Looking for Lavender Fields near Aix Head to Terre Ugo

Visit the lavender fields near Aix-en-Provence!

Terre Ugo is a 7-hectare family farm located on the outskirts of Aix in Puyricard. In 2017, the family planted 30,000 organic Lavandin Grosso plants on a portion of the property. Now, during the peak of the flowering season, you can visit Terre Ugo to walk through the fields, take a workshop, have a meal, or shop in the boutique.

Terre Ugo ©Nicolas Elsen

Who was Ugo?

Flowers were perhaps destiny for Ugo (Hugo in English), who was born in Piedmont, Italy. As a child, he moved with his parents to Grasse, France’s perfume capital, in 1924. In Grasse, his parents worked for a perfumer in the flower fields. They moved later to an agricultural property near Aix en Provence, where they grew vegetables for many years. However, Ugo always wanted to work with flowers because he was passionate about them. His parents preferred to grow vegetables because growing flowers in Aix would not have been enough to feed the family. When his parents died, Ugo decided to make a living from his passion and replace the vegetables with fields of flowers. That’s why Lisa, his granddaughter, grew up surrounded by fields of flowers and wanted to recreate the atmosphere of her childhood memories at Terre Ugo.

Terre Ugo ©Camille Moirenc

Purple Lavandin

At Terre Ugo, the family planted Lavandin Grosso, a fragrant hybrid that is a cross between lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia) and spike lavender (Lavandula Latifolia). This varietal is well-suit to dry, arid conditions and grows at lower altitudes from 200-1,000 metres. Lavandin Grosso is a choice for many farmers as it is a hardy shrub with deep-purple flowers, an intense bouquet, and a high essential oil yield.

Terre Ugo is a 100% organic estate that follows an environmentally friendly protocol with no treatments or additional water. They even “invite” a sheep herd of roughly 30 animals to visit in the winter months and take care of some natural weeding.

Soap workshop ©DKphotographe

Family Farm near Aix

The Terre Ugo 17th-century farmhouse still has the Royal Seal of Louis XIV. This hallmark indicates the building’s critical role as an icehouse that supplied Aix-en-Provence residents with ice before the advent of refrigeration. Ugo’s family, led by his grandchildren Lisa and Florian and their parents Frédéric and Sophie, are continuing the legacy of this property with the lavender plantation and other initiatives. Terre Ugo opened to the public in 2019.

Terre Ugo ©Nicolas Elsen

Lavender near Aix

Terre Ugo is open daily to the public from June 1, when the lavender fields bloom, through August 31. During those months, visitors can walk through the fields and enjoy the intoxicating combination of lavender fragrance and busy bees. Alternatively, book in advance for other activities such as traditional soap making or visiting the beehives. Visit Terre Ugo on Sundays for brunch; reservations are required. After the lavandin harvest, from September to May, the Terre Ugo estate is available for private events such as corporate seminars, weddings, or large celebrations.

Terre Ugo ©Roxane Nicolas

Practical Information

Terre Ugo website
1885 Route du Puy Ste Réparade
13540 Aix en Provence
Telephone +33 (0)7 49 72 14 12
June 1 – August 31 open daily from 10h to 18h30

Carolyne Kauser-Abbott

With her camera and laptop close at hand, Carolyne has traded in her business suits for the world of freelance writing and blogging. Her first airplane ride at six months of age was her introduction to the exciting world of travel.

While in Provence, Carolyne can be found hiking with friends, riding the hills around the Alpilles or tackling Mont Ventoux. Her attachment to the region resonates in Perfectly Provence this digital magazine that she launched in 2014. This website is an opportunity to explore the best of the Mediterranean lifestyle (food & wine, places to stay, expat stories, books on the region, travel tips, real estate tips and more), through our contributors' articles.

Carolyne writes a food and travel blog Ginger and Nutmeg. Carolyne’s freelance articles can be found in Global Living Magazine, Avenue Magazine and City Palate (Published Travel Articles).