might have the impression that he was 'unprepared', Cherno added:

"In the Middle Ages, nobles faced numerous calamities, including barbarian invasions and religious purges. To survive, they resorted to many 'special' means, such as intermarriage, blood grafting, forging family trees, and manipulating religious beliefs. There must have been many dishonorable aspects to this history, which is why they chose to deliberately conceal them."

Ronan nodded and did not ask any further questions on the matter.

Astrid once spoke of her ancestors' shattered beliefs—they were staunch atheists who argued that God was not the primary force driving the universe, that evil was the most mysterious will of heaven, and that humanity should maintain its vitality through constant hunting in anarchy.

Their family history is certainly not glorious, and may even be more outrageous than the Marquis de Sade's eccentricities.

However, the Fox family already has a very good reputation.

Why does Astrid still deliberately conceal it?
"Could it be because there's something 'dishonorable' about it?" Ronan muttered to himself.

The fourth floor of the museum houses historical collections, captivating visitors with the timeless allure of perfume.

The three floors downstairs make visitors feel as if they are in a perfume factory from the early 20th century.

The museum uses old photos, historical documents, and documentaries to showcase to visitors the various stages of perfume production and the development of perfume-making techniques over the past century.

From planting to harvesting, selection, blending, bottling, and other steps, the precious essential oil—perfume—is finally produced.

In the picking information hall, Ronan saw many signs advertising "Hand-picked at 4 a.m. to lock in the aroma before the dew evaporates from the petals," and curiously asked Cherno:
"Really? They were all picked at 4 a.m.?"

Cherno noticed the disbelief in Ronan's tone and shrugged:
"If you ask if it's all of them, I can't guarantee that. But in the early mornings during the peak blooming season, there are many workers picking flowers in the Fox family's flower fields. Many tourists choose to go and see the flower picking in the morning. It's a very famous 'wild tourism project,' even more popular than the experience projects organized by the Fox family themselves. So everyone believes that this slogan is true."

Ronan heard something that interested him and pressed for more information:

"The Fox family also organizes travel services?"

Before coming here, Ronan had wondered whether the Fox family's perfume industry chain included a tourism sector.

Provence is a major tourist region, and businesses are trying to capitalize on its popularity. Even Mr. Llorente's livestock family has launched a "Shepherd's Trail" travel route.

When it comes to tourism, Chernoko has even more to say:

"Yes, the Fox family has opened a garden about 2 hectares in size, about 2 kilometers from the gates of Grasse, for tourists to visit. The garden is planted with many fragrant plants, such as roses, jasmine, tuberose, broom, orange blossom, geranium, and precious lavender. Strolling through the sea of ​​flowers under the sun is an essential part of a visit to Grasse."

"How much does it cost to participate in the experience program?" Ronan asked expectantly.

Cheese makers organize tours for tourists to experience the Shepherd's Path, perfume makers organize flower picking tours, and winemakers can also take tourists to visit vineyards and let them pick their own grapes.

We should also come up with a good slogan to promote it. If we happen to grow a rare grape variety, that will also be a selling point.

Cherno recalled:
"It's an in-depth tour service that includes morning flower picking, hands-on operation of a 19th-century antique still, and blending your own signature perfume in an oak barrel aging room. The full experience costs 350 francs, and if you want a perfumer to accompany you, it will cost an additional 1000 francs. The in-depth tour is only in French and English; German requires an extra fee for translation."

Ronan carefully wrote down this key information, as it would be something he could refer to in the future.

Cherno said regretfully:
"The in-depth tour is only available from May to July, and it's a real shame that we can't take you to experience it today."

Ronan said with a smile:
“It’s alright, I can come again between May and July with my family. If you have time, you can come with us.” Being invited on a trip by what the editor-in-chief called an 'important client' was an immense honor for Cherno, and he said with some excitement:
"Mr. Ronan, if you are interested in perfume, I can help you apply for a VIP experience tour, avoiding ordinary tourists throughout the entire trip, going directly to the perfume raw material warehouse, accompanied by the best perfumers throughout the trip, and eligible to participate in the auction of a limited edition essential oil from a single year. These are services that can only be enjoyed by customers of the Fox family who spend more than 30 francs a year."

