Trip with the driver : 3 days minimum
Imagine rows of purple, blue, and violet blossoms stretching out to meet the clear skies in the distance, the fragrance of lavender drifting in the air. This is the promise of the Lavender Fields of France. And it is a favorite destination for world travelers looking to behold the beauty of this magical country.
The remarkable farmland reaches over an expansive 800 square kilometers (about 500 square miles). And among the rows of lavender are the inviting scenes of French life in the countryside.
This is a dream vacation for many, and yet its distance from a major city makes it difficult to access for most people visiting France. Unfortunately, that means many people who yearn to see the fields of lavender never end up going.
That is why our driver service in Paris created this incredible offer — a June road trip designed specifically around the Lavender Fields. With 20 years of experience as a chauffeur, you can rest assured in my services to take you exactly where you need to go, giving you the inside scoop on this often overlooked French adventure.
This is the best opportunity to visit the Lavender Fields on your Paris vacation. So don’t compromise, get the best of the city and then explore the marvelous wonders waiting for you out in the pastures of Valensole.
The Lavender Fields
The lavender fields of Plateau de Valensole stand in the southern Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. At 500 meters in elevation, the area is the perfect place for growing the crop that it is named after. It is also filled with fields of wheat and places to see a different side of French life, away from the hustle and bustle of a metropolitan like Paris.
The area is absolutely picturesque, enjoying 300 days of sunshine every year and sitting near a nature park. That seclusion makes it a wonderful getaway when the energy and crowds of the city get to be too much during your vacation.
Even during the peak season, crowds are much less of a problem than in the city. And I can take you to plenty of views waiting just for your group.
When is the best time to visit the Lavender Fields?
The best time of year to see the lavender plants in full bloom is June and July. It is during these months that the fields are ignited by their iconic purple blossoms, and the plants release their fragrance in the air.
The region is blessed to be incredibly temperate throughout these summer months. The average high throughout June is 21°C / 71°F, and 25°C / 77°F in July. That means a trip to the Lavender Fields is often a needed respite from the heat of the city.
Nearby Sights to the Lavender Fields
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, where the Lavender Fields are located, is an area filled with many things to explore, as long as you know where to look. Located in the southeast of France, it is a mountainous region with many charms of rural life.
Valensole
The fields of lavender all lead you to Valensole, where you have many historic things to see and delicious foods to taste. The ancient city still has the feeling of a medieval village. You can visit the fountain at the center, surrounded by the old buildings accessible only through the winding, narrow streets cobbled long ago.
The area has churches, bell towers, and all manner of intricate architectural details from a different time. And when you want a meditative pause to your day, you can stroll through the Clos de Villeneuve and the Château du Grand Jardin.
The area is also home to countless relics from the ancient past. Valensole itself boasts a Roman amphitheater. There are also many hamlets and tucked away places that offer an idyllic place to spend your vacation.
There are also many culinary delights that abound during the peak of lavender season. You can find artisanal treats of all kinds crafted around the fresh herb. The cafes and restaurants all feature a variety of these epicurean pleasures, often allowing you to dine while taking in a view from a terrace. It is here that you can drink deeply of all the wonders of the French countryside.
And when you visit during the peak months of June and July, there are often festivals held centered around lavender. These give you a full look at all the wonderful things people can do with this delectably scented plant, as well as giving you access to local arts and culture.
If you want to explore everything the area has to offer, you need a dedicated driver. While there is some train access to a few key places, the area is built for people driving cars. That means our professional driver will be a life saver throughout your visit. With my Lavender Fields Road Trip, you won’t miss a thing.
The Town of Grasse
Next on our tour of the Lavender Fields is the town of Grasse. Tucked away in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur region along the beloved French Riviera, it is the most important area for perfume production in the entire world. Its history is preserved in a town that honors the past while ensuring a way forward for generations of perfume makers to come.
Grasse’s microclimate is perfect for growing many flowering plants. It is far enough from the sea to reduce breezes, it is easily irrigated by nearby rivers, and it remains warm though rarely gets hot. These features made it especially attractive for jasmine growers who became popular after the Moors introduced the plant in the 1500s. Once that plant spread through the area, factories began popping up nearby to turn it into perfume.
Once that process began, it never stopped. In a short amount of time, the entire French perfume industry centered its production in the area. By the end of the 18th century, it was known as a city built around fragrances. That is why Grasse is the home of some of the most prestigious and oldest perfumeries in the world, including Fragonard, Galimard, and Molinard.
These well pedigreed businesses now offer tours of their grounds, where interested visitors can see the traditional way perfumes are made and learn how to better appreciate their olfactory sense.
Since the rise of its flower farming industry, Grasse’s reputation has continued to bring the most ambitious and talented perfume makers. It is said that the perfume “noses” (or the French nez, a nickname for a professional creator of perfumes) trained in Grasse are capable of distinguishing and naming over 2,000 individual scents.
Around 60 companies still operate in the area, employing thousands of people and creating around 8% of total perfume production worldwide. These operations include processing the raw materials into products like essential oils, and it also means crafting the final concoctions that make their way onto high end store shelves.
If this wonderful world of perfume really piques your interest, you are in luck! Grasse is home to the International Museum of Perfume.
Being the capital of fragrance makers of all kinds, it is no surprise that Grasse should be the location for the 1985 novel Perfume by Patrick Süskind. It is also the backdrop for some of the 2006 film adaptation by the same name, directed by Tom Tykwer
And when you are done perusing the perfumeries, Grasse has plenty of other sights for you to see. Its cathedral, built in the 11th century, is home to three paintings by Sir Peter Paul Rubens and another by Jean-Honoré Fragonard who was born in the town. And it even has a memorial to Napoleon.
The Lavender Fields Tour With a Dedicated Driver
Our June tour of the Lavender Fields of France gives you an out-of-the-way excursion during your stay in Paris. It expands your view of the country and gives you a first hand view of one of the country’s greatest sights.
On your way, you can enjoy the small villages filled with authentic charm as well as the town of Grasse, where your nose can rollick in the greatest perfumes made anywhere in the world.
And best of all, you don’t need to worry about renting a car or figuring out directions. You don’t need to think about where to park or where to go next. When you hire a dedicated driver for 3 days, you don’t have to worry about anything!
So journey out from the city into the landscapes and storied villages of France! Spread your wings and discover the Lavender Fields.