Routes through lavender fields. Lavender fields in the province of Provence, France. Features of visiting lavender fields

Jonathan Gross / flickr.com Vincent van der Pas / flickr.com Lavender fields near Sault, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France (Mohit Yadav / flickr.com) Lavender fields on D56 between Puymoisson and Valensole, France. (Mike Slone / flickr.com) Lavender fields of Abbaye Notre Dame de Sénanque (Andrew Lawson / flickr.com) Kashif Pathan / flickr.com nonuou / flickr.com Christopher Michel / flickr.com La_Ca / flickr.com Lavender field after harvest (Jean-Jacques Halans / flickr.com) Philip Larson / flickr.com luvprelove / flickr.com Arnie Papp / flickr.com Ming-yen Hsu / flickr.com Andrea Schaffer / flickr.com Lavender and wheat in Provence (Mike Slone / flickr.com) Olivier Bacquet / flickr.com Miguel Virkkunen Carvalho / flickr.com Florent Revest / flickr.com Salva Barbera / flickr.com Salva Barbera / flickr.com Ancient abbey - Abbaye de Sénanque (François Philipp / flickr.com)

A small shrub 30-60 cm, with oblong leaves and pale purple inflorescences, it emits an incredible scent throughout Provence. It is impossible to imagine France in all its beauty without blooming Lavender fields. This is simply a paradise for a photographer, artist or poet, inspiration is just flying in the air, you just have to catch its subtlest note and just create.

In Provence there is even a special lavender holiday, which is celebrated on August 15 in the village of Seau, Vaucluse department. Seau is located on a hill fifty kilometers from Avignon and has only about 1200–1300 inhabitants. The main work in this French village is to grow lavender, and when it reaches the peak of its flowering, to collect and make various products from it.

At the festival you can buy a variety of essential oils, the famous lavender soap, honey, bouquets and small fragrant bags with dried flowers. Lavender sprigs are used in folk medicine to relieve fatigue, relaxation and recuperation. You can also take part in competitions and colorful events, communicate with the residents of So and learn more about their way of life and traditions.

There are many versions about where this fragile flower originated and how it got to France. According to the most popular opinions, it is assumed that his place of birth Canary Islands or the territory of Persia. In the Middle Ages, the ancient Greeks called it a noble plant, and in the Roman Empire they prepared a detergent based on it, and later, having studied the features and discovered a method for extracting lavender oil, they began to successfully use flowers in perfumery.

Lavender (Olivier Bacquet / flickr.com)

As soon as Lavender fields began to appear in France, their processing, harvesting and sale of the crop were carried out exclusively by women, and men were more interested in other work. In the middle of the 20th century, harvesting machines appeared and became widespread, which significantly simplified the harvesting process, because previously it was necessary to use a sickle, which was physically difficult. Today, most farmers in Provence are exclusively engaged in growing lavender, cultivating it and developing new, better varieties.

In Provence, the greenest part of France, lavender and lavandin grow. The untrained eye will not immediately notice the difference, but these are different shrubs. The main use of lavender is in the creation of essential oils; its properties and extraordinary aroma are highly valued by perfumers. And lavandin is used to produce creams, soaps and cleaning products.

When and how is the best time to admire the Lavender fields?

It’s worth coming to Provence in the summer, because all this splendor blooms from June to August. When planning a trip, it is worth considering that at the end of July, lavender begins to be collected, so the optimal time for travel is mid-June.

Lavender field after harvest (Jean-Jacques Halans / flickr.com)

If you are eager to visit lavender processing factories and, with great luck, even participate in the process itself, then the beginning - mid-August - will be the most favorable time. This will fill your luggage with an extraordinary experience of how to extract essential oils from simple flowers, and their unusually delicate and rich smell will remain in your memory for a long time.

Most tourists prefer to use a car to get around, because the area is quite large and cannot be covered on foot. And the bravest ones ride a bicycle or motorcycle. But if you don’t have enough experience driving two-wheelers, don’t take the risk. countryside in France it is not flat at all, but completely the opposite, full of steep ascents and descents. This feature will come in handy when you want to capture the view of the Lavender fields from above, for which you just need to climb up the hill.

