Quick Guide to the Lavender Fields, Provence [2024]

Article written by Elisa - Travel Writer & Local in France
This article may contain compensated links. Please read disclaimer for more info.

Different Types of Lavender in Provence

There are three types of lavender worldwide: fine lavender, spike lavender, and lavandine. However, there are only two different types of lavender in Provence: fine lavender and lavandine.

FINE LAVENDER (lavandula angustifolia) is the typical lavender of Provence; you won’t find fine lavender anywhere else in the world! The fine lavender grows above an altitude of 800 m, and it is a small plant with a single flower per stem.

Traditionally used for medicinal properties, fine lavender became the region’s ‘blue gold’ when the great perfume makers in Provence started using it for their best perfumes.

You need 130 kg of fine lavender to obtain 1 liter of essential oil by distillation. A 1 Ha plantation of fine lavender can produce up to 25 liters of essential oil in a good year, that’s why fine lavender is so special!

LAVANDINE (lavandula hybrida) is found all over the world, at altitudes of 0 to 800 m. It is a tall plant with two ramifications, growing in large round clumps. As its Latin name suggests, it is a hybrid plant, a crossing between the lavender of Provence (fine lavender) and spike lavender which is little used in France.

The lavandine is less subtle, has a stronger smell than fine lavender, and cannot be used for medicinal properties. The lavandine fields are very photogenic, but lavandine is less precious and definitely less interesting for lavender producers.

You need 40 kg of lavandine to obtain 1 liter of essential lavandine oil. The lavandine is used for cleaning products and souvenirs for tourists.

Map of the Best Lavender Fields, Provence

Where to see lavender fields in Provence? We have grouped the best places to see lavender in Provence into four areas:

1. Plateau de Valensole Lavender Fields (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department)
2. Pays de Sault (Vaucluse department)
3. Luberon Lavender Fields (Vaucluse department)
4. Drôme Provençale (Drôme department)

Best Lavender Fields in Provence

Here’s the list of the best lavender fields Provence has to offer. For each area, we will tell you the types of lavender and the best time to go. For a total Provençal experience, we also recommend the most charming places to stay and other fun things to see and do nearby.

1. Plateau de Valensole Lavender Fields (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence)

The Plateau de Valensole, in the department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, is where you will find the most photogenic Provence lavender fields. For many tourists, this is the best place to see lavender fields in Provence, which means that you won’t be alone.

A few years ago, nobody knew about the Valensole lavender fields or the town of Valensole. Thanks to a Chinese TV show and a couple of Instagrammers hanging around, now tourists from all over the world flock to Valensole during the lavender season in Provence.

The Valensole Plateau is located at a low altitude (<600 m), so you will only find lavandine, and it is more impressive. To see these lavender fields, Aix-en-Provence and Marseille are two good places from where you can start a road trip or take a lavender tour.

We love Valensole’s beautiful landscapes and the feeling of swimming in a violet sea. Next to the lavender fields, the sunflower and wheat fields are perfect for making beautiful photo compositions. The combination of lavender fields in bloom with harvested lavender fields is beautiful, too.

GOOD TO KNOW: In the Valensole lavender fields, mass tourism and disrespectful people are an issue, to the point that some lavender farmers have fenced their fields and are ready to call the police. Wake up early and be one of the first visitors of the day: drones, jumping people, big guided tours, and people picking up lavender everywhere can spoil your lavender experience.

2. Pays de Sault (Vaucluse)

The Pays de Sault is the capital of fine lavender. Less touristy than other Provence lavender fields, Pays de Sault is a good place to see the real Provençal lavender without the crowds.

For us, this is the best place to see lavender fields in Provence. Here, you will find some bories (traditional stone huts which served as a barn, stable, or a seasonal dwelling in the XIXth century), and they look great in the middle of the lavender fields. The combination of lavender fields and hilltop villages is very photogenic, too.

The Pays de Sault is near Mont Ventoux (1,909m) and surrounded by picturesque villages (Sault, Aurel, Ferrasières). Don’t miss all these beautiful places when visiting the Pays de Sault!

To see these lavender fields, Avignon is a good place from where you can start a road trip or take a lavender tour. Located at a higher altitude (800-900 m), summers are not as hot as in other places in Provence, like Valensole.

GOOD TO KNOW: when looking for accommodation in Provence, you will find many bastides. In Occitanie, a bastide is the name of a type of medieval village designed with a regular plan (e.g., the village of Mirepoix, in the Cathar Country). A bastide in Provence, instead, is a stone construction, usually magnificent private houses surrounded by beautiful grounds. In Provence, there are many bastides proposing bed & breakfast accommodation. Other types of housing in Provence are mas, clos, and domaine.

3. Luberon Lavender Fields (Vaucluse)

The Massif du Luberon, near Avignon, boasts some of the best lavender fields in Provence. Located in the department of Vaucluse, these lavender fields, also known as “Avignon lavender fields,” are beautiful to see, with oh-so-pretty hilltop villages and the famous Sénanque Abbey.

The lavender fields near Avignon are at an altitude of 350-700 m, mainly with lavandine.

From the top of the road from Gordes (D177), the view of the lavender fields surrounding Sénanque Abbey is spectacular. However, this is a popular place, so be sure to visit early in the morning (ideally before 8 am).

If you want to explore these lavender fields, Avignon is a good starting point. This Luberon road trip starts and ends in Avignon and explores some of the best lavender fields near Avignon.

4. Drôme Provençale (Drôme)

Drôme is a department that belongs to the region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. However, this area is known as Drôme Provençale because of its geographical, cultural, historical, and climatic proximity to Provence. You are technically out of Provence, but with all those lavender fields and hilltop villages, you won’t realize it 😉

The best lavender fields in the Drôme Provençale are around the villages of Grignan, Nyons to Vinsobres, Mévouillon (capital of fine lavender), and from Drôme Valley to Diois (lavender fields at higher altitude, far from the main roads).

And there you have it, the guide to the best lavender fields Provence has to offer and how to get the most out of this beautiful area of Provence. Enjoy!

Back to Homepage

Disclaimer: This article may contain compensated links, meaning we get a small commission if you make a purchase through our links. It costs you nothing more (in fact, if anything, you’ll get a nice discount) but helps us to go on creating incredible French content for you. We trust all products and brands promoted here and would never recommend anything that isn’t of value. Please read disclaimer for more info.