While the COVID-19 pandemic brought an abrupt end to any hope of delivering our 2020 season tours, I joined my Provence team manager, Philippe, late June to head into lavender country and document this year’s lavender flowering season. Philippe and I share a deep passion for Provence, and for seven months each year, April through October, we spend our days connecting travelers to the secrets of this magical region during our 6-day/5-night tours. This year is different. But, we feel fortunate to bring the Provence experience to travelers digitally.
A warm June morning, we awakened early and departed St. Remy-de-Provence after coffee and conversation. Driving to our destination near Sault, the lavender capital, we observed the sobering feeling of being just the two of us. The roads were quiet, with no traffic, no tourists. On arrival to our favorite lavender spots, we walked for hours through the colorful fields documenting and photographing flowering lavender. The golden morning light, the contrast of colors, the calm of the countryside, the scent of flowers, and the buzzing of bees created a welcoming backdrop. Beautiful fields of sunflowers added a bonus to our day trip. After capturing a variety of images, we took to the road to meet up with friends at our nearby artisanal essential oil distillery. We indulged in an afternoon picnic, savoring local dishes and regional wines before returning to St. Remy-de-Provence.
Now we look to 2021 with great anticipation, the return of our international travelers, and the pleasure to welcome our guests back to this magical region.
About our Provence Lavender Season Tours : During lavender flowering season, travelers journey with us to our private location for a guided morning walk through the exquisite lavender fields of the Valensole plateau. Take time to photograph the landscapes. We highlight this unique lavender focused day with a privately guided tour of our friends’ essential oil distillery. As a leading local lavender and essential oil artisan, our tour guests are welcomed as friends to go behind the scenes to witness the step by step production of our distiller’s operations. This lavender season day concludes with a gourmet picnic of regional French specialties and top tier wines from Provence followed by a visit to the ochre colored, artist village of Roussillon.
EMAIL US at franceotbp@gmail.com or CALL 1.717.683.2827 with your tour questions.
Visit our 2023 Provence Tour Dates and Price page or our 2024 Provence Tour Dates and Price page
- Dietary Requests & Food Allergies — We accommodate ALL dietary requests (including vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, etc) and ALL food allergies (gluten, shellfish, etc) while ensuring an amazing foodie experience for all tour guests with restrictions and/or allergies.
- Download and print our PROVENCE TOUR DETAILED BROCHURE (Adobe pdf)
Download and print our PROVENCE TOUR -SHORT VERSION- BROCHURE (Adobe pdf)