Don’t be lazy to get out of the car and feel this fabulous combination of shades of lilac color and a fresh, but at the same time somewhat sweet smell, which makes you relax and fly away into your distant dreams.

When visiting this flower attraction in France, be extremely vigilant, because wasps also love the bright Lavender fields. This is especially true for those who are allergic to wasp stings.

How to find Lavender fields?

In the south of France in Provence, everything is simply dotted with lavender, but there are places where it is most abundant. A few kilometers from Gordes is Notre-Dame de Senanque, an ancient abbey near which monks cultivate numerous lavender fields. If you wish, after a walk through the flowering fields, you can buy lavender souvenirs here.

Ancient abbey - Abbaye de Sénanque (François Philipp / flickr.com)

It is also worth visiting the Alps of Haute-Provence, where there are many farms growing lavender. Tourists respond very positively to the Chateau du Bois in Lagarde-de-Apt, where you can book a short excursion from the locals, where they will show you the most beautiful Lavender fields and tell you a little about the plant and the products made from it. There is also the Lavender Museum, organized by Jacques and Sophia Lansolet. An audio guide in several main languages, including Russian, will tell you about the advantages of the shrub and the features of its use in cosmetic products and more. And at the end you can purchase the products themselves: candles, soap, honey, creams, etc.

Driving through Provence in the summer, you constantly meet lonely cars on the side of the road, whose owners with cameras conquer every plot of the nearest lavender field, trying to capture for a long memory every blade of grass and bush of this fragrant and beautiful flower. The fragrance of lavender spreads hundreds of meters and catches up with you in nearby towns and villages, especially during the harvest season. Your mood improves, everything around you becomes beautiful. This is purple magic. Let's figure out what, where and when to look, and, in fact, why and why.

Lavender fields of Provençal Dromme

Not everything that blooms purple is lavender.

Of course, for us, simple lovers of beauty, any such flower is lavender. Actually lavender great amount different varieties, and there is also a brother, almost a twin, called lavandin. This is where confusion arises, which does not interfere with enjoying the beautiful.

Lavender- low, small bushes with small flowers. it grows, as in one famous song, high in the mountains.

small lavender bushes

Lavandin- a hybrid specially bred for low-lying areas that combines all the beneficial properties of lavender, with greater resistance to weather conditions and less demanding habitat. Its flowers are larger and its bushes are more powerful. In all the “postcard” photos of lavender, it’s lavandin.

Lavandin in autumn

Where does it grow and when does it bloom?

If we are talking about France, then anywhere in historical Provence you will find both lavender and lavandin throughout the summer.

Flowering - from mid-June to mid-August . These are average numbers. The principle is this: lavandin blooms a little earlier than lavender, and the higher you go in the mountains, the later it blooms. Well, the size of the bush, you remember.

lavandin bushes are about to bloom

Here is a translation of a map from a French site about lavender blossoms (I always use it, I have never been deceived). Here you can immediately see where lavender blooms and when it blooms:

map of lavender blossoms in Provence

Armed with this map, you can safely go to a photo shoot in the lavender fields. I checked a couple of weeks ago. Everything is there where it should be.

Why so much lavender?

It's a trivial question, but really, why?

The first thing that comes to mind is perfume. That’s right, lavender essential oil, which is extracted almost immediately after picking the flowers, is used for perfume. Lavandin - for fragrances. Both essential oils are also very useful for therapeutic purposes. They calm, treat a huge number of minor illnesses, from colds to scratches, disinfect wounds and rooms, and so on, so on, so on. For example, I always have a small bottle of lavender oil with me, who knows what awaits us around the corner.

lavender fields

In addition to oil, bouquets of dried lavender and sachets with flowers are popular, which fill the room with a magical aroma.

They also make so-called hydrosols or hydrolates from lavender - flower water that remains after distillation of the oil. This water is good to use as a lotion or tonic for ditz, diluted with distilled water.

