Nothing says summer in Provence like the sweeping fields of lavender in full bloom – the wondrous colour, that subtle scent, a brush of flower on the hand, the hum of bees at work – lavender appeals to all the senses. And it is known as ‘blue gold’ because it’s a valuable crop too, its essential oil a staple of perfumes and soaps. In Provence the lavender fields conspire with the landscapes and perched villages to make stunning technicolor scenes.
The lavender is in bloom from late June to early August when it is harvested. The rest of the year it is just a green plant. Towards the end of the blooming period, the lavender tends to ‘tire’, the colour is less vibrant, so the best time to see it is the beginning of July.
In the Luberon the best spot is at the Abbaye de Senanque (see top picture), where a large lavender field runs up to a beautiful if austere 12th century abbey. Senanque Abbey is close to the village of Gordes and is a working abbey – the monks make their livelihood from lavender and honey.
Fields of lavender are dotted around the Luberon, but can change from one year to the next. For more reliable plantings you should head into Ventoux country, take the roads for Sault which lies to the east of Mont Ventoux and to the north of Apt. You will pass lovely villages like Simiane la Rotonde, Banon or Monieux, arriving at the centre for lavender in the Ventoux, Sault.
The best lavender plantations in Provence are on the plateau de Valensole, to the east of the Luberon region. Here the lavender is so widely planted that there are places where it seems to stretch to the horizon. You can start from the village of Valensole and drive around, for example in the direction of Digne les Bains. Progress will be slow as you stop repeatedly.
It is OK to walk into the fields, if you take care not to tread on the lavender. The buzzing sound is from the world’s happiest bees busily making their honey, if you don’t bother them they don’t bother you.
