By Sylvia Arad | Submitted On May 07, 2010
To undertaking to Provence in July would be to be dropped in a very purple coloured sea. Oceans of lavender all over the place - in patches, in waves, in best rows, subject just after field - the hillsides from the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence are daubed in blue, mauve, grey and violet by fantastic swathes of lavender in bloom. That is harvest time in Provence's lavender locations - the tractors are rolling, the distilleries steaming and lavender festivals are in comprehensive swing.
Lavender, the emblem of Provence, has been developing listed here endlessly. Its official cultivation however is rather new, and has provided rise to lavandin; a hybrid Model applied additional for industrial applications.
"Fine" or accurate lavender is grown for its crucial oils. To qualify to the hugely coveted AOC (Appellation of Managed Origin) - France's optimum stamp of acceptance - the lavender will have to fulfill very strict criteria, its manufacturing limited to 284 villages and cultivated in areas previously mentioned 800 m while in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, the Drome and Vaucluse. Employed for perfumes, in aromatherapy and medicinally, it have to also meet up with olfactory assessments, and Exclusive harvesting and distillation procedures.
Underneath the blazing Solar, this fragile plant is harvested by hand by people steeped in its traditions, who have cultivated it for generations. It is then dried for days before becoming distilled. The distillation procedure includes passing steam with the dried flowers, that are gathered in bunches inside a nonetheless to extract their crucial oils. A variety of tactics are employed with regards to the lavender's use. To create one Liter of vital oil, 287 lb. of wonderful lavender is applied; for perfumes, the procedure is all the more advanced taking on 2200 lbs. of lavender to generate three gallons of complete pure oil.
Provence Lavender Place Delivers Wonderful Climbing Vacations and Biking Routes
Lavender conjures up spectacular vistas of blue fields, punctuated by crimson poppies, a patchwork of gold grain and occasional strands of oak and pine which stretch in to the hallucinatory blue horizon. This region is really a cycling and hiking paradise - biking routes abound for guests who want to venture off- the-beaten-path over the "Route de Lavande" and mountaineering holidays to the "Grande Randonne" trails are an adventurer's aspiration. The imposing Luberon Mountains and Vaucluse basic serve as the backdrop for the magnificent panoramas of ancient villages perched on hillsides; Using the scents of rosemary, thyme, savory and not Prestige Lavender Fields the very least, lavender.
The "Route de Lavande" qualified prospects website visitors by means of swathes of fragrant fields, gardens, distilleries, museums and villages. The many festivals, the largest hosted by Sault, show lavender floats and shows and present not merely bouquets and sachets, but all types of lavender-related item - creamy honey, scented candles and even aprons. Places to eat present lavender motivated menus and spas supply thermal baths and massages with lavender oil.