You will find all these lavender products at any place, especially during the season. Be sure to buy yourself lavender oil - it will be yours best souvenir and the memory of purple fields filled with the heady aroma of peace and joy.

Lavender bouquets - a memory of summer

Lavender is also used in cooking. Very often it is added to herbal teas or a set of spices. There is lavender liqueur and lavender honey. And I highly recommend trying the lavender ice cream. Very interesting taste!

Picturesque landscapes that will take your breath away, hearty dinners and delicious wines, the polyphonic chirping of cicadas and birdsong - this is what I primarily associate with Provence and France. And of course, Provence for me is the same lavender, photographs of which are exactly the same symbol of France as the Eiffel Tower.
But traveling on your own to find blooming lavender in Provence has many nuances that you should be aware of if, like me, you dream of seeing this lavender sea and the rural side of France with your own eyes.

Could it be possible to come up with a better advertisement for Provence than the paintings of famous artists? For whom Provence has always been a source of inspiration and actually showed the world such names as Cezanne, Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso and many others.
The pastoral landscapes of Provence are an invariable part of many French films and famous literary works. I saw, read and heard so much about Provence that traveling there was (and remains, because I haven’t seen everything there 8) a great tourist dream
Well, after reading “A Year in Provence” by Peter Mile, my decision to go to Provence for at least a week became decisive and so we began preparing for the trip.
Information about independent travel There are, surprisingly, not so many in Provence for lavender fields. (especially without a car).

I will share the basic information that all travelers who want to include a visit to lavender fields in their travel program in France should know.

From mid-June until almost the end of August, the lavender fields of Provence bloom.

In the Luberon region and the Rhone Valley, lavender blooms in mid-June. On the plateau of Valensole and Drome Provençal - in early July.
The Sault area blooms in mid-July.

The peak of lavender flowering in Provence is July-August. The lavender harvest occurs from July to September.

Welcome to Provence or watch out for snakes!

Looking at all these breathtaking photos of lavender on stock photo sites, where girls with carefree faces are running through lavender fields, I could not imagine how unsafe this activity is.
Our guide immediately warned - do not lean towards the lavender bushes and do not go too deep, here vipers really like to hide in the shade of lavender. So, after this warning, I would not run through these fields even at gunpoint, feigning incredible pleasure from being in such beauty.
The most prudent thing to do was to listen to the words of the guide, because in the first couple of days in Provence I had already encountered several rather large snakes and regretted that I had not brought wading boots on the trip.
To be honest, in tropical Thailand I saw snakes much less frequently, even on excursions through the jungle, than in the courtyard of our Provençal estate where we were staying.
So, already on the first day, these meetings discouraged me from not only walking here, but also riding a rented bicycle, as we had originally planned. After all, snakes often crawl out to warm themselves on the hot asphalt of roads. A car can run over a snake without any damage, but on a bicycle it’s not so safe. Who knows how to go around a snake - from the front or the back? Perhaps she will crawl away when she sees me, or maybe she will be angry that I am disturbing her peace and will overtake me? In general, fear and horror are continuous and completely unexpected.

So if you are planning a romantic photo shoot in the fields of Provence, take waist-high rubber boots. Now I definitely won’t go there without the swampers)))

Territories with lavender fields

The lavender fields of Provence occupy several districts (pays)

— Pays d’Apt - Luberon (where I ended up going)
— Pays de Buech - Baronnies
—Pays de Digne
— Pays de Forcalquier et Montagne de Lure
— Pays de Sault et du Ventoux
— Pays de Valensole et du Verdon
—Drome Provençale
— Vallée de la Drôme - Diois

Driving routes with blooming lavender fields along the road:

Car rental in Provence:

I found the best car rental deals in Marseille, in the cities Cote d'Azur(Nice, Cannes, etc. a car costs much more)

Important lavender addresses in Provence on the map

You can choose the most interesting ones to visit, or those that will be located near your accommodation:

