I first heard about Valensole, Provence in 2017. This beautiful region and its incredible flower fields were instantly added to my bucket-list and should definitely be on yours, too.
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Lavender season in Valensole normally starts at the beginning of June and lasts a month. I was lucky enough to see it in 2019 as the season started later than normal with it extending to mid-July and also meant that there were less tourists around as well.
If you’re thinking of going read on, as there is a lot more to do than just smell the lavender.
DAY ONE:
Lac de Sainte-Croix was the first destination on our two day roadtrip through Valensole, Provence. The route mainly consisted of driving on the expressway, and travelling from Chamonix provided some pretty spectacular views. After 4 hours of mountain landscapes we caught a golden sunrise driving through the beautiful Parc Naturel Regional Du Vercors. With the scenery forever changing as we approached the outskirts of Valensole we said goodbye to stunning bridges and landscapes and said hello to fields of sunflowers, wheat and lavender.
Driving direct, it took 6 and a half hours before seeing the start of the lake. Parking was available just before the bridge (and after we noticed as well), meaning you could walk across and take in that spectacular view of Gorges du Verdon. Due to high season, there was a line to get kayaks but it moved quick so before long we were heading down the Gorge.
If doing this, I would recommend two hours. It was plenty of time to swim, kayak, take photos and admire the crazy green water. To this day it is one of my travel highlights so if you’re in the Valensole area its a must-do.
On the way to our accomodation we took Route de Moustiers, a road that follows the lakes outline. Countless lavender fields provided some incredible views.
For sunset we ventured to one of the most liked spots in Valensole and it’s understandable why it’s so popular. Lavender line after line with two trees perched in the distance and the smell was incredible. With a half hour sunset (including stunning golden hour) we took photos, people watched and soaked in the amazing view. Once the sun had disappeared we headed to the heart of Valensole, Provence and found a little pizzeria. Eating pizza whilst sitting in the car overlooking the town was a great end to an exhausting, but perfect day.
DAY TWO:
Day two was another early morning. Travelling along the D6 again we looked for a place we had seen after sunset. This was one of my favourite spots, where sunflowers and lavender meet.
Aside from the bees we were the only ones at these fields, a nice contrast to the night before. We took our time wandering through the lavender fields and once the sun approached, explored the sunflower fields as well. We were here for roughly forty minutes before others started to show so we took that as our cue to head back to our accommodation for breakfast.
Post breakfast we decided to exploring Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. Once parked we walked the quaint streets and later found that there was a viewpoint from the church. Even though we weren’t in any way prepared for a mini hike (both in jandals and I was wearing a skirt) it was an opportunity not to be miss. It took roughly twenty minutes to get to the top and a view well worth a bit of sweat. After making our way down we had lunch and tried the famous lavender ice-cream. Provence is well-known for this particular flavour which I’m not going to lie, wasn’t my favourite but still worth trying as you won’t find it anywhere else. We made our way back to the car, punched in the coordinates for Chamonix and headed home.
One night and two days exploring Valensole, Provence was a great adventure but if you can, stay longer. From paddling down Gorges du Verdon to the constant smell and views of endless lavender, I definitely wouldn’t have missed out.
Continue reading below for some hints and tips for when you next visit Valensole.
HINTS AND TIPS:
Toll Roads: If driving a fair distance to get to Provence it’s important to know that there are toll roads. For us, it was helpful to know how much we would be paying in advance, especially being on a budget. A route planner, such as this one from Michelin gives you multiple routes from your start to your end point. It also tells you how much you’ll be spending on tolls and gas.
Accommodation: We booked Le Petite Fabre through booking.com and it’s a guesthouse that we would highly recommend. It is within a good distance of all the places mentioned above plus the homey, countryside atmosphere was super relaxing. An ideal spot for stargazing and the host provides an amazing breakfast with all locally sourced products. She even had lavender flavoured honey which was delicious.
Parking for Moustiers-Sainte-Marie: Due to having a small car it was possible to get a free carpark during peak hour close to the town-centre. If you’re not willing to drive up and down the steep, narrow streets or aren’t very confident with the parallel parking (feel ya) you can either park right at the base of the town and walk up or there are paid parking spaces usually available with a lot more space.
HINTS AND TIPS CONTINUED
– Parking at Gorge du Verdon: As I mentioned earlier there is parking on both sides before and after the bridge, and it’s free. Arriving at around 10:30am there were plenty of spaces (more so before the bridge than after). They also both have trees to keep your car nice and cool during those hot summer days.
– Do your research: I always research before visiting a destination. For me it meant that we were able to visit many more places in a shorter amount of time.
– Take a cruise down the road ‘D6’: It’s something that I would definitely suggest. Along this road you will find so many diverse lavender fields. We found ourselves here so often due to it being perfect for both sunset, sunrise and middle of the day.
If you were on the fence about visiting Valensole during lavender season, or any season I hope this post has helped convince you plan a visit. I can say without a doubt that you will enjoy it.