10 Best Places to See Lavender Fields in France

The Plateau de Valensole is one of Frane's quintessential lavender fields, with miles and miles of densely-planted purple flowers. Local farmers also grow different photogenic crops, like sunflowers and sage, making for a breathtaking multicoloured landscape. The best views are found along the Route de Manosque, the Route de Puimoisson and the Route d’Oraison.

In Valensole, you can visit MEA Provence, a lavender distillery with exhibitions on the history of lavender, an aromatic garden, and a shop full of home-grown produce. Just outside town is Lavandes Angelvin distillery, where you can watch the harvesting and distillation process. It also offers soaps, diffusers, and essential oils made from lavender.

Gordes is a honey-coloured medieval town of narrow cobbled streets which overlooks the Luberon massif. As well as being surrounded by lavender farms, the town boasts a beautiful 10th-century château and an intriguing cave complex. Visit the official viewing area on Route de Cavaillon for the best views of this picturesque town.

One of Gordes’ most popular attractions is Senanque Abbey, a 12th-century abbey surrounded by lavender fields. Take a guided tour to learn more about the abbey’s history, or shop for lavender products in the abbey’s gift shop. Head east and explore the winding roads between Gordes and Joucas for more lavender fields.

The village of Sault is densely surrounded by lavender fields and overlooks rolling valleys of lavender farms. Sault’s best feature is its 5km hiking loop, which takes you through rolling fields and lavender farms. Along the way, a series of interpretive boards explain the cultivation, harvest and distillation of lavender.

Stop at Distillerie les Fontaines for free demonstrations and tours, or to buy lavender soaps and essential oils. The farm at Les Lavandes de Champelle sells gourmet ingredients beloved by keen cooks, like lavender honey and salt infused with lavender.

Mane is an attractive hilltop town with striking panoramic views of the surrounding Provence countryside. Lavender fields can be found on every side of the town, often as part of local châteaus. It also boasts numerous historical sights, including a 12th-century bridge, the remains of a medieval market, and an imposing citadel.

You shouldn’t miss the Prieuré de Salagon, a beautiful 13th-century priory. You can explore a medieval herb garden and a scented garden, both planted with many varieties of lavender. Just south of Mane, the Château de Sauvan is known for its elegant formal gardens, ornamental ponds, peacocks, and of course, lavender fields.

Digne-les-Bains is a historic spa town in the French Alps. The town has a long history as a centre of lavender production. Its Saturday market is a great place to pick up lavender products like soaps and essential oils, as well as local olives and cheeses.

One of the town's main attractions is the Musée de la Lavande, a museum entirely devoted to lavender. Its gallery showcases historical distillation equipment, whlie demonstrations of the distillation process takes place in the courtyard. Visit in early August for Digne-les-Bains's lavender festival, which includes a vibrant carnival and parade of colourful floats.

Grasse has been famous for its perfume industry for more than 400 years, and lavender is a key ingredient in many of those perfumes. Visit some of the old perfumeries for a guided tour or a perfume-making workshop. You can buy every kind of perfume imaginable, as well as soap and scented cosmetics.

Take the road north towards Gourdon and Caussols to see rolling fields of purple. Around this area, you may spot wild lavender growing among the rocks. It’s worth a trip to the flower farms surrounding Grasse, which cultivate many other perfume ingredients like roses and jasmine.

Manosque is a sleepy historical town of pretty squares and antique fountains. What makes it a must-visit for lavender lovers is the L'Occitane Factory, where you can sample the brand’s unique scents on a guided tour. Lavender and other perfume ingredients are grown at the factory’s Mediterranean Garden.

Manosque is a short drive from the dense lavender fields of Plateau de Valensole. Head east along the Route de Manosque for the best views. Other things to do in Manosque include visiting the 13th-century church of Notre-Dame-de-Romigier and eating your way through the Saturday market.

Saint-Remèze is a village in the mountains of the Ardèche, an area famous for its lush scenery. The town has a museum, Maison de la Lavande, where you can take a quaint little train around the lavender fields. Watch the lavender oil being distilled, explore the ‘room of scents’, and buy products made at the farm.

Apart from the museum, the best place to look for lavender fields is to the west, between Saint-Remèze and the Ardèche gorges, which is crisscrossed by winding roads and hiking trails. Saint-Remèze is also a popular destination for canoeing and kayaking in France. 

Chamaloc is a mountain village in the Vercors Regional Natural Park. The lavender can flower a little later here, so it's a good choice if you’re travelling around mid to late July. Head north along ‘Le Château’ road to see lavender fields backed by spectacular mountain scenery.

Chamaloc is home to Distillerie des 4 Vallées, a lavender farm and distillery established in 1930. Opt for a guided tour of the distillery and a walk through 75 acres of lavender fields.

Simiane-la-Rotonde is a classic Provençal hilltop village surrounded by lavender fields. Take road D18B to see the fields spread out with the village in the background – it's actually a popular location for photographs. Agoult-Simiane, a 12th-century castle at the top of the hill, offers sweeping views of the countryside.

Former Cistercian monastery Valsaintes Abbey is a must-visit, thanks to its rose gardens, 17th-century church, and shop full of local produce. Head for the ‘dry garden’ to see (and smell) more than 30 different varieties of lavender, along with rosemary, basil and other dry-weather plants.