No country has a more intimate relationship with lavender than France, still the most important producer of lavender oil in the world. Lavender thrives on the chalky soils, in the dry ravines and hot summers of Provence. Best time of the year to visit (for lavender lovers) is end of June to the end of August.
Provence is divided into six Departments: Bouches du Rhone, Var, Alpes Maritimes, Vaucluse, Alpes de Haute Provence, and Hautes Alpes. The departments to the west - Vaucluse and Bouches du Rhone - are bordered on the west by the Rhône river. These two departments along with Alpes de Haute Provence are generally what tourists think of when they think of Provence.
The ‘Route de la Lavande’ is the place to start. It acts as your personal guide of discovery to the blue and violet Provence. Passing through superb small villages surrounded by hills and plateaus lit up by the sunshine - the scent of lavender is everywhere in the wind. It's really worth the discovery!
In addition to the ‘Route de la Lavande’ - which is a holiday tour in itself, there is a plethora of exciting places to visit (within a doable radius) that prove France remains the capital of scent, inspiring light and colour.
Below, I have highlighted some of the more awe-inspiring attractions I encountered while visiting Provence – all of which are in one way or another connected to lavender. If you manage to incorporate all or even some of the sites to your itinerary, you can rest assured that Lavender Provence will forever stay etched in your memory as one of the most magnificent places on earth.
A delightful, full of British humour Peter Mayle, once a businessman, moves to Provence with his wife and two dogs. He recounts a year of their adventures living and working amid the French.
'Route de la Lavande'
The best place to start planning your route along the Lavender Road of Provence is at Routes-Lavande as well as at www.beyond.fr.
All along the Lavender Road of Provence, growers, distillers, and local guides await your visit. There are a plathora of farms and gardens to visit, as well as museums and companies with a long lavender connection and history.
Lavender is celebrated at every corner: at village festivals, celebrations and markets! Some options are:
The Lavender Museum was created by the Lincelé family, cultivators and distillers of fine lavender for over 5 generations. The farm "Le Château du Bois" is located at Lagarde d'Apt, in the Vaucluse mountains at 1,100 metres altitude.
There they cultivate 80 hectares of fine lavender. The Lincelés are amongst the largest producers of fine lavender in the region. The lavender starts to flower in mid-June. At the end of July, they cut it with a machine and distill it in their own distillery.
The laveder museum presents the history of the distillation of this ancient plant and its utilisation in medicines and perfumes for over 4000 years. A sumptuous collection of copper stills dating from the 16th century to today has been collected for over twenty years now by George Lincelé.
Musée de la Lavande
Route de Gordes
84220 Coustellet
Luberon - Provence
Abbey of Sénanque
In a quiet valley near Gordes amidst beautiful lavender fields, lies the 12th century Cistercian Abbey of Sénanque. The Abbey of Sénanque is, until today, inhabited by a community of Cistercian monks who practice the process of lavender oil making.
Grasse - the perfume capital of the world! This city is filled with the scent of perfume and for anyone interested in the chemistry of scent, a visit to Grasse is a must.
Some two dozen scent companies here manufacture the fragrances in most of the soaps, potpourri, talc, after shave, cologne and perfume sold in France, and elsewhere.
Tourists can tour four perfumeries, the largest of which is Fragonard. Fragonard includes a museum of antique perfume bottles, art of the "toilette," and a perfume shop along with its English-speaking tour guides in a perfumery open since the 1700s.
A walk through Grasse's twisted Old City is an opportunity to be surprised by a new scent at every turn. Shops everywhere sell perfume and cologne, including numerous "house scents" created by the store owners.
Most of the scents that become famous are created in Grasse by an artist of aroma called 'the nose'. This artist and creator sits at an 'organ' of hundreds of bottles, testing and sniffing for just the right combination. At least 20 scents are mixed for a simple perfume, and up to hundreds for the more complex. The nose is expected to recognize between 2,000 and 3,000 scents from memory.
The Parfumerie Galimard as well as Fragonard Parfumeur are also present in Eze, the picturesque and quaint medieval village in the Cote-de-Azure. Both companies offer free guided tours 365 days a year revealing some of the secrets of perfume making.
A walk through Grasse is an opportunity to be surprised by a new scent at every turn. Shops sell perfume, soaps and 'scented' treasures.
The twisted old city streets of Grasse are scent-sational
Book Tip
Perfume
by Patrick Suskind
This best-selling novel is the ideal holiday book when visiting Grasse
Grand Canyon du Verdon & Moustiers Sainte-Marie
Nestled amongst fields of lavender and quaint little villages is the spectacular Grand Canyon du Verdon.
One can enjoy the beauty of the canyon in a number of ways:
A 7-8 hr hike will take you through the canyon and provides an unforgettable experience! Surrounded by 300m high cliffs, the hiking path winds itself along the wild-flowing waters of the Verdon.
One can explore the canyon via kayak. There are numerous rental places that organize day-tours through the canyon.
Last, but not least, from the many lookout points carved into the cliffs along the winding road above the canyon. Whichever way you decide to explore ... the Grand Canyon will surprise you with its beauty.
To relax after this 'rushing' experience, plan to stay at the beautiful village of Moustiers Sainte-Marie.
Here, French culinary delights await you. Be prepared to taste dishes made with a hint of lavender that will forever inspire your own culinary creations. Discover many more lavender treasures from the shops along its winding streets. Tasteful pottery creations are especially popular - they are certain to add a Mediterranean touch to any decor.
Local artists use lavender as an inspirational motif for many of their creations
Local cuisine uses lavender to spice up their culinary delights
Roussillon
Perhaps one of the most surprising sights that I encountered while traveling through Provence was the ocre village of Roussillon - it is literally surrounded by red rock formations. It certainly counts as one of the most charming and picturesque villages in the Provence.
Lovely red sand stone and red roof tiles make up the building materials of the local village people. The ocher-coloured houses are situated beneath the plateau of the Rocher, on which rests an old church.
The sand stone mountain range, holding 10 percent of iron, causes the fierce red and sometimes more violet and ocher colours. This in contrast with the purple lavender fields along the Lavender Road are an inspiration to every visitor - artist or not.
The ocre cliffs near the village of Roussillon are an example that nature remains our most talented artist
Pont du Gard - Bridge of the Gard River - Roman Aqueduct
When studying the history of lavender, every source makes a point of mentioning the Romans and their love of water – bathing, washing, and cleansing seem to have been a crucial part in their every-day lives. Visiting the Pont du Gard only confirms how important and fundamental water was to the Romans.
This aqueduct near Remoulins, was constructed by the Roman Empire in the middle of the 1st century A.D. It was designed to carry the water across the small Gardon river valley and was part of a nearly 50 km aqueduct that brought water from springs near to the Roman city of Nemausus (Nimes). The aqueduct delivered 20,000 cubic meters (44 million gallons) of water daily. Plenty to supply the Roman bathing rituals.
