The Luberon’s lavender season usually begins around the end of June and extends into August when harvesting begins. I’ll be in Provence this year to see those gorgeous swaths of solid purple gracing the hillsides of my favorite region of France. I am excited! Lavender field outside of Sault.  Photo by W.T. Manfull Many images come to mind when one mentions “Provence.” Rosé, bouillabaisse, truffles, sunflowers, colorful fabrics, hilltop villages, and the Côte d’Azur, for example. But none is more firmly entwined with Provence than lavender. The most famous lavender field in Provence lies in front of l’Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque, otherwise known as the…

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At the height of lavender season in Provence—the largest lavender- producing region in the world—the industry is worried. The iconic flower is in trouble and the culprit is the cicadelle, a tiny insect with a voracious appetite. Production has plummeted in the last decade, dropping to as little as one third of what it was in 2000. Although lavender grows wild in many areas of the world and is cultivated in many countries (notably England, Spain, Bulgaria and the three west coast states of the United States), French lavender is considered to be the finest. Provence sets the standard—its lavandula angustifolia (synonym, Lavandula officinalis and…

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Lavender is entwined with the very soul of Provence. In the summer, when the lavender fields bloom, a vibrant purple sea envelops the region’s medieval monasteries, lapping at ancient hilltop towns and traditional working farms. In July, lavender is everywhere – snaking up hillsides in parallel purple rows, splashing field after field with a touch of day-glo purple. In August, it’s harvest time — the rows still stand but their purple hues are more subdued after tractors pass through and collect fragrant bunches of lavender for the distilleries. Already, the lavender festivals are in full swing. The lavender fields are scattered across Provence ( http://tinyurl.com/25e82nk…

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In: Lavender, Places