A mosaic of vivid purple fields, beautiful blue skies, and striking orange sunsets awaits in Valensole, a picturesque little village known for its endless lavender fields in the summer and fragrant winter truffles. The village’s name is taken from the two Latin words: Vallis and solis, meaning valley of the sun, an epithet of a kind, named after the fact that the valley benefits from a delightful 300 days of sunshine a year. And while the main draw is the lavender, the star of social media for a few months a year, Valensole has a wonderful old town, with tipsy cobbled streets winding up towards the historic Saint-Blaise church sitting atop the hill, and, thanks to its elevation, it enjoys stunning views of the valley.
You’ll find Valensole wrapped around a hillside in lovely Provence, the colorful French region known for its history and cuisine. It’s surrounded by the sweeping gradients of the Plateau of Valensole, France’s largest area dedicated to lavender cultivation, and a perfect stop for anyone driving the iconic Lavender Route.
The closest major international airport is Marseille, France’s oldest city, from which you can drive to Valensole in around one hour. As it’s a very remote village, there are very few public transport options available. But if you are traveling by train while in France, then you’ll need to reach a nearby station such as Manosque Greoux Bains and from there take either a taxi in around 20 minutes or a 35-minute bus ride to Segond, which is around a five-minute walk from Valensole.
All about the lavender in Valensole
The Valensole Plateau is one of Provence’s most iconic lavender destinations, with dozens of fields with row after row of lavender growing towards distant mountains, and occasionally punctuated by a picturesque chapel, a charming farm house, or a lone tree perched on a hill. A walk through the lavender fields is a must when in Valensole, if only to see the fields sway closer to the horizon, and experience the herbal scents of the lavender filling every bit of air.
A wonderful way to learn more about the lavender growing in Provence is to join a lavender tour at one of the farms or distilleries. One of the most local to Valensole is the Lavandes Angelvin, which has cultivated lavender for several generations, and, in addition to allowing you to get up close to the lavender fields, offers insightful tours of its distillery, where numerous lavender products are created.
The lavender begins to bloom in those fabulous purple gradients in June, and the season ends in August when the farmers have harvested every crop. The peak season for viewing Provençal Lavender in Valensole is in early to mid-July, when even the higher altitude fields will be in bloom. When factoring in things like the August holidays, the best time to visit Valensole and the rest of Provence’s iconic lavender fields is in early July, allowing you to avoid the largest crowds and see a good amount of lavender, gracing those stunning Provençal undulations.
Exploring the village, the truffles, and the rest of Provence
