Valensole Lavender Fields
Plateau de Valensole
Provence's largest lavender region, where purple rows stretch across the Valensole Plateau to the horizon. Sunrise and sunset are the golden hours for photography.
The Valensole Plateau sits at 500–600 m in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department and covers about 800 square kilometres. It is one of the largest lavender-growing areas in France and in the world, though most of the crop is lavandin, a hybrid that yields more than true lavender. This is the source of the postcard view of purple rows running all the way to distant mountains. The densest fields lie along the D6 (toward Manosque) and the D8 (toward Puimoisson). The most famous photo spots include the Lavandes Angelvin farm on the D6, with its lone tree and stone hut; the large mix of lavender and sunflower fields on the road to Puimoisson on the D8; and the Terraroma family farm just south of Valensole town. The bloom usually runs from June 20 to July 15, with the fields at their most purple in early July. The town holds its lavender festival on the third Sunday of July. Afterward, farmers harvest and distil the fields for essential oil, and by August only green stubble remains. Roadside pull-offs let you stop and enjoy the view, but the lavender fields are privately owned farmland. Do not walk into the fields, trample the plants, or pick the flowers. Bees are abundant, so avoid dark clothing and perfume. Farm shops sell essential oil, honey, and lavender ice cream. The only practical way to get here is by car: it is about 1 hour 15 minutes from Aix-en-Provence and about 1 hour 45 minutes from Avignon. You can combine a visit with the Verdon Gorge, Lac de Sainte-Croix, and the ceramics village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie in a single day. The light is softest around sunrise and after 7 p.m., when crowds are thin and the heat has eased. At midday the harsh sun washes out the purple.
Opening hours
All day (bloom late Jun–mid Jul)
Nearby sights
- Riez
- Musée de Préhistoire des Gorges du Verdon
- Basses Gorges du Verdon
- Lac d'Esparron
- Lac de Sainte-Croix
- Gréoux-les-Bains
- Musée de la Faïence de Moustiers
- Moustiers-Sainte-Marie