I have dreamed about a road trip around Provence to visit the beautiful lavender fields for YEARS! This past summer, I finally planned a trip back to France and I knew I had to visit for the 2022 lavender season! The region of Provence is known for its lavender fields and you won’t have to look hard to find them in June and July. If you are planning a trip to Provence, keep reading as I will be sharing everything you need to know including, when to visit, where to stay, where exactly to find the lavender fields and more!
Where are the Lavender Fields?
The majority of the lavender fields of Provence are centered around the Luberon and Verdon plateaus to the north of Aix-en-Provence and Marseille, and to the east of Avignon. If you’d like to visit the fields, I would recommend renting a car to get around. We made Marseille, France our home base while we were in Provence, and from there we planned a day trip in search of Lavender. You could also base yourself in Aix-en-Provence, which I would recommend over Marseille.
Like wheat or sunflower fields (which you can also find in the region), lavender fields are found bordering the roads. So just drive around the region and stop whenever you see a field that you fancy!
When to Visit the Lavender Fields?
Lavender starts to bloom around mid to end June until it is harvested end July to mid-August. The lavender blooming depends on the weather conditions, the variety and elevation. Generally speaking though, the best time to go to the Provence to experience the lavender in full, glorious scented bloom is between end-June and end-July.
If you don’t like the crowds and you want your lavender exploring to seem exotic, go before mid-July. True, the prime blooming for the lavender starts mid-July but that doesn’t mean you don’t get purple and blue hews earlier.
My recommendation for a “typical” year visiting lavender in the Provence would be the last part of June – right before the French are on holiday and most tourists arrive for high season. If you are interested in capturing sunflowers and lavender together, you will need to go mid to late July.
How to Get to the Lavender Fields?
The best way to plan your journey from Aix-en-Provence, Marseille or Avignon is by renting a car. It will give you the flexibility you need to visit the fields at your own pace. We rented a car from Avis, which is conveniently located in the Marseille Railway Station. If you plan to stay in Aix-en-Provence, there is also an Avis located at the TGV station.
Once you arrive at any of the lavender field locations, you can easily park on the street or in a nearby area to visit the fields. I would not recommend taking public transportation, but instead book a tour if you don’t feel comfortable renting a car. Check out the tours I have linked below.
- Full Day Lavender Tour from Aix-en-Provence
- Full Day Lavender Tour from Marseille
- Fully Day Lavender Tour from Avignon
You’ll be traveling through more rural parts of Provence and public transport isn’t that frequent and won’t stop directly in front of the fields, meaning you’ll probably have some walking/hiking to do and won’t be able to cover multiple fields in a day trip.
Where to Stay in Provence?
We stayed in Marseille at the AC Hotel Marseille Prado Veldrome. The hotel is in a great location and was perfect for our 2 night stay in Marseille. Unfortunately, although the hotel was great, we were highly underwhelmed by the city of Marseille and additionally, found it to be very dirty overall.
After spending half a day in Aix-en-Provence on our way to visit the lavender fields, I would highly recommend staying there instead. Aix-en-Provence is a quaint, small town filled with charming streets and endless amounts of things to do. It is easily accessible by train from Paris, if you fly to Paris first and spend a few days there. The Renaissance Aix-en-Provence Hotel is the perfect spot to spend your time in Aix-en-Provence and visit the lavender fields.
It may also be helpful to pick a home base depending on your travel time to the lavender fields from each area.
- Marseille to Valensole Lavender Fields is about 1.5 hours
- Aix-en-Provence to Valensole Lavender Fields is about a 1 hour
- Avignon to Valensole Lavender Fields is about 1.5 hours
Where to Find the Lavender Fields in Provence
Drive through D6 (Route de Manosque) where the road is literally teeming with fields of these beautiful purple flowers.
If you’re coming from Aix-en-Provence, the Luberon, or Avignon – your first stop after exiting the A51 motorway at Manosque will be field Terraoma.
It’s quite easy to drive through Provence to the lavender fields. I suggest using Google maps and type in the coordinates of the exact field you want to visit. Once you’re there you essentially just keep driving down the same road and you will see multiple lavender fields, feel free to stop by any but the most popular ones are on the main road and you’ll see plenty of photographers and cars parked on the side of the road taking pictures.
