Purple Turns Provence – Where to see Lavender Fields in the Vaucluse.

It’s this time of year that Provence turns purple when the Lavender fields start to explode with colour and the air fills with scent as the flowerheads gently brush against each other in the breeze. The air above them seems to shimmer with the colour and the constant buzz of bees and insects is a backdrop to the silent flight of the butterflies that drift from stem to stem. It really is a beautiful place to be.

…Continue reading here for a virtual glimpse of the lavender fields of the Vaucluse. Many if not all of these photos Julie has snapped along her cycling routes. However, some of the hill climbs are not recommended for novice cyclists. Whether you are a biker or not the scenery in this part of Provence is beautiful at any time, but during the lavender season, it is stunning.

Lavender Travel Tips

There is an annual weeklong Fête de la Lavande in Apt around the middle of July.  It is a chance to discover this magical flower with culinary exhibitions, guided tours, producers, distillers and much more.

The biggest (and last) festival of the season is in Sault on August 15th. Julie wrote a post about this fun family-friendly event.

David Taylor writes about (more) bike riding around the lavender fields in Provence.

Read about Deborah Lawrenson’s lavender inspiration…An old still, once used to extract the essence from the lavender – or the hardier lavandin -flowers, stands proudly outside the farm. This is a tiny, family-run business: Christian Borde & Fils. The lavender is grown in the surrounding fields and brought to an unassuming barn for the magic of scent distillation to begin. I drew on the setting for this scene from my novel The Lantern, in which the perfumes of Provence are a sensory presence.

Julie Whitmarsh

Julie and her husband Andy started visiting the Vaucluse area 25 years ago & over the years have increased the amount of time they spend there with their growing family. She has a deep affection for the area, finding it is a great place to visit, where the whole family can relax and enjoy time together.

She longs for the day when she can ‘up-sticks’ from her home on Dartmoor & relocate to the Luberon and spend her days cycling, walking, visiting markets & brocante fairs and of course enjoying the local food and drink.

Her blog VaucluseDreamer gives her a space to highlight some of her favourite things about the area from places to visit to particular activities that she and her family all enjoy.

She hopes one day it will be a place where she can share the process of renovating a house in France, but at the moment that will have to wait.