Lavender Festivals in Provence, France

Every year, the French region of Provence holds several lavender festivals to celebrate the purple plant that blooms locally. These festivals are generally held in late summer and involve parades, music, and plenty of French food and drink. Here are a few of the best spots to catch a lavender festival in Provence, France.

Lavender festivals in Provence, France: Botanical gardens

The best place to start your tour of lavender festivals in Provence is in the capitol city of Avignon. The large walls were necessary as a means of avoiding invasion when the city was built in 1309. Now they provide an interesting backdrop for one of Provence's historic lavender festival sites. After visiting the capitol of Provence, head over to Digne's botanical garden to see some of the lavender as it grows. The garden's property sports an interesting design, being set in the building that once served as a medieval convent. Valensole's Angelvin farm has a display of old farming tools and shows videos detailing the area's history of cultivating lavender. The botanical lavender gardens in Sault offer visitors a guided tour of both the gardens and the greenhouses.

Lavender festivals in Provence, France: Parades and celebrations

The festival season for lavender in Provence is between June and late summer, when the beautiful flowers are in bloom. Depending on where you are, the exact date of the lavender festival may vary. Many of the lavender festivals even include a parade. The main lavender parades are held at the Digne festival in August, the Sault festival in mid-August, and the Corso de la Lavande held in Valres on the first weekend in August.

Lavender festivals in Provence, France: Distilleries

After the fragrant lavender oil is distilled by steam, it can be used to create perfumes or add fragrance to shampoos and other cosmetics. In addition to visiting the lavender gardens in Provence, you can also explore several distilleries that are open to the public. These include Saint Christol, Saint Trinit, Castellet, Caseneuve, Viens, and Aurel. For an interesting overhead view of the area's lavender crops, the Provence tourist office at Forcalquier runs hot-air balloon flights over the region.

Lavender festivals in Provence, France: Small town celebrations

Besides the main cities and lavender festivals, the smaller towns in Provence also offer some quirky ways to enjoy the fragrant blossoms. Visit the small town of Apt on a Saturday morning for an interesting outdoor market. Local crafters sell items made from lavender or that feature the fragrance oil distilled from the flowers. The main lavender festival in Apt is held in mid-July each year. The area also has several other interesting