Roads with the scent of lavender

Lots of itineraries can take you to lavender through the territories where it grows and where, all those who live from it, are waiting for the visitor to tell them about it and to help them discover it. But since this aromatic plant, famous throughout the world, does not flower exactly at the same time, depending on the locations, you can navigate from one to the other during the whole summer.

Firstly, you will discover the road running over 130 kilometres in Drôme Provençale. Flowering takes place from mid-June to the end of July in the neighbourhood of vineyards and olive trees. In the Séderon area, you are in the cradle of blue lavender which is used to make such beautiful bouquets.

You can make the «Herb Garden» in La Garde Adhémar, your top priority, for its 200 species of medicinal plants, hung over 3000 m2 of terraces at the foot of the church, as well as the «Bleu Provence» distillery which produces essential oils and explains all the stages of lavender distillation. Then, among many other activities, such as nougat manufacturing, honey harvesting, traditional paper making, you will meet Jean Luc Monteillet, wine-grower and Lavender producer at the Domaine de Montine.

A bit later in the summer and also over 130 kilometres, Lavender comes into bloom between Vercors and Diois from mid-July to the end of August.

You will discover there, the wild lavender, which is grown in mid-mountain ranges, and the virtues of the aromatic and medicinal plants at the "Domaine des Arômes" (scents domain), the botanic garden of the Sanoflore firm, manufacturing reputable essential oils and cosmetics. To end in a blaze of glory, you can offer yourself, an open air lavender SPA session at the «Ferme de Baume Rousse» in Cobonne where you can even stay in one of the rural gites or rural guest houses.