The largest lavender farms in Provence

La Ferme de Gerbaud

The farm is not only about lavender, there is also a whole farm with horses, cows and donkeys.
The farm is open to tourists from April to October on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 5 pm, in November and March on Saturdays at 3 pm.
The tour takes 90 minutes and is conducted in English or French.
Farm address:
La Ferme de Gerbaud, Lourmarin 84160 France
http://www.plantes-aromatiques-provence.com
Tel: 04 90 68 11 83

Ho! Bouquet de lavender

The farm is open to visitors from late April to mid-November. Here you can buy essential oils and various lavender products.
Address:
Ferrassieres 26570 France
http://www.hobouquetdelavande.com/
0475288752

Les Lavandes du Gaec Champelle

The farm is open to tour groups by appointment. There is also a shop selling lavender souvenirs, which is open from April to October.
Address:
Sault France
http://www.gaec-champelle.fr
04 90 64 01 50

Lavender processing plants

GAEC Aroma'Plantes

Farm with lavender processing plant, operating since 1978. Here you can buy dried lavender, essential oils, aromatic water, alcoholic drinks and syrup.
It is open all year round and here you can walk around the farm and taste the distillery’s distillery products for free
Address:
GAEC Aroma'Plantes
Route du Ventoux "La Parente"
Sault 84390 France
http://www.distillerie-aromaplantes.com/
Tel: 04 90 64 04 02 / 04 90 64 14 73

Distillerie les Coulets

Traditional lavender distillery, open all year round to sell lavender souvenirs.
Visits to the plant in July-August from 9-12.00 and 14-16.00 are free.
Address:
Distillerie les Coulets
Hameau les Coulets Route de Rustrel
Apt 84400 France
Tel: 04 90 74 07 55

Distillerie du Vallon

Free visits to the plant from July 25 to August 25.
Address:
Distillerie du Vallon
Le Vallon Route des Michouilles
Sault 84390 France
Tel: 04 90 64 14 83

Distillerie Les Agnels

The Lavender Distillery is open all year, selling organic essential oils. What’s noteworthy is that there is a healing pool with lavender water.
Address:
route de Buoux Apt France
http://www.lesagnels.com/
04 90 04 77 00

Lavender Museum in Provence Musée de la Lavande

Here you will see the history of lavender processing from the 16th century to the present day, and in general you will learn everything you wanted to know about lavender, but were afraid to ask.

Address:
Musée de la Lavande
276 Route de Gordes
CS50016 - D2
84220 COUSTELLET
Tel: 04 90 76 91 23
http://www.museedelalavande.com/en/

For individual visits to the museum the following conditions apply:
Ticket adult: 6.80 €, children under 15 years old accompanied by parents free. The last ticket is sold half an hour before closing.
Free audio guides in 10 languages, incl. in Russian
Guided tours run from 13.30-17.00 daily from May to September.
The museum itself is open 7 days a week from February 1 to December 31 (closed at Christmas - December 25)

Opening hours:
February-April and from October to December from 9.00 to 12.15 and from 14.00 to 18.00
May-September from 9.00-19.00 non-stop9 to 7 non-stop
The museum is closed in January.

Schedule of lavender festivals in Provence

Riez: last days July - Lavender fete
Valensole: Lavender fête. Annual lavender festival in the second half of July (usually the third Sunday of July)
Digne: Lavender Parade, every year in early August. At the end of August is Lavender Day.
Thorame-Haute: Lavender fête: 2nd weekend of August
Esparron sur Verdon: lavender festival in mid-August
Sault: mid-August (August 14 - 15) - lavender festival, lavender picking competitions, flower crews
Valreas: lavender parade, flower carriages, folk performances. Every year on the first weekend of August.

Festivals and Corsos de Lavande

July 14 Apt- Fête de la lavender
July - 2nd half of Riez- Fête de la lavender
July -2nd half of Valensole- Fête de la lavender
August, 1st weekend Valré s - Corso de la lavande.
August, beginning of Digne-les-Bains- Corso de la lavender
August, mid Esparron-sur-Verdon- Fête de la lavender
August, mid Riez- Journée du miel et de la lavande (honey and lavender)
August, mid Sault- Fête de la lavender.