"If you could buy something, maybe I could even get you naming rights for the flower field with a lower limit! That's the highest level of hospitality!"

Write it down, write it all down. Ronan kept reminding his brain to get to work!
"Thank you, Cherno." Ronan patted Cherno on the shoulder gratefully.

Dude, you've done me a huge favor.

This was a very fruitful trip!
During the subsequent visit, Ronan learned many useful and applicable things.

The world entered the industrial age long ago, but the Fox family insisted on using ancient essential oil extraction techniques. Their museum displays many retired distillation equipment, which the museum describes as 'heroes'.

This reminded Ronan of winemaking.

Modern techniques are also driving wineries to use more advanced industrial technologies, while Ronan's handcrafted winemaking is also an ancient craft.

The use of traditional winemaking techniques was primarily driven by the Vaucluse Department of Tourism's desire to preserve this endangered craft, a highly advantageous means for Lourmaran to secure a budget.

Meanwhile, during Gold's art events, both Marecchall and Normand, the curators, wrote extensively about Ronan's "craftsmanship."

Ronan could follow the example of the Grasse Perfume Museum by promoting 'handcrafted' production, resonating with artists and customers about the endangered traditional techniques of rosé wine and the 'craftsmanship' of artisans.

"Another selling point found." Ronan walked into the last few exhibition halls of the museum with considerable satisfaction.

The theme of the next exhibition area is—smell.

A perfumer who combines the talents of a magician, artist, and chemist will demonstrate his perfume-making skills here.

Perfumers are a more prestigious profession than bartenders, with fewer than 250 worldwide, and more than half of them live in Grasse.

These most important souls in the perfume industry have a keen sense of smell, capable of recognizing over 5000 fragrances, and they blend petals and dreams into the most captivating scents.

How many fragrances have these artists, who can identify more than 5000 different scents, designed?
In 1987, there were 8000 possible answers!
That's right. Even if there were 8000 days in a year, let alone only 365 days, you could still fit them into every single day.

After visiting the 'Smell' exhibit, Ronan arrived at the penultimate exhibit at the Grasse Museum – the Perfume Studio.

This is a veritable fragrance laboratory, displaying a large number of perfume bottles.

While the staff were looking for scented bottles for Ronan and Cherno's birthdays, Ronan noticed several children sitting behind a transparent glass wall in the laboratory.

"What are those children doing?" Ronan asked Cherno.

Cherno said with a smile:
"This is where I came up with the idea of ​​a 'child-friendly' museum. Grasse is the world's perfume capital, and the museum hopes to cultivate more children's interest in perfume. So, we launched an activity called 'Little Perfumer,' which can be a one-time experience or a systematic course to guide children to explore the world of fragrance and learn to mix perfumes, fragrances, bath salts, or make cologne."

"Wow, Ronan couldn't help but sigh inwardly."

The Fox family recognized the importance of children as early as 1987.

Before he traveled through time, he had read some data that showed that if a child was left in a commercial area, the parents' purchase rate could be as high as 72%.

The Fox family, under the banner of "Little Perfumers," not only made money but also implanted brand awareness, cultivating these children into future customers. The whole model was very high-end and advanced in 1987, and Ronan learned from it!

The last area is the shops.

The store displays finished perfumes, soaps, and natural essential oils made by the Fox family.

Ronan reviewed the information and summarized what he had learned that day.

The Fox family promotes Grasse's perfume culture through the perfume museum, where children and various ingenious ideas transform ordinary visitors into finished products.

At the same time, customized experience services were designed for high-end customers, and even methods such as naming flower fields to reflect their nobility and uniqueness were used.

This series of combined moves successfully built a reputation and reached various groups of people; it was indeed a brilliant strategy.

"You bought so much stuff?" Cherno asked in surprise when he saw Ronan carrying a mountain of goods to the checkout counter.

Ronan said with a smile:
"Yes, buy more to give to friends."

Ronan is a man of principle.

Having learned so much by stealing knowledge, I have to pay some tuition.

(End of this chapter)