Provence lavender
If you notice a vast expanse of mauve fields on your path, you’re in lavender country, in other words, Provence. The planting and distillation of lavender and lavandin are an integral part of the landscape of Haute-Provence.
For beautiful souvenir photos, it’s best to visit during the flowering season, from mid-June to the end of August, depending on the location. A stay in Provence promises to be a memorable one, as you can then escape through fabulous landscapes and the scents that make up the region’s identity.
Indeed, it’s important to make the most of it before the harvest! Lavender is harvested from the second half of July, particularly on the Valensole plateau, to the end of August in the Forcalquier region.
Lavender or lavandin, what’s the difference?
Can you tell the difference between lavender and lavandin in Provence?
Lavandula angustifolia is the finest true lavender. It’s the noblest of them all, because it produces a high-quality essential oil. It is distinguished by its long branches with a single flower spike, resembling bushes up to 1 m high. It grows almost exclusively on the slopes of the mountains of Provence, at altitudes of between 500 and 1,500 m.
Lavandin is a hybrid between true lavender and spike lavender. It grows rapidly in a natural environment, but can also be cultivated. With its three-flowered branch, it is much more imposing than true lavender. Its yield is four times higher than that of true lavender.
Many uses for lavender
Lavender has the advantage of being multi-purpose. It is used in perfumery and in everyday products such as soap and detergents. It also works wonders in aromatherapy for its far-reaching properties. It combats insomnia, headaches, wounds, sunburns, insect bites, sore throats, aches and pains, etc.
Once you’ve familiarized yourself with its various benefits, you won’t hesitate to adopt it on a daily basis and put it in your bag.
Summer lavender festivals
During the lavender harvest in July and August, a number of festivals are held in different communes of the département. Distillation, visits to distilleries and lavender fields, and products are just some of the things you can do on site. Producers and distillers will reveal all the secrets of distillation.
- Valensolex: Bicycle tour through the lavender and almond groves in June,
- Lavender festival in Valensole in July,
- Lavender Corso in Digne-les-Bains on the first weekend in August,
- Lavender festival in Saint-Geniez in August,
- Lavender fair in Digne-les-Bains at the end of August,
- Provencal days at Saint-André-les-Alpes from September,
Discover the lavender routes
To make the most of this flower’s many benefits, why not take a trip along the the lavender routes ?
Whether by car, camper van, motorcycle or bicycle, the Lavender Routes offer a variety of itineraries for exploring the diverse landscapes and meeting the producers.
The Lavender Routes stretch from the Drôme to the Alpes-Maritimes, passing through the Hautes-Alpes, the Vaucluse and the Alpes de Haute-Provence. This long itinerary will tell you all about the history, memory, know-how and economy of this characteristic plant of Provence, which has been world-renowned for centuries.
If you’d like to find out more about summer festivals, distillation sites, workshop visits, etc., visit the Routes de la lavande website.