In the middle of summer, lavender blooms in North Provence. Lavender fields – the business card of Provence – are not inferior in popularity of the Cote d’Azur. Opening types of fields, covered with purple rows of fragrant lavender, attract many tourists to the upper Provence. Lavender is grown in this region for almost a thousand years due to its soothing aroma and healing properties. We will tell you where and when the most famous lavender fields bloom, how to get there, what to buy and where to stop.
When
Since the end of Junewhen lavender blooms, and Until the beginning of AugustWhen they collect it. The flowering period depends on the weather and the territory where it grows. Below you will find a flowering map of the lavender fields, the fields blooming from the end of June to July 15 are marked on it with light purple, those that bloom from the beginning to July 25, and dark purple-the fields that bloom from the beginning of July until August 10.
Orange marked large cities of the region – Cannes, Avignon, Arl, Valance. In each of the cities, we advise you to visit the tourist office (Office de Tourisme) and take a detailed map of lavender fields there, which is updated every year. There you can find out about local holidays, fairs and festivals.
How to get
By car. Renting a car is the most convenient solution, because either trains or buses go to most fields. And by car you can make your own route or drive along one of the roads that pass along the most beautiful fields and mountains, with stops in medieval villages and castles. It is best to start from Nice or Marseille. A day of car rental with a manual gearbox will cost from 1,700 rubles.
Public transport. By train you can get from Paris or Marseille to Avignon, from where travel companies organize one -day routes by bus through lavender fields. Also from Avignon there is an electric train to the carpentrates, where you can get to the car of the carpantra – CO (Carpentras – Sault),
Which goes through lavender fields to the old city of CO.
Bicycle routes In lavender fields, they become more popular, but they are suitable only for people with good physical training, because Provence is hills and mountains, and the average temperature in the summer is 30-35 ° C.
Where
The main lavender fields are concentrated in three regions of Provence: Alpas of the upper Provence, Vclusia and the Upper Alps.. In many cities there are tourist associations offering hiking and bicycle walks. All information about six Routes de La Lavande roads In English is available on the website of the Moveyouralps association (offline and online cards, information about holidays, attractions, hotels and campsites).
The main areas of flowering lavender
– Plains and perfumery plants of the Verkor, Diua and Drom Provencal (Vercors, Diois, Drôme Provençal)Where Lavender blooms from the end of June to the end of July. Drive from the Cross to Baronnies (Baronnies),
Through the fields in the vicinity of DI (DIE) and Rosan (Rosans),
Where the road goes along the low mountains, past the plateau with the fields of Lavender. Drom Provencal is famous not only with lavender, but also with the medieval villages of Dielefi, Grignon and Valreas (Dielefit, Grignon, Valréas).
– hills and mountains in the Drome area, Vokluse, Alps of Upper Provence (Drôme, Vaucluse, Alpes de Haute Provence). From June to mid-July, lavender blooms on dozens of fields around the mountain villages Vezon-la-rome, Njon, Bui-le-Baron, Orpier, Rosan (Vaison-la-Romaine, Nyons, Buis -les-Baronnies, Orpierre, Rosans).
– Mountains, ocher canyon and medieval castle in the Ventu, Lyur and Lyubaron area (Ventoux, Lure, Luberon). Gordes and APT (APT) are surrounded by fields, there they sell lavender honey, and a huge canyon ocher rural (Rustrel) is called Provensal Colorado because of its Martian landscapes. We advise you to go there at dawn or at sunset, when the walls of the canyon shine with all shades of red. Near the canyon there is a medieval castle mane (Chateau Mane),
And at the foot of the White Mountains Lur (lure), the most aromatic mountain lavender grows.
– descent from the mountains to the azure bank in the Grasse et Valensole area. Go down a huge Valensole plateau, entirely covered with lavender, through Mezel (Mézel) and Barèmme to Castellane,
Next to which lies the valley of lavender Aryubi. The route ends in Grasse – the perfume capital of France. Here Lavender blooms until mid -August.
MUST See: Lavender fields on the Valensole plateau
Pro Plateau Valensolewhich lies in the foothills of the Alp and looks like an endless sea of lavender, should be told separately. More than ten lavender fields are located on the plateau. You can see everything by driving a circular route of 33 kilometers: Valensole D56 east in Puimoisson – by D953 to the north before the interpretation of Poteau de Teelle – D8 back to the west to Valensol.
There is Valensole next to the plateau The village of Motier-Saint-Marie (Moustiers-Sainte-Marie)which is included in the list of the most beautiful villages of France, and 30 kilometers to the southeast is located Verdon Gorge (Gorges du Verdon) – The most beautiful in France. We advise you to visit the Great Canyon of the Verdon Du Verdon – this is a giant gorge in limestone cliffs, 700 meters deep, from where breathtaking views open.
Holidays and Fair of Lavender:
-Lavender’s holiday in St. Andre de Rosan (Saint andré de Rosains)where lavender oil and tinctures, perfumes, honey, soap, ice cream and even cakes are sold. The holiday takes place in the second weekend of August.
-Lavender Fair in Ding-les-Ben. – This is the largest lavender fair in Provence. Here they sell all kinds of products from (or with the addition) of lavender, as well as the best dried fruits and candied fruits of France. Hundreds of musicians and dancers are accompanied by festive processions in the city. In addition to lavender din-le-Ben, known for balneological bathsmedieval churches and the only one in France Park butterflies (Le Jardin des Papillons).
– Lavender Festival in the city of CO (Sault)which takes place on August 15, on the end of the collection of lavender in Provence. Craftsmen and perfumers come in with, master classes on the manufacture of perfume and cosmetics are held here, gastronomic specialists are sold, musicians play ancient Provencal melodies, and a book fair is held nearby.
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