The Lavender route in Provence: a perfect trip from mid–June to mid–August.
Lavender blooming season is a great time to visit Provence.
All five senses are engaged and enchanted by this spectacle.
Endless expanses extend under very blue skies, perfuming the air and dyeing the landscape of intense colors.
Even the most spectacular photographs are not enough to make the show: the lavender blossom is a real event to watch with your own eyes.
The blossom dates are clearly flexible, as they depend on the variety of flowers, the particular altitude and the climatic conditions each year.
It is therefore advisable to contact local tourism offices – such as the one in Valensole – in early June, to ask for information about the current season.
In Provence lavender is culture, tradition, handicraft, but above all, purple expanses to take off breath.
The area, not very large, is a concentrate of beauty.
Three days is the minimum you need to visit, but if you have more time, don’t hesitate to spend it in the places that most fascinate you.
VALENSOLE – the lavender route in provence
The Plateau de Valensole, with its lavender fields alternating with sunflowers, can be the ideal starting point for the tour or the base for daily excursions.
Around the pretty village of Valensole, there are the most visited camps, photographed by tourists of all nationalities.
The village, which has a characteristic amphitheater shape, stands in a dominant position on a hill, like any typical provençal village.
Gorges du Verdon
The only destination on this route east of Valensole is the Verdon Natural Park.
With its 40 km of high overhanging walls gorges and ita green emerald waters, the Verdon is know as the most impressive European canyon.
For those who seek adventure, the Verdon Natural Park offers a great deal.
There’s the possibility to practice a variety of water sports and trekking in the numerous pathways.
Or you can just walk the panoramic roads and enjoy the many observation points.
Don’t forget the Route des Crêtes. A spectacular 23km ring that leaves and arrives at La Palud, with unforgettable views.
Forcalquier
But let’s continue with our lavender route in Provence, going back to the Valensole area.
A first stop is the ancient citadel of Forcalquier.
The village is reachable with a steep staircase, but the effort is paid for by a superb view of the lavender fields.
Every Monday, his streets are animated by a big market, which is always pleasant to visit.
Sault – the lavender route in provence
From Forcalquier, in an hour’s drive, you will arrive at the traditional lavender capital: Sault.
Sault’s craft market has been filling the main square with traditional products stalls since 1515.
If you like, you can follow a marked journey of about an hour to learn and appreciate the village by walking through its streets.
You’ll also find a rich lavender garden, with over a hundred varieties.
The Sault lavender festival, which takes place on August 15, is one of the region’s most important
The village stands on a rocky spur, with Mont Ventoux behind and the wheat and lavender fields at its feet.
Mont Ventoux
For cycling enthusiasts, the climb to the famous Mont Ventoux turntables is something unmissable.
Symbol of the Tour de France, this rise shows a spectacular lunar landscape, often swung by strong winds.
Roussillon
Continuing on the tour of Provence, head for Roussillon, the ochre colour village.
Discover the Roussillon lovely streets and choose a panoramic terrace where you can have lunch by admiring the intense-toned landscape.
In the end, walk the path through the rocks. It’s called “La Chaussée des Geants” or “Avenue of the Giants” and it’s carved into the rock but easy to navigate.
It allows you to admire the different shades of ochre, that change depending on the light and position of the rocks.
Gordes – the lavender route in provence
Not far away is Gordes, one of France’s most characteristic villages.
Set of the Ridley Scott’s movie “A Good Year”, Gordes is an unmissable and highly visited destination.
As Russell Crowe do in the movie, enjoy the landscape that opens up on the vine chains, between the perched villages, the lavender fields and the Luberon massif in the background.
Abbazia di Sénanque
Here you are a few kilometers away from a symbolic place of the lavender route in Provence: the Sénanque Abbey, founded in 1148 by the Cistercian monks.
A tortuous road leads to the abbey, coming from above to open on a wonderful lavender stain.
Magnificently placed in the natural environment, the Sénanque Abbey has an austere simplicity, made delicate by the lavender which flourishes all around the building.
In front of its beauty, one can only be amazed
Come in to visit the church, the dormitory and the lovely cloister.
Then stop at the shop that sells books and typical products based on lavender.
Buy a few memories of the trip, knowing that the revenue contributes to the renovation of the abbey itself.
L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
The tour continues with another unmissable stop: L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue.
A town crossed by numerous canals with clear water, where swans and mallards float.
Walk through its streets and look for the 15 original wooden hydraulic wheels still in operation.
The tranquility of the place is only interrupted by the numerous markets that L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue hosts:
The Provencal market every Sunday morning. The floating market, on flat-bottom boats, the first Sunday of August.
Avignon
With this lavender route, you’ve experienced the true Provençal mood, with its unique colors and perfumes, its simple, rural elegance, its wines and gastronomic products.
So leave the countryside and head for Avignon as your last step.
Given the capital of Provence, Avignon is a lively city bordering the river Rhône.
Get lost in his picturesque historical center and be sure to visit its historical and artistic symbols:
from the Palace of the Popes to the nearby Cathedral, not to mention the Saint Bénezet bridge, better known as the Avignon bridge, Unesco heritage site and symbol of the city.
Several times destroyed and rebuilt, the Avignon bridge remains one of the most photographed bridges in the world.
| Photo: The Style Lovers |
