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If you’re planning to visit France between late June and early August, the lavender fields of Provence are sure to feature on your bucket list. The endless rows of lavender, with grey-green foliage and delicate purple flowers bathed in the Mediterranean sunshine, create a picture-perfect scene that’s straight out of a Van Gogh painting. Read our guide to experiencing the best lavender farms that Provence has to offer:
Valensole Plateau, Provence, France
Some of the most famous lavender fields in France are to be found on the Valensole Plateau, which is located within the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region. Its name translates as ‘Valley of Sun’: a well-chosen name, given that its gently rolling hills enjoy more than 300 days of sunshine each year, providing ideal growing conditions for sunflower fields, wheat fields and ancient olive trees as well as lavender.
At the heart of the plateau lies the tiny hilltop town of Valensole, where honey-coloured stone houses adorned with wrought iron balconies and painted shutters overlook a valley filled with lavender fields and deep green forests. From here it’s an easy one-hour walk to the family-run farm of Les Grandes Marges, where you can wander the fields and sample their organic produce which includes homegrown almonds and olive oil as well as lavender products. Lavandes Angelvin is another popular stop within the Valensole region: this lavender distillery offers visitors the opportunity to see every step of the essential oil production process, from harvesting and distillation to its use in the making of soaps, eau de toilette and Eau de Provence. Because the town is only a hundred kilometres or so from the city of Aix-en-Provence, a visit to Valensole is an easy day trip, but with so many beautiful villas and farmhouses available as holiday accommodation, you may want to plan a longer stay.
Lavender fields near Gordes, Provence, France
A little more than halfway between Valensole and Avignon, the Luberon Valley is a delightful combination of lavender fields and hilltop medieval villages, set within the arms of three craggy mountain ranges. Choose one of the region’s charming towns, such as Bonnieux, Rousillon or Castellet, as the base for your explorations, and you’ll also get to enjoy the delights of French village life: popping into the local bakery for your morning baguette and enjoying an afternoon glass of rosé in a sunlit square.
One of the most unique lavender farms in the area is the sublime Sénanque Abbey, located in the countryside near the town of Gordes. Guided tours of the twelfth-century stone abbey are provided by the Cistercian monks who grow lavender to support the abbey – be sure to buy a selection of their homegrown honey and lavender products from the gift shop. On a quiet country road near the town of Apt, you’ll find Les Agnels Organic Lavender Distillery, where the Agnel family have farmed lavender for five generations. You can explore their museum to learn about the history and science of growing and distilling lavender, take a guided tour of the distillation facility and even sign up for an aromatherapy workshop.
Although it’s possible to experience the lavender fields of the Luberon region on foot, a rental car will allow you to cover more ground and seek out your favourite lavender fields at your own pace. You can complete your lavender adventure with a visit to La Princière in Avignon: a boutique ice cream parlour that’s renowned for its divine lavender ice cream.
Sault, Provence, France
The Sault Plateau is a wonderful albeit less well-known lavender-growing region to visit, especially if you’re planning to arrive later in the season, as its fields have a later flowering season than those of Luberon and Valensole. The region is named for the village of Sault, which is set on a rocky outcrop overlooking a valley filled with the gold and purple hues of wheat and lavender fields.
As well as offering a variety of antique shops, galleries and shops to browse, Sault is also the starting point for The Lavender Road, a five-kilometre route through the lavender fields which can be completed on foot in around 90 minutes, although you may want to allow a little extra time to soak up the incredible views.
Every 15 August, the town holds its Lavender Festival, which features a parade of old tractors, horse-drawn wagons, locals dressed in traditional Provencal costumes and even a huge, lavender-decorated festival float. Join the crowds for a country-style lunch beneath huge oak trees, then browse the festival market which showcases the work of more than a hundred local producers, artists, writers and musicians.
For more inspiration and ideas on experiencing all that the south of France has to offer, speak to your personal travel manager.
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