Lavender on the Plateau de Valensole
Valensole lavender
The Romans used lavender to perfume linen and baths.
From the Middle Ages, lavender appeared in Provence. But it was from the 19th century that it experienced great growth because it began to be used to make perfumes and medicines. It is nevertheless an ancient plant which is native to Persia.
Lavender can be discovered in wonderful fields on the Plateau de Valensole (Alpes de Haute-Provence) and more timidly in the Alpes-Maritimes.
Personally, I really like the Lavanderaie de Marie created 20 years ago in Gourdon by Mme Roux-Gallimard and which is open to all. This lavender grove is nestled against the limestone walls of the Gorges du Loup and offers its visitors a setting favoring inner calm. And it is only 15 minutes from our gîtes in Bar sur Loup.
In the Alpes-Maritimes, in the Lubéron and Montage de Lure massifs or in the Drôme, we still find wild lavender which is collected with a sickle before distilling it and obtaining an exceptional essential oil. Wild lavender, also called fine lavender, grows between 500 and 1500 meters above sea level on sunny slopes and is the noblest of lavenders.
Today, we find more and more lavandin, a hybrid between true lavender and aspic lavender. It is a plant that is easier to grow than true lavender. It is also much larger and the yield of essential oil is greater.
However, lavandin has far fewer olfactory, aromatic or medicinal virtues.
Uses of lavender
Lavender is found in different forms:
In grain (bags), in flavorings (for pastries, ice cream) in essence and essential oil (recognized in aromatherapy). And she also inspired many artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Cézanne, Monet, Arnot, and many others.
Lavender in aromatherapy
In aromatherapy, aspic lavender is used to combat many ailments. It is relaxing and anti-stress, it helps calm coughs and pain. It is anti-inflammatory. It fights against skin conditions and finally it repels mosquitoes.
Little anecdote, Casanova perfumed his stationery with lavender flowers to seduce his correspondents.
A two-hour drive from our Bar sur Loup gîtes, the Valensole plateau is ideal for a short day trip. You will take the opportunity to discover the Napoléon, Castellane, Barrème, Senez road, before turning off at Chateauredon towards Puymoisson and Valensole. And the enchantment of the eyes and the senses is yours.
Lavender blooms between mid-June and early August and also around our lodgings there is lavender that you can discover in our locations-06 lodges in Provence.
3 ideas for visits
The Ferme de Vauvenières in Saint Jurs. Visit by appointment.
The Moulin Bonaventure in Valensole.
The Distillerie de la Ferme du Riou in Valensole, the last to use lavender straws to operate its stills.
More information on the Plateau de Valensole
See the lavender fields on the Plateau de Valensole , in Provence
