Lavender bunches for sale in the villages were bright and bold and oh so purple!

Luscious Lavender

Images splashed all over Instagram of waving fields of lavender in France has fascinated me forever. As a dedicated lover of the color purple, I believe that the vision of these fields would be treasured forever. The problem was that lavender is in full season in July and who would travel to Europe in the heat and tourist season of the summer! Only crazy people. So I assumed this would be an online photo vision for me. It would never be an “in person” picture opp. But Covid changed that. When France reopened in June to the United States visitor who was vaccinated, we booked flights. I was on my way to see the lavender!

I researched routes and villages where we should find lavender, but I discovered even better options than the “so called” lavender experts. Lavender blooms from the south to the north, just like the foliage season in the Northeast. We drove through two different areas to get the full onslaught of these carpet expanses of heavenly lavender purple.       

Here are Carla’s Secrets:

Abbaye de Senanque – Although this is one of the most instagramable photo spots for lavender in the Vaucluse Department, we were totally underwhelmed. After a winding drive down from Gordes, the Abbey came into view and was completely ensconced in scaffolding. Oh, well. The stone building behind the lavender could have been scenic for a photograph, but we discovered better locations. We continued on our quest.

Sault – A drive up D943 followed the Abbey, and Sault, sitting high on a hill, had the vistas of fields of purple all around the base of the little village. So we drove back down to find these fields.

Ferrassieres – The drive on D950 from Sault to Ferrassieres was flat with open pullouts for photo opportunities, and there was a stone hut in the middle of one of the fields. Definitely a highlight here.

 

 

La Remiso B&B – Rustrel is nestled at the foot of the Luberon Plateau d’Albion with its amazing ochre cliffs known as Le Colorado Provencal. This is the same red clay region of the unusual and distinctive Rousillon village which is a must visit destination. Our B&B featured an inviting swimming pool and tasty breakfasts of goat cheeses and omelets. Walking south from our lodging on D30, was a nice lavender field which we photographed in the sunset. That was a nice touch.

 

 

Valensole – Departing Rustrel, we drove towards Valensole in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department. The forested hills with green vineyards dotted with purple rows of lavender were juxtapositioned against the brilliant blue sky. Just as the D4100 turned right onto D907, we hit pay dirt. We found an ancient stone barn and the photo contest began in earnest. I danced barefoot in the fields as we positioned our cameras at just the right angle for that perfect image. Ahhhhh……

 

 

Arriving into Valensole, you were met with cars and campervans on each side of the road. There were fields of lavender everywhere and this is where we found the sunflower field adjacent to the lavender fields. Our earlier photo stop was just so much better!

Puimoisson – Drive D8 and D56 for more undulating oceans of purple lavender. This was a great spot to capture the hills of waving lavender.

 

 

Moustiers-Sainte-Marie – D 952 takes you into the cliff side village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie and another spectacular drive through the Verdon region with its green hills.

 

 

We returned to La Remiso B&B in Rustrel for the night, enjoying a concert on the town square of a fiddle and guitar playing couple who delighted their large audience.

Heading west on D179 on our drive out west towards St. Remy the next morning, we encountered a combine harvesting the lavender! We bounced into the gravel road and captured this heavenly aromatic sight. The lavender here was such a deep purple. What a wondrous vision!