Buy air tickets to Provence

Book hotels in Provence

Well everything seems useful information I told you, now I can talk about my adventures in Provence with peace of mind. 8) If you have any questions, be sure to ask, I know, I’ll definitely tell you more.

For those who want to see cherry blossoms or walk through a purple lavender field, Skyscanner tells about best places world, where you can admire the flowers, advises when and how best to get there:

And subscribe to my blog updates so you don’t miss the continuation of my Provençal photo stories.
My current Provençal itinerary included very interesting and scenic spots- ancient town Apt, where delicious confits are made from fruits, the medieval residence of the popes - the city Avignon, village Roussillon, famous for its ocher rocks and similar to its big brother from America - the Grand Canyon in Arizona, and another village Proud, located on a high cliff.

About mine from the year before last trip to France and about a thousand-year history from my recent trip, I have already written my posts, and you can even read and watch them 8)

5399

Few people know that one of the most impressive summer trips will be an excursion to the lavender fields in Crimea. They are in no way inferior to the famous French ones, which tourists from all over the world come to see. Moreover, you will like it more here, because the largest lavender field in Europe is located in Crimea. A lot of entertainment, holidays and production are organized around this summer flower - lavender is added to food, cosmetics are made, etc. Be sure to visit the lavender fields in Crimea: it’s worth going here at least for a colorful photo shoot or simply contemplating the endless violet expanses. We will tell you where lavender grows in Crimea and how to get there!

Lavender has become people's favorite flower since ancient times. The Catholic Church even recognized it as a sacred plant, therefore, during the ordination of priests, these flowers also took part in the ceremony. Ordinary Catholics made lavender crosses from twigs and decorated the doors of their houses with flowers.

It is believed that the Egyptians were the discoverers of lavender. The plant was used as incense, was part of embalming ointments, and accompanied the pharaohs to the other world.

It is not for nothing that the lavender fields in Crimea attract so many visitors: in the Middle Ages, the flower began to be used for the production of perfume. Later, when they noticed medicinal properties lavender, it began to be grown in large quantities. For example, Hippocrates believed that it heals the liver and spleen and relieves headaches. Parkinson echoed him, counting lavender the best remedy from head diseases. During World War I, the French treated wounds with lavender essential oil.

Nowadays, this amazingly fragrant plant is used in many areas: in perfumery and cosmetology, medicine and chemistry, in food production and in everyday life.

Lavender fields in Crimea

He considers the Mediterranean coast of France and Spain to be the birthplace of lavender; the plant has been cultivated in Russia since 1752. However, then Princess Elizabeth’s attempt ended in failure. In 1813 Nikitsky Botanical Garden again began to plant lavender fields in Crimea. It turned out that the climate of the peninsula is surprisingly suitable for the plant - it does not like a lot of moisture and is not afraid of dry winds.

Under Soviet rule, crops in lavender fields in Crimea became industrial, amounting to 2.5 thousand hectares. It was used in the industry of the Soviet Union, and when it turned out that in some respects the Crimean lavender essential oil was superior even to the Provencal one, France began to purchase lavender flowers in large quantities.

It is known that the largest lavender field in Crimea occupies more than 120 hectares. This plantation is over 25 years old. It is located in the Bakhchisaray district in the village of Turgenevka.

When does lavender bloom in Crimea?

It is difficult to make an accurate forecast of the lavender flowering period in Crimea, since it is influenced by the weather in the spring and other climate factors. As a rule, lavender fields in Crimea bloom in June-July. If you want to definitely get to the bright purple plantations, come in mid-July. Next, lavender retains flowers until August, but gradually its shades become paler. By the way, if you are interested in when lavender and poppies bloom in Crimea, then we inform you that this process does not occur at the same time. Poppies bloom in May, and lavender in July.

