ORBIS city intelligence

Buying in Cannes: Three Perfumers, One Cheesemonger

Grasse is twenty kilometres away and it shows on the shelves here. Three of the shops worth a stop are perfumers doing three different jobs, so decide first which of those you actually want.

M. Micallef: the bottle is part of the purchase S1

Micallef has worked since 1986 in hand-decorated crystal bottles from Grasse. The container is a real part of what you are paying for. Decide on the bottle before you let anyone start discussing the scent.

Ask whether refills are available for the bottle you like. Check how the stopper is sealed if it is going in hold luggage, because decorated bottles are heavier and more fragile than they look.

Degrasse Parfumeur: this is the commission door S2

Bespoke and artisanal perfume in the Grasse tradition is what this house does. Come here with time and a description of what you want rather than expecting to buy off a shelf.

Ask how long a commission takes and whether the formula is kept for reordering. Weigh both answers before starting a bespoke scent on a short trip.

Taizo Parfumerie: for smelling twenty things you cannot find at home S3

Taizo retails niche fragrance from other houses alongside skincare and candles. Use it to try widely before committing anywhere else in the region.

Ask for samples rather than deciding in the shop. Scent changes over several hours, and a decision made at the counter is often not the one you would make at home.

Fromagerie Ceneri: the door you can find without a map, on rue Meynadier S4

The Ceneri family have run this counter for generations and work aged French farmhouse cheese. Start here if you are short of time, since rue Meynadier is easy to find and the counter moves quickly.

Ask what is ready to eat today rather than choosing by name. Ask for vacuum packing and confirm the cheese will survive the journey you are about to make.

Cannolive holds Provençal olive oil and tapenade beside santons, the painted nativity figures of the region. Take bread and pastry from Boulangerie Boutigny, which covers both from a single counter.