IN A fit of last-minute travel research, I decided to read A Year In Provence instead of Lonely Planet.

Big mistake.

The sweet, sweet scent of Fragonard perfumed soap - and tourist money - in Grasse.

In British author Peter Mayle's bestseller of a travelogue set in the French countryside, there are charming village markets, quaint little restaurants, seasonal truffle hunts, impromptu wine tastings and other gastronomic delights.

All these and more, he experienced in the first year he uprooted himself from London to restore a dilapidated 200-year-old farmhouse in the south of France.

We might have been in the same part of the country, but my five days in Provence (pronounced proh-vahns) went by in vastly different ways.

While he was taking his time to get to know the locals and adapting to his adopted country, I was playing the part of the true blue tourist, determined to maximise every minute I was there.

Being a typical kiasu Singaporean, I was able to squeeze in day trips to jet-setter paradise St Tropez, perfume capital Grasse and historic fortress St Paul de Vence.

This was possible due to the convenient location of my accommodation at the newly refurbished Club Med resort in the tiny village of Opio.

And when I say tiny, I mean it - there are only 1,920 inhabitants in Opio. But the quaint village served as the perfect jumping-off point for the major sights of Provence.

Green green Grasse

Fragonard perfumes

PERHAPS it might have been my imagination, but the air in Grasse (pronounced grass) - 20 minutes away by coach - seemed to be lightly fragranced with lavender, almost as though someone had spritzed the delicate scent all over town.

The calming presence of lavender is everywhere, from soaps and candles to ice cream and even roast chicken.

Renowned as the perfume capital of the world, Grasse is home to 40 perfume houses which produce 60 per cent of France's natural aromas. It is also the setting in the final chapters of the heady novel Perfume by Patrick Suskind.

Even if you have not read the book or seen the 2006 movie it was adapted into, starring Ben Whishaw and Dustin Hoffman, the techniques of scent extraction, both ancient and modern, are fascinating.

At one of the oldest perfume factories in the region, the Fragonard Parfumeur (20 Boulevard Fragonard, 06130 Grasse, www.fragonard.com), there are daily guided tours in English.

SMOOTH SAILING: Fleets of luxury yachts dock at St Tropez, where the jet-setters retreat to their private beaches.

They are free, as are the intoxicating scents you inhale as the guide takes you through processes such as enfleurage. It sounds and looks gross, but this technique uses solid fats to capture the fragrances exuded by plants.

The final products - a nose-boggling array of parfum, eau de toilette and lotions - are available for sale at factory prices at the end of the tour. The solid perfumes in pocket-sized tubs (5 euros (S$10.50) each, 25 euros for six) make particularly thoughtful souvenirs.

Let there be light

SENSORY overload of a different kind is found in the fortress village of St Paul de Vence about 45 minutes away. Perched on top of a rocky outcrop with its protection wall still intact, the mediaeval 14th-century village is home to more than 30 art galleries and only 300 inhabitants.

More than 2.5 million tourists come to St Paul every year, making it the third most visited historical site in France after the Mont St Michel and the Chateau de Versailles.

ROCK STEADY: St Paul de Vence, perched on a rocky outcrop, is the only village in France left with its fortress walls intact.

It is indeed a paradise for art lovers. Every turn I took along its winding cobbled walkways brought me face to face with yet another bold oil painting or an avant-garde bronze sculpture.

Being not of deep pockets, I contented myself with buying vintage French advertisement posters instead. But even a philistine like me could appreciate the incredible light that illuminated the village.

That was perhaps why artists such as Matisse, Chagall, Picasso and Klee have all, at one time or another, chosen to paint there. Chagall was even buried there when he died in 1985 at the age of 97.

The best place to see some of these artists' works is La Colombe d'Or (Place du General de Gaulle, St Paul de Vence 06570, www.la-colombe-dor. com), a hotel and restaurant with an extensive collection of art left by its former guests, including Matisse and Picasso. Jet set with the best

St Paul de Vence's cobblestone walkways offer surprises at every turn.

JUST saying the name St Tropez (say it languidly, 'san tropay', like the jet set does) conjures up decadence and images of the rich and famous.

You know this is an expensive town when a pack of four AA batteries costs 7 euros and celebrity sightings are so common, there is even a free magazine documenting them.

I overheard someone exclaiming he saw Tom Cruise, but could not verify it. But not to worry if you are neither rich nor famous. There is a superb activity that everyone, monied or not, indulges in here - people watching.

Along the row of chic terrace cafes, all the chairs face one direction only - outwards to the promenade, where a constant parade of tourists stroll past and flashy convertibles cruise by so slowly that they jam up the narrow lane.

Luxury yachts jostle for space in the harbour, each immaculately polished and buffed, and helicopters swoop in and out, bearing guests presumably to the many private beaches dotting the coastline.

The off-season months of May, June and September are best if you want to avoid the hordes of tourists -but then you'd also miss out on the chance to see Tom Cruise.

Nice to be here

IN ADDITION to Grasse, St Paul de Vence and St Tropez, there are other places worthy of a day trip.

Nice (pronounced nees), the largest city of the French Riviera, has museums devoted to Matisse and Chagall, but its freshest attraction has to be the Cours Saleya Flower Market with its sidewalk cafes, beautiful market produce and, of course, flowers of every colour.

SUN-KISSED: Rent an umbrella and a deck chair and join the beautiful people on a beach in Cannes.

The movie mecca of Cannes (pronounced kan) is not just about the Cannes Film Festival, usually held in May. In those saner months when the event is not holding centre stage, you may actually find a space on the beach to lay your towel and join beautiful people with their scary leathery tans.

And if you are in the mood for some casino action, Monte Carlo in Monaco is the answer, just three hours and an entire country away.

With proper planning and the right kiasu tourist attitude, you too can make the most of your days in Provence. You don't need a year.

suzanne@sph.com.sg

ST Photos: Suzanne Sng

A five-day package to Club Med Opio in Provence costs from $1,186 for twin-sharing superior room (excluding air fare). The package includes all meals, drinks and activities. For more details, please call 1800-CLUBMED (1800-258-2633) or visit www.clubmed.com.sg