A grassy farm track between lavender rows and a lone tree, with a mountain under a blue sky

Nature · Valensole plateau (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) and Gordes (Vaucluse), Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Lavender fields of Provence

Rolling rows of lavender and lavandin on the Valensole plateau and around Sénanque Abbey, in flower from mid-June to mid-July

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Photo: Thomas Despeyroux (@thomasdes) / Unsplash

Discover Lavender fields of Provence

The Valensole plateau is a broad, high tableland of around 800 square kilometres in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, known locally as the granary of Provence. Wheat, almonds and other crops share the land, but from mid-June the long, straight rows of lavender and lavandin give the plateau its summer colour and scent. Most of what grows here is lavandin, a natural cross between true lavender and spike lavender that yields far more essential oil, which is why it dominates commercial fields.

Further west, in a narrow valley below the village of Gordes, the twelfth-century Abbey of Notre-Dame de Sénanque stands behind a field of lavandin tended by the small community of monks who still live there. The pale stone church and the purple rows in front of it make one of the best-known images of Provence. Both places are working farmland rather than parks, so visitors look from the roadsides and paths and leave the crops to the growers.

Don’t miss

01Straight rows of lavandin running towards the horizon on the Valensole plateau
02The Romanesque church of Sénanque Abbey behind its lavender field
03Sunset views over the plateau from the village of Saint-Jurs
04Almond blossom on the plateau in March, long before the lavender season
05Riez, with its Roman columns and Wednesday and Saturday morning markets

History & culture

The story of Lavender fields of Provence

Sénanque was founded on 23 June 1148 by Cistercian monks from Mazan in the Ardèche, and its buildings were completed around 1220. The abbey prospered in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, declined through war, famine and plague, was attacked and partly burnt in 1544, and was sold as national property after the Revolution. Monks returned in 1854, were expelled again in 1880 and 1903, and a Cistercian community from Lérins resettled the abbey in 1988.

The monks support themselves partly by growing lavandin, along with olives, beekeeping and hospitality. According to the abbey, the ground now planted with lavender in front of the church was the monks' cemetery in the Middle Ages. On the Valensole plateau the fields are run by local producers, and the essential oil distilled from the harvest is the main reason the crop is grown.

Local life & traditions

Lavender is a farm crop here, grown alongside wheat, almonds, clary sage and truffle oaks by families who depend on the harvest. Villages such as Valensole, Riez and Moustiers-Sainte-Marie keep a slow rhythm of markets, fountains and café terraces, busy in July and quiet the rest of the year. At Sénanque the monks follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, and visitors are asked to keep silent and dress respectfully because the abbey is a place of prayer.

Things to do

Experience it like a local

Most visitors drive the quiet roads across the Valensole plateau in early morning or evening, stopping in designated places to photograph the fields, and combine the trip with the Verdon gorges and Lake Sainte-Croix to the south. Village markets and farm shops sell lavender oil, honey and dried flowers. At Sénanque, visitors can see the abbey on a one-hour guided tour in French or with a HistoPad tablet guide in other languages, and the lavender field can be viewed from outside but not entered.

When to go

Local tourist offices advise visiting between mid-June and mid-July, with the colour usually at its deepest in early July. Harvesting starts around mid-July, so many fields are bare by late July, though the timing varies from year to year with the weather and altitude. Early morning and evening give softer light and fewer people.

Plan your visit

Verified information

Flowering season: The tourist office recommends mid-June to mid-July, with flowering generally at its peak in early July; harvesting begins around mid-July. Source: en.tourisme-alpes-haute-provence.com ↗
Field etiquette: The fields belong to local farmers: picking flowers without permission is forbidden, visitors should not walk in or over the crops, and cars should be parked properly. Source: moustiers.fr ↗
Sénanque Abbey visit: Guided tour (1 hour, in French) or self-guided HistoPad visit: €8; students 18–25 €6; ages 6–17 €4 (free from the third child); under 6 free. Source: senanque.fr ↗
Sénanque lavender field: Access to the abbey's lavender fields is forbidden to protect the harvest; drones are banned over the valley and abbey, and dogs are not admitted except guide dogs. Source: senanque.fr ↗

Checked against the sources on 29 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.

Travel tips

Plan around late June and early July, and check local news for harvest timing before a late-July trip.
Stay on the field edges and never pick lavender; the plants are someone's livelihood.
Arrive early in the morning for soft light and fewer cars at the popular roadside spots.
Bring water and sun protection, as there is little shade on the plateau.
At Sénanque, dress respectfully and keep your voice low; the monks still live and pray there.

General guidance from our specialists, not official information.

Around Lavender fields of Provence: food, markets & places to stay

The village of Valensole gives the plateau its name, and Riez, Saint-Jurs and Moustiers-Sainte-Marie lie around its edges. To the south are Lake Sainte-Croix and the Gorges du Verdon, and Manosque and Digne-les-Bains are the main towns for access. Sénanque Abbey is a short drive from Gordes, close to the Village des Bories, and the ochre village of Roussillon is a little further east in the Luberon.