We were in Provence for a few days and wanted to visit some Lavender fields.  Going in we knew, it was past the season for it, we have a little league baseball player in our family and his season does not get over till the end of July.  We were traveling in the middle of August when typically the lavender is harvested in July.  When we made our way to Aix-en-Provence, we talked to one of the vendors who own some lavender fields told us that there were a few unharvested fields near Sault in August, so we decided to drive to go find them. The next day we stopped at the tourism office where a very friendly lady explained to us that indeed most of the lavender fields were harvest but if we had a car we could drive further north up towards Sault to find some lavender fields.  The tourism office also organizes walking tours in Aix, excursions to Sainte Victoire Mountain that Paul Cezanne painted and other trips around Provence. You can visit the atelier that Paul Cezanne painted as well.  But we had a car and we had lavender fields to find, so we got the maps and set off on our road trip to the rocks and valleys and forests of the Plateau de Vaucluse where Lavender fields await us!
Just as we were leaving Aix-en-Provence it started to get cloudy and we were not sure if we would be able to make the road trip, thankfully it cleared up soon.
We found some fields right on A8 leaving from Aix.
The first stop was some Sunflower fields. We were lucky to have stopped at the first one, since every other field that we came across after, was just dried up sunflowers. Since it is a seed and oil crop the sunflowers are left to dry till the heads are harvested. Generally, when the head turns brown on the back, seeds are usually ready for harvest. I just like how cheery and sunny they are when there are bright and yellow! How amazing are these canopy of plane trees. I have been obsessing over how magnificent these trees are and understand now why the painters like Monet, Cezanne, Van Gogh loved to paint them so much!
Under a canopy of Plane trees
We drove through Apt, a little town in Provence
The lavender fields seem to be harvested
A dry sunflower head
Dried sunflower field ready to be harvested
The lavender flower first appear in June and gathered in July or August.
Happy that we found some lavender, but they are faded to a gray since they have been left longer.
Sault is an old fortified village perched along the top of a high ridge overlooking a wide valley, with large lavender fields spread out below to the south and west.
A long multi-arched road bridge crosses the tiny La Croc stream below.
We spent some time walking around and exploring the pastel colored Sault
The village of Sault is open and relaxed, with wide squares and a good selection of cafés.
Men playing bocce
Enjoying the view – imagine the sea of purples in the high season.
Had to have some Crepes
The tourism office in Sault gave us a map of where we could find some lavender fields that have not yet been harvested, so we drove till we found fields that were a little more bluer and more fragrant than the ones we found earlier.
We spend some time walking in the rows of lavender, our noses filled with the sweet aroma.. clicking away pictures to our hearts content – we pretty much had the fields to ourselves.
We watched a beautiful sunset driving back to Aix-en-Provence! It certainly was mission accomplished in my books, not just because we found sunflowers and lavender but spending a few hours with my family driving to quaint little towns chatting, giggling, listening to the kiddos as they fought about which music to listen to and then came to a comprise… watching them snooze off a little on each others shoulders… it was a very special day! Looking at our driver, I was thankful for this wonderful man who rarely ever buys me flowers on Fridays, would go chasing lavender with us…
Have you been to the Lavender fields anywhere? Tell us about your experiences and recommendations.
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Oooh – lovely summer pictures to warm me up on this cold winter’s evening in Normandy. Would that I could walk through a field of lavender or sunflowers right now! Popping by very late from #AllABoutFrance
I’m so glad you found some fields still in full flower for there is nothing like seeing a sea of mauve. I will never forget the first time I went lavender chasing in Provence, it was so beautiful, I was very moved by the beauty I saw. Thanks for linking up to #AllAboutFrance with this lovely quintessentially Provencal post.
I love your photos of the lavender fields! Glad you found some in bloom! I went to Provence in May and it was too early to see the fields in bloom – but I would love to go back one day and see fields like you saw. And I loved Gordes too – I have a similar photo of that stunning view! #AllAboutFrance
Happy that you guys still managed to find some lavender fields in August!!
I love lavender and I would love to visit Provence to check them out… I love the smell and the colour 😀
Thank you for joining #MondayEscapes
I’m glad you found the flowers, I remember driving around trying to find them with no luck. Just gorgeous. Thanks for joining in #wednesdaywanderlust, I’m a bit late commenting but I was travelling so I figured that was a good excuse 🙂
This looks gorgeous – how lovely to have the fields to yourself. Definitely somewhere I’d love to visit.
Thanks Ruth, make sure you visit around July – you would love it!
Not sure which of your photos is more stunning! Even the field full of dried sunflowers look pretty. I have to make plans to visit this region.
Thanks Ruth!
I want to go on a lavender hunt. Lucky you found some!
Are there any around where you live?
It’s great you were able to find some lavender fields that had not yet been harvested. I’m in Melbourne Australia and we have several lavender farms nearby that I love to visit in the summer. Great family photo of you all standing in the field! #WeekendWanderlust
Hi Natalie – Thanks!That is wonderful that you have the lavender fields in Melbourne, what is the season for them to bloom? We have a few in Austin, Texas driving distance from where we live that we need to go visit sometime!
Just beautiful! Sunflowers are my favourite flowers so I’d seriously love to go here 🙂
Ahh mine too! They are so cheery! Thanks for stopping by Marcella.
Lavender fields! I can imagine how amazing it must smell! Lovely photos!
Yes Hema, they were lovely and smelt divine.. I was in heaven! Thanks for stopping by!
So beautiful! My dream is to see lavender fields, no joke!
Blondewelltraveled.com
Thanks Jenna. Hope your dream comes true!
Adding it on my list! Beautiful pics and I can just imagine the smell of lavender!
It was wonderful, we plan to go back during peak lavender season sometime! Thanks for your comments!
What a wonderful trip, Priya
Thanks Cheryl, it certainly was a wonderful trip! Thanks for stopping by!
Beautiful!!! Kids are so lucky to have traveled the world at a young age… xoxo
Thanks for stopping by BonBon.. there is so much more beautiful places to go 🙂
This looks like a fun trip! I love the sunflower and lavender fields!
Molly and Stacie
It was Molly, we plan to go back in July (sometime) so we can find more of the fields in full bloom.
lovely images! my favourite ones are street ones and lavender! looks like fun!
Dominika
Thanks for stopping by, it was a fun road trip.
Great photos, just wish I could smell the lavender through my laptop 🙂
Thanks for stopping by Sue – that would be a great invention, a laptop that delivers smell-o-vision! 🙂