The summer season may be coming to an end, but the party and good humour is alive and well in Grasse, where they celebrate an Oktoberfest Beer Festival; celebrating the relationship with their twin town of Ingolstadt in Germany. Perhaps combine it with a trip to the famous parfumeries such as Fragonard and the perfume museums, where you can take free tours.
As you might expect, there is a great selection of German beers (served in huge glasses), as well as Bavarian food; spread across multiple large tables. There is also live music (courtesy of traveling brass band from Ingolstadt itself) and entertainment throughout, all under a huge marquee. Over the last few years, Herrnbräu has been the anchor brewer and the food has been prepared by Alain Pons.
The 9th edition of the Grasse Beer Festival - 2024
The event is always held on the On the Place du Cours Honoré-Cresp in the heart of Grasse. As in previous years, the “Bayrisch Blau” quartet will bring the music (from the residents of Ingolstadt) and a group from the Gerolfing local history and traditional costume association in Ingolstadt will showcase Bavarian culture with music and dance. The dates have not been confirmed yet but will be in the first half of September.
Review of the 2023 Fête de la Bière in Grasse
2023 was a special year in the history of the beer festival, marking as it did the 60th anniversary of the twinning of Ingolstadt and Grasse. Mayor Jérôme Viaud (of Grasse) and cultural officer Gabriel Engert (of Ingolstadt) jointly unveiled a memorial plaque honouring the long-standing cooperation between the two towns, ahead of the festival from September 7-10:
On the Place du Cours Honoré Cresp, in the heart of the city, guests were able to enjoy specialties from the Herrnbräu brewery together with “Amperland musicians” brought by the people of Ingolstadt to provide the entertainment and atmosphere:
How to Get there
By car: Take the A8 (from Aix en Provence), then exit on the RD 6185 (from Cannes) signed Grasse. If you are coming from the East, exit the A8 on the D2085 (from Nice). If you are coming from the Var, then use the D2562.
By train: Grasse station is the terminus of the Cannes-la-Bocca to Grasse Railway Line from Cannes. It is served by regional trains (TER Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur) to Cannes, Antibes and Nice. Visit the TER website for timetables.
By bus: The best local bus service is the 500 route from Nice to Grasse. You can access the timetable here: https://www.cirm-manca.org/docpdf/lignenicegrasse.pdf
Resources
Accommodation
With a private infinity pool, super-fast Broadband / WiFi and modern air-conditioning, Haute Vue is a Pet friendly holiday home with fast Broadband in Montauroux; perfectly positioned for exploring both the interior of Provence and the French Riviera. Sleeping 10/12 in 5/6 bedrooms, it is a great central base for a holiday in the South of France; close to the beautiful perched villages of Provence and in easy reach of the beaches and sights of the sparkling Côte d'Azur.
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