An Englishman in Grasse
Historic Images with AI
In some of my posts, I juxtapose old images, mostly from postcards, against how the same sites look like today. But artificial intelligence tools allow you to manipulate historic images, adding colour to black & white and animating figures and vehicles. If that interests you, this page lets you access some of my posts via images which AI has helped me to generate.
Vanished Buildings
Of course many buildings have been demolished in Grasse over the years, but it's possible to use AI to help to see them as they once were. Here are three: Alice de Rothschild's Villa Victoria (see my post here); the old Gare du Sud when Grasse had two railways; and Chateau Isnard, prominent next to Cours Honoré Cresp (see here).
Grasse's Funicular
Grasse’s funicular from the station to Cours Honoré Cresp opened in 1909 and closed in 1938. There was a project to build a new one (finally cancelled in 2014), simulations of which still exist on YouTube. You can read about the funicular in my post here and about Chateau Roure, which is the building in the picture mid-track, here.
Boulevard Jeu de Ballon in the 1920s
This broad street originally ran outside the 14th century walls of Grasse. Napoleon followed it on his way north from Golfe-Juan in 1815 (see my post here), and it boasts at least two interesting buildings, which I have posted about here. Hidden behind the tower in the centre of the picture was the ancient Barri des Huguenots (see here).
Chateau d'Eau on the Foulon canal in 1908
When Grasse completed the Foulon canal in 1889, an opening ceremony took place at the Chateau d'Eau, which was its main distribution point above the town. The flow was intended to aerate the water, but this part of the system is now well out-of-date. You can read more about the Foulon and Grasse's battle for water with Cannes in my post here, and also about the latest enhancement of our local water supply, from La Foux, here.
Rue de la Rêve Vieille around 1900
The name Rêve Vieille has nothing to do with dreams (‘rêves’ in French). It actually refers to a medieval form of taxation on food used to raise money for the defence and administration of the town. The tax office was on this street. You can read more here.
A remnant of one of Grasse's old town hotels
Before the Great War, Grasse had at least five hotels within the old town, while new ones like the Grand Hotel, where Queen Victoria stayed in 1891, were developing for the winter tourist trade. The Hotel des Négociants on bd Jeu de Ballon (original image is from the Archives of Grasse) can still be identified as a bar of the same name. You can read more about Grasse’s hotels in my post here.
Avenue Thiers before the Great War
The construction of av Thiers in 1865 opened up the hillside to the north-east of Grasse’s old town for development and triggered the creation of the ‘English colony’. Grand villas originally built for incomers (many of them not actually English) and townspeople rich from the perfume business still exist along and beyond av Thiers. You can read more in my post here.
Pont St Bartholémy in Grasse's St François quarter
The map of Grasse St François today is dominated by the road built in the 1890s which was the catalyst for the development of the quarter. But there’s one old track across the valley leading to a substantial bridge over the millstream. St François was once alternatively known as St Barthélemy, which is why the bridge is labelled as the Pont St Barthélemy in this historic image. You can read more about St Francois here and about its mills here.
Thorenc - transport before the Great War
The success of Grasse's mountain resort at Thorenc from 1900 onwards owed much to the rapid development of motor transport. There was a project to build a railway from Grasse to Thorenc, but cars and buses needed less capital investment and offered more flexibility. The original image of the car is from the Jean Luce collection (Archives of the Alpes-Maritimes, Nice) and of the bus from the Archives of Grasse. My blog is here.
Rue Sans Peur in 1923
The name Rue Sans Peur (‘Fearless Street’) commemorates a siege of Grasse in 1708, but by 1923 the area was a slum heading towards demolition. After the second war, the street was shortened and partly demolished. You can read about its odd name and history in my post here.
Alice de Rothschild’s Villa Victoria in 1913 and the Palais Provençal today
Alice de Rothschild’s Villa Victoria, her winter country cottage in France, was re-built as the Park-Palace, Grasse’s grandest hotel, in 1929. It’s now an apartment block named the Palais Provençal. You can read my posts about the rise and decline of Grasse’s hotels here and about Alice de Rothschild’s activities in Grasse here.
Grasse and the Mourachonne Valley in 1905 and today
An amazing black and white photo from the Jean Luce collection (in the Archives of Alpes-Maritimes, Nice) shows the town of Grasse and the Mourachonne Valley beyond it. More green space has survived than might have been expected. For more about the Mourachonne, see my blog here.
Rue des Suisses (now Rue Charles Nègre) in the 1890s
The Rue des Suisses, which at the time of this postcard was a thriving shopping street leading on from the rue Droite, is strongly associated with the Nègre family. In the 1890s, it was re-named after the most famous of the Nègres, the photographer-artist Charles, but for well over 100 years it was the centre of the family confectionery business. You can see my blog about Charles here and my post about the Nègre confectionery here.
Rue Tracastel around 1900
Rue Tracastel, which was once a defensive ditch outside the original town walls, encapsulates the history of Grasse. It accommodated two important perfumeries and was the birthplace of Grasse’s most famous son, Fragonard. And a school located here was the scene of heroic actions during World War 2. For more, see my blog here.