Here are the Lavender Fields I visited:
Terraroma
GPS: 43.8191, 5.93266
These stunning fields at Terraroma are a more recent development. The rolling hills here are prime for photos, and there’s plenty of space for everyone to get their shot. You can’t miss the Terraroma sign smack in the middle of the field, but it’s easy enough to work around it with angles, cropping, or just walking towards the far end of the field if you don’t want it in your shot.
The Terraroma distillery is across the road, where you’ll park. So pop in and pick up some honey, soap, essential oils, or a bunch of dried lavender for your photoshoot while you’re there!
From here, the fields merge into your next lavender spot, Lavandes Angelvin.
Lavandes Angelvin
GPS: 43.82374, 5.93828
If you’ve visited Terraroma next door, you can just walk across to these fields.
If you’re coming by car, there’s a small car park on your right as you approach. Park your car there and pick up some tasty treats from the roadside stall selling lavender-infused goodies. Opposite this car park is where you’ll find the most photographed lavender field in Provence, with its iconic trees.
Pit Stop: Valensole Village
GPS: 43.837623, 5.987164
You can bypass Valensole Village and go straight through to your next lavender field, or pop into this charming village for an al fresco lunch or lavender flavored ice cream on your way. It’s a petite village, so a quick stop won’t take up too much of your time. It’s a great spot if you’re in need of water, food, snacks and even lavender for your photoshoot.
We decided to stop and explore the area and have some lavender ice cream, which was perfect on a hot summer day!
Gently Sloping Lavender Field
GPS: 43.88628, 6.05534
On the right-hand side of the road, as you drive away from Valensole and towards Puimoisson, you’ll find this expansive lavender field with a gentle incline at one end.
For some reason, this lavender field in Valensole is quieter than most, so it’s a good one to take portraits or family photographs – without having to worry about anyone getting in your shot.
Stone hut lavender fields
GPS: 43.89574, 6.11351
You may not notice the little stone hut when you first pull over. But it’s there, hiding just past a little dip in the lavender.
GPS: 43.85181, 6.11049
This field is known for its tiny stone hut in the distance. You can get some beautiful photos here as well without a ton of tourists.
Quiet lavender field among the trees
GPS: 43.84535, 6.15548
Continue on towards Moustiers-Sainte-Marie and you’ll find this vibrant field surrounded by luscious green vegetation. Again, it’s the natural swell of the earth that makes this one of the best lavender fields in Valensole.
That concludes my tour of the Valensole lavender fields! This isn’t an exhaustive list, as I believe it’s best to leave a little room for discoveries along the way, but it gives first time visitors an overview of the area.
If you plan on completing this route in one day, I’d suggest starting early so you’ll have time to take in the villages and views as you go.
But, if you are on a short time frame, it’s possible to complete this lavender route (and have time for photographs) within 5 hours. You just won’t have adequate time to add on the village visits or make stops along the way.
Tips for Visiting the Lavender Fields
- Bring plenty of water
- Make sure to offline your route and maps of the area in case your connection is poor and you loose signal. This happened to us a few times during our drive through the South of France.
- Eat in the town you’re coming from or bring snacks or a picnic for your drive. If you’re planning on visiting the villages on this Valensole lavender fields itinerary, you’ll struggle to find somewhere to eat outside of regular meal times
- Beware of the bees! You will hear the bees buzzing away in the lavender fields and they are for the most part harmless, unless you’re allergic to bees of course.
- Don’t stomp on the lavender. You will see there are trails in between the lavender. Make sure to walk on these trails and be mindful of where you are stepping.
- The best time for photos is in the early morning or sunset when the sun isn’t so harsh.
SHOP MY PROVENCE LOOK
If you enjoyed this post, please comment below or share on social media!
Hi – thanks for the helpful tips. Do you think mid July is too late for the lavender in valensole — like July 8-12? Can I ask what time of year you visited/took these beautiful pics?
Hi Jillian, I visited towards the end of June. Every year the dates of when the lavender fields bloom vary, but typically its between June and July. I suggest contacting some of the lavender fields directly through Instagram or email so they can provide more accurate information.