It is an integral part of the landscapes of the Dr\u00f4me, lavender is today the representative symbol of the region.<\/p>\n
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It is appreciated for its fragrance, but also for its therapeutic virtues: Fear, insomnia, burns, concentration, muscle relaxation, etc.<\/p>\n
There are many small producers who grow organic lavender. You can visit the fields, participate in the distillation of your lavender and leave with your own bottle, or even enjoy a massage in the middle of the fields.
\nA real postcard landscape; you will certainly enjoy the colors.<\/p>\n
Only in France will you find an entire region dedicated to fields upon fields of brightly-scented lavender. The incredible rows of mauve and purple draw thousands of tourists every year who are looking to enjoy nature’s true abundance and beauty. Starting in mid-June, these vast fields spring up with pops of color and come into full bloom, staying until about the end of July, and sometimes through to the middle of August.<\/p>\n
Of course, there are very specific sites where you should plan to visit if vistas full of these gorgeous blooms are what you’re looking for. Luckily, Provence and the Dr\u00f4me provide plenty of opportunities to revel in these majestic fields, as well as learn more about the significance and history of lavender, and the so-called lavender routes, that the region has come to be known for.<\/p>\n
If you’ve ever viewed images of the lush south of France region, you can’t help but imagine fields full of yellow sunflowers and purple lavender. Today, these natural blooms are famous the world over, but you may be surprised to learn that planting lavender was a bit of an accident. At first, lavender was one of the few flowers that could be supported in soils where nothing else could grow. Not only is lavender stunning to look at, but a hearty flower as well. Since soils with poor nutrients are so common an occurrence in the south of France, lavender quickly advanced from a novelty to a standard. You may also be surprised to learn that, historically, the region supported a larger number of lavender fields than those cultivated today. With the advances in soil restoration tools today, however, many farmers eventually managed to revive and fertilize the soil, appropriating it for viticulture and wineries instead. However, lavender continues to be celebrated in Provence with stories and myths of old.<\/p>\n
One of the more esoteric retellings around lavender, for example, goes something like this: A fairy named Lavendula was born on the Montagne de Lure in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, in the middle of a field full of lavender. While searching high and low for a place to live, she eventually came into Provence. But, looking around, the fairy sadly realized that the landscape was robbed of its lush greenery, unable to support natural growth. Unable to hold back tears of grief, she cried and her tears made large spots on the landscape. From here, sprung these blossoms and, quite miraculously, lavender has been growing in Provence since that day, beautifying the natural area.<\/p>\n