It is in July that in the lavender fields in Crimea, every bush flares up in a bright lilac color, like fireworks, and there is a hum above the field - these are bees collecting nectar. The smell of lavender hovers over the entire peninsula both during the lavender harvest period and later, when small bunches of it are already sold by grandmothers at bazaars. If you are lucky enough to get to Crimea at the time of its flowering, look at the lavender fields in Crimea in different time days, the shade of blooming lavender changes depending on the amount of sun (this is important for photo shoots).

Unlike Provencal, Crimean lavender looks a little different. The fact is that in France the plant is planted in rows, but in our country it is planted chaotically. Thanks to this, lavender fields in Crimea look like a uniform lilac sea.

Where are the lavender fields in Crimea 2019

Lavender fields in Crimea have been preserved in many areas of the peninsula, but sometimes it is quite difficult to find them: some of them are abandoned, while others are located far from tourist trails.

However, there are a few well maintained plantations. If you are interested in the lavender fields where they are located in Crimea, we will give you a few coordinates:

Most of the lavender fields in Crimea have been preserved in the Bakhchisarai region: near the villages of Turgenevka, Kudrino, Shelkovichnoye, Rastushchee, Zavetnoye and Tarasovka.
Highway Simferopol-Alushta: near the village of Lavender.
Highway Simferopol-Sudak: near the village of Crimean Rose.
Highway Simferopol-Nikolaevka: near the villages of Vodnoye, Medicinal.
Near Simferopol: near the villages of Mazanka and Opushki.
In the Belogorsky district: near the villages of Aromatnoye and Tsvetochnoe.
Cape Tarkhankut: near the village of Olenevka.

More small lavender fields in Crimea in 2019 can be found near Sevastopol: in the village of Uchkuevka (at the entrance and near the post office), near the village of Andreevka and on the Mekenze Mountains.

There are many lavender fields around Alushta; in the summer there is even a lavender festival here, as well as many master classes and excursions.

How to visit lavender fields in Crimea

If you travel by car, you can see the flowers on your own. There are also special excursions. Thanks to them, you can find out the lavender fields in Crimea where they are located:

The Alushta essential oil plant conducts excursions during the lavender flowering period, and organizes it in retro style: they take you to the mountains by bus, talk about lavender, conduct a master class on weaving wreaths, treat you to Crimean herbal tea, and even allow you to pick some flowers from the lavender fields in Crimea for myself. The same excursion will be organized on horseback.
Private tours can be organized by private guides. During the walk you will visit lavender fields in Crimea and observation decks, take a lot of photos, go to cozy teahouses next to the plantations.

For independent tourists It should be clarified that Crimean farmers do not always welcome guests - sometimes the entrance to the territory is closed in order to preserve the lavender fields in Crimea. In this case, you can walk and admire them from the side.

Blooming from June to August, lavender adds amazing colors to the natural landscapes of Provence - from smoky lilac to blue-violet, depending on the weather conditions and flowering time. Tourist routes- lavender roads - laid among fields, flower farms and picturesque villages, mainly in the north of the province.

During the lavender blooming period in Provence, many themed festivals are held where you can buy lavender soap, essential oils, honey, bouquets and bags of dried flowers.

The flowering period for lavender in Provence is from June to August. But to be guaranteed to see the picturesque purple fields, plan your trip from mid-June to mid-July. At the end of July, lavender begins to be mowed. Be careful: there are a huge number of wasps in the fields.

The most convenient way to explore the lavender fields is by car. This method of transportation will allow you to see the secluded corners of Provence, as well as choose the most interesting shooting point: the flower fields occupy quite a large area. You can go on a trip by bike, but you need to be prepared for steep inclines and inclines.

In the Alps of Haute-Provence, in the city of Coustellet, located in the southwest of the province, a lavender museum has been opened.

How to get there

Lavender fields are found in the north of Provence - in the tourist region of Drôme Provencale and the Vaucluse department; the largest and most picturesque are in the Alps of Haute Provence. You can get to Vaucluse via highways A7 and A9; Alpes-Haute-Provence - via the A51 motorway; Drôme region - along the A7 and A49 highways.

Location

Lavender fields occupy northern part the Provence region, as well as the Drôme department in the Rhône-Alpes region.

It might be useful to read: