Last Updated on 11 March, 2024
Visiting the fragrant lavender fields in Provence was once a dream of mine. Travel ads and magazines often advertise it as a ‘must-see,’ showing perfect pictures of vast purple fields. Since learning about these fields, I have always wanted to see them with my own eyes.
Provence was a pit stop during a road trip to the French Riviera, but it ended up being the biggest highlight.
Where Are the Lavender Fields in Provence?
If you have seen any pictures of lavender in Provence, you most likely would have seen the famous Sรจnanque Abbey with a field of blooming lavender in front of it.
![Lavender fields in front of Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sรฉnanque](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Where-to-See-Lavender-Fields-in-Provence-1024x683.jpg)
And that was exactly where we decided to go. After a few hours of driving, we arrived at the place only to find it looking like this.
![A girl in front of an abbey in Provence](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Lavendar-fields-abbey-1024x683.jpg)
I was disappointed after anticipating it so much and finding a greenfield instead… yet I was still smiling as I was in one of the most beautiful regions I’d ever seen.
The Sรจnanque Abbey itself is worth a trip. It was built in the 12th century, and a small community of monks has always lived there. For their livelihood, they plant and cultivate lavender and tend honey bees. Today’s abbey consists of dormitories, a church, a reading room, a chapter room, and the cloisters, all of which you can see on a guided walk.
So why didn’t I find lavender there in the summer?
It was the beginning of August, and lavender had already been cut.
In France, lavender blooms from around the last week of June to the beginning of August when it is harvested. It is usually at its peak in early July, but this depends on location and the rainfall in the year.
So we must have just missed it. But we didn’t give up. We were staying in Provence, and the next day, after breakfast, we searched for the purple gold again. I was not going to leave until I found it!
So we drove towards the village of Banon until we became surrounded by the purple fields.
We found the lavender! The scent of lavender was everywhere in the wind. It was so fragrant that I could smell it from inside the car.
![A girl in lavender fields in Provence, France](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Lavendar-fields-13-1024x683.jpg)
We drove further until we reached Simiane-la-Rotonde village. This magnificent little village sits high on a hill surrounded by fields of lavender between Forcalquier and the Luberon.
![Simiane-la-Rotonde village](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Lavendar-fields-15-1024x683.jpg)
We parked up and wandered into the violet fields. As we approached, we started to hear a buzzing noise… of course, thousands of bees were busy at work! Lavender is one of the flowers to which they are most attracted (I don’t blame them), but you should not fear them. They are just minding their own business.
It was so beautiful, almost unreal. I could not get enough of the sweet, herbal scent. I wished I lived there and that this was my back garden.
![A girl in lavender fields in Provence, France](https://box5134.temp.domains/~shelovg2/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Lavendar-fields-blah-e1543658504608-725x1024.jpg)
While this was not a specific place for tourists and did belong to someone, we did not get told off for trespassing. But we made sure we weren’t there for overly too long and that no more lavender than pictured was picked.
![A girl in lavender fields holding a small lavender bouquet in Provence, France](https://box5134.temp.domains/~shelovg2/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Lavendar-fields-9-683x1024.jpg)
The Lavender Museum
A trip to lavender fields in Provence wouldn’t be complete without visiting The Lavender Museum. It’s only 10km from the Sรจnanque Abbey and gives a good insight into how lavender harvesting has evolved over the years. The museum also teaches the difference between lavender and lavandin.
![The Lavender Museum in Provence, France](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Lavendar-museum-1024x768.jpg)
There is also a cute shop that sells everything lavender. I picked up some lavender honey, some soap, lavender sachets for wardrobe, and lavender herb infusion.
![Shopping at the lavender museum in provence, france](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Lavendar-fields-17-e1543659294665-1024x703.jpg)
How to get to lavender fields in provence
By Plane
The closest international airport is Marseille (about 100km/62 mi from the Sรจnanque Abbey).
By Car
The best option from Marseille airport is to hire a car, which gives you enough flexibility to see any place you like and spend as much or as little time as you want.
However, if you don’t drive and still want to see the lavender fields, that is possible too.
By Train
You would need to take an SNCF train from Vitrolles Aรฉroport MP station (it’s about 3km/1.8 mi from Marseille airport) to L’Isle-sur-Sorgue – Fontaine-V which takes 59min and costs โฌ15-โฌ22. From there, you are still 20km from the abbey and will need to take a taxi.
By Bus
Take a Cartreize busย from St Charles in Marseille to Gare Routiere Quai 01 in Aix-en-Provence, which takes 30 minutes and costs โฌ2.50-โฌ3.50. From Aix-en-Provence, take Lignes Expressย to L’ISLE SUR LA SORGUE Robert Vasse, which takes 1hr and costs โฌ8-โฌ11. From there, you are still 20km from the abbey and will have to take a taxi.
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![A girl in Lavender Fields in Provence Pin](https://www.sheloveswanderlust.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Where-to-See-Lavender-Fields-in-Provence-Pin-683x1024.jpg)
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