Visiting the French Lavender Fields
Lavender fields are one of the glories of France. You see sprigs in shops, the color is ever-present, and the aroma fills the air, particularly in Provence. The best time to visit a Lavender field is in June and July, just before harvesting. The other wonderful thing about this time of year is that the sunflowers are also in bloom, and make a beautiful back-drop to the Lavender.
Lavender fields are mostly in Provence, however Provence is rather large (about three hours across by train). Some fields are short cars ride from Nice, some a short ride from Aix en Provence or Avignon. Choose the field to visit that is most convenient to your trip. When basing in Nice, you can have many wonderful day trips throughout the Cote de Provence, and dedicate one day to Lavender fields and maybe even Grasse, the perfume capital of the world. There are organized tours, as well, that you can book for a full, aromatic, day.
The capital of Lavender is in Sault, and from there you can take biking trips, hikes, guided tours, even gastronomic tours, through the area and visiting many fields. The hiking tours are a peaceful 4 kilometer loop, with information plaques all along the way. Basing yourself in one village makes the most sense, and there are a great many affordable inns throughout this area.
You can smell the fields before you see them, and an overwhelmingly peaceful feeling comes over you. There are three specific areas for the fields of traditional lavender, the Drome territory, the region of Die (near the Alps) and the area close to Dignes-les-Baines, where the beautiful Gorge of the Verdon resides. There is more to see in these areas, but you will always remember the scent and sight of the lavender field.
ing branches from the interior of the tree. Otherwise, little pruning is required.
