Imagine 17th-century France, where the small village of Grasse is undergoing a fascinating transformation. Once famous for its leather goods, the town discovered that the nobility — and especially the influential Catherine de Médicis — loved it when these leathers were scented to mask the strong smell of the material. This shift turned Grasse from a tanning hub into the world capital of perfume. In Grasse (Second Edition), you step into the shoes of a master perfumer striving to dominate this luxury market.

The game is a challenge of management and efficiency. You'll need to collect bases and essences to create fragrances, choosing between producing classic perfumes, which are safer, or venturing into avant-garde creations. The goal isn't just to manufacture, but to know how to sell. You can focus on exporting your products to secure ambitious contracts outside the town or specialize in refined techniques to gain prestige.

The gameplay revolves around a Rondel system and Worker Placement, meaning every move must be calculated. You can't do everything at once, so strategy is key: will you be the most versatile producer, the technical specialist, or the region's top seller? Victory goes to the player who best balances industrial production with market demand, accumulating the most points by the end of the journey. If you enjoy economic games with elegant themes and mechanics that require careful planning, Grasse is the perfect choice to smell the scent of victory.