The trail
The Lavender Trail : a land, a spirit, an exploration
They were for two centuries the work of men. Today, the Lavender Routes are accessible to everyone and will lead you, over the seasons, to discover the emblematic treasure of Haute Provence.
From the Vercors to the Lubéron, from the Drôme to the Verdon, they will tell you a story and tell you of their memories, their know-how and their economy... and they will make you admire the fabulous landscapes, forever marked by this ‘little' mountain plant, which is, of course, ephemeral, but which has magic virtues with a reputation that, over the centuries, has spread around the world.
l'itinéraire
- Les Incontournables
- Crest - Die
- Die - Rosans
- Rosans - Séderon
- Séderon - Sault - Rustrel
- Rustrel - Banon - Forcalquier
- Forcalquier - Valensole - Riez
- Riez - Saint André les Alpes - Castelanne
- Montélimar - Dieulefit - Grignan
- Grignan - Nyons
- Nyons - Buis les Baronnies
- Buis les Baronnies - Séderon
- Vaison la Romaine - Buis les Baronnies
- Carpentras - Apt - Rustrel
Chargement
Lavender today: men and women - agricultural activity ...
Quality accommodation throughout your stay, rich and varied activities, workshops, sales outlets and treatment centres will help you to discover the virtues of this magical plant, which is still a symbol of the south and of Provence. Since 1981, the essential oil which is extracted from it has - like great wines - had its own AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée).
You can discover the "lavender spirit" at any time of the year! More than 150 experts are waiting to share it with you.
In the XlX century, in the high Provence lands, wild lavender covered the hills, because of the intensive grazing of sheep. The development in Grasse of perfume industries led to a considerable increase in the demand for scented plants. The harvesting of aspic lavender and fine lavender, which up until then was the task of shepherds and a few farmers, became more generalised and organised. In the middle of the XX century, mechanisation and an improvement in the productivity of lavendin plants through hybridization led to intensified growing of the blue ‘gold'. Numerous farming families lived essentially from lavender crops.
The end of the XX century saw a change. With the emergence of new producer countries (China, Central Europe), the fall in prices, the maximum intensification of the crops and the first effects caused by withering, the number of lavender growers decreased as well as the surface area cultivated. The landscape is altering; lavender ‘is changing' more and more rapidly. In the 2000's, the appearance of new outlets, particularly those concerned with well-being, have made it possible to maintain the number of producers and has tended to improve the quality of production even more.
