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LAVENDER LOOMS
Provence, France
From mid-June to mid-July, the fields of Provence transform into sprawling purple blankets as the region bursts into a celebration of lavender. The Valensole Plateau is a tapestry of violet flowers, golden wheat and majestic trees— with quaint stone farmhouses and the Alps as its backdrop. Lavender has been a part of life in Provence for just under 2,000 years, when the Romans arrived in the second century and used it for bathing and medicine. In the 19th century, lavender became a commercial crop used to create scents. And eventually, the town of Grasse was crowned the perfume capital of the world. Now, every year, Provence celebrates its harvest— with festivals cropping up across the region, enticing both locals and tourists to admire the lavender fields in full bloom. The exact timing of this varies according to the weather and altitude of each field. Sault— known as the lavender capital— is best visited slightly later until mid-August due to its higher elevation.
To make the most of the region, it’ s best to rent a car and explore the fields at your own pace. There are numerous lavender distilleries, many still family-run, carrying on a traditional distillation process that’ s been used for thousands of years. The Luberon region, also filled with fragrant fields, houses the ethereal Sénanque Abbey, with a carpet of lavender as its front lawn. Or head to Drôme Provençale, on the northern boundary of Provence, for a less crowded experience with picturesque hilltop villages and markets where you can buy lavender honey, oil and soap.
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