Where can you see lavender fields in Provence (without tourists)? Here is a map to the most beautiful lavender fields in Provence with the best photo spots!
I had been promising myself for years that I would take a lavender bath for the first time in my life. Today, I finally did it, and what a joy!
A road trip in the Vaucluse was the perfect opportunity to discover these purple fields with their delicious scents. Setting off in search of the prettiest fields, marveling at discovering a new one even more beautiful around the bend—that was the plan for these few days in Provence.
Today, I’m taking you to Vaucluse to enjoy the lavender fields of Provence in peace, without being disturbed! I discovered two perfect plateaus for photographing lavender from every angle while enjoying the sumptuous landscapes around them!
Would you like to photograph a field with a Provençal village in the background? Lavender in different colors? A borie in the middle of a field? Mont Ventoux as a backdrop?
In this article, you’ll find all the GPS coordinates to find the most beautiful lavender fields in Provence (map & photo spots)!
Also read :
Visit Gordes : A Local’s Itinerary in Gordes Beautiful Region
A Local’s Itinerary to Visit Ochres of Provence
The 5 Most Beautiful Villages in Vaucluse
PRACTICAL GUIDE TO EXPLORE THE LAVENDER FIELDS IN PROVENCE
How to get there?
A car is essential for visiting Provence, especially if you want to venture out to the lavender fields. Sault is 1 hour and 5 minutes from Avignon and 45 minutes from Carpentras. The Claparèdes plateau is 1 hour north of Aix-en-Provence and 1 hour and 5 minutes from Avignon. Rent a car here is you need to.
To get there by train, Avignon is 2 hours and 40 minutes from Paris, 1 hour and 5 minutes from Lyon, and 30 minutes from Marseille thanks to its TGV station located south of the city center.
You can also book a guided adventure for your tour in Provence, to see all the best spots for lavender fields !
Where to stay to explore the lavender fields in Provence?
Here are several accommodation suggestions :
3 accommodation I recommend to explore the lavender fields in Provence
MAS DE LA PAUZE
- Charming guesthouse
- Peaceful green place
- From 90€
HÔTEL LA MAISON DE CRILLON
- Beautiful decor
- View of Mont Ventoux
- From 280€
DOMAINE DU VAL DE SAULT
- Stunning setting and views
- 4 star hotel
- From 170€
When is the best time to see the lavender fields in Provence?
Unlike the Valensole plateau, the Sault region and the Claparèdes plateau bloom later. Starting in late June, it is at its peak in July until August 15 for the lavender festival in Sault.
It is best to call the tourist offices in each town or region to find out when the flowers are in bloom.
How to see the best lavender fields in Provence on a map?
The MAPS.ME app gives you a very accurate idea of the roads and paths you can explore. It also allows you to mark places to discover by placing pins. The maps are very accurate, so you can easily distinguish hiking trails from the bories (stone huts) in the middle of a field. And you can enter the GPS coordinates I have provided to find all my favorite spots!
On the left is the Sault region with the places I mentioned above marked in purple. In the center is the Claparèdes plateau region, and on the right are the two regions together with the pretty places to discover in the surrounding area marked in red.
The scale for the maps on the left and in the middle is small: there are only a few kilometers between each place.
You can click on the map for a better resolution.
What to bring back from Provence?
There are so many lavender products that you’ll be spoiled for choice!
If you want to bring back or take photos with small bouquets of lavender, buy some (they only cost a few euros) rather than picking cultivated lavender!
In terms of local products, lavender honey is a nice idea if you like very fragrant honeys. Perfumes, mists, and essential oils made from lavender are also must-haves. You can find them at the Sénanques Abbey, for example, where they are made on site.
Lavender can also be found on Provençal fabrics!
Although there are often shops (for tourists) along the roadside selling all kinds of lavender souvenirs, I recommend visiting the small Provençal markets to find something you like! They are held every day and you are sure to find some lovely souvenirs…
WHERE TO SEE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL (OFF-THE-BEATEN TRACK) LAVENDER FIELDS IN PROVENCE?
It’s important to know that lavender fields can be admired in many places, from the Drôme Provençale to the Alpes de Haute Provence, but also in Quercy, and even in Quebec!
In southeastern France, you can see magnificent lavender fields in the Drôme, particularly around Grignan and Nyons. In the Alpes de Haute Provence, the Valensole plateau is certainly the best-known spot. Unfortunately, it is also the most overrun by tourist buses. A Chinese TV show was filmed in the region, making Valensole very popular! It’s worth noting that lavender is harvested in mid-July in Valensole, after which it’s too late to see any on the plateau.
So I prefer to take you to two other, much quieter spots: the Plateau des Claparèdes, south of Vaucluse, and the Sault region, to the north. You’ll be alone most of the time on the little paths, and the landscapes are truly magnificent!
Here are a few specific spots that will delight your eyes! But you’ll see, they’re all different!
The shades of purple vary depending on the variety and how far the flowers have bloomed. The orientation of the field also changes the perspective: if you’re standing in line with the rows, the view is very graphic, while if you’re at an angle, you’ll feel like you’re admiring a sea of lavender. Sometimes a lone tree makes a lavender field spectacular, or a small borie (stone hut) in the middle of the lavender offers a picture-postcard image. Some fields are overgrown with vegetation or white strands that also change the perspective.
In short, no two fields are alike! And everywhere you go, you’ll enjoy swimming in the fragrant lavender, to the sound of cicadas and bees tirelessly buzzing among the purple rows!
MAP OF THE LAVENDER FIELDS IN PROVENCE NEAR SAULT
I fell in love with this hilly region where lavender reigns supreme. In addition to the pretty little villages, you can also discover the magnificent Gorges de la Nesque, which I will tell you about in a future article.
The lavender fields in Provence seen from above
The road (D1) from Carpentras offers a first glimpse of the expanse of lavender fields, as seen from the sky! In the distance, you can see the purple color of the fields, a sign of the beautiful sights to come!
🇫🇷 44°08’28 N 05°36’61 E
Lavender fields in Provence with a stone hut in the middle
You can also take the road below, the D942 from Monnieux to Sault. Beautiful fields compete with each other on both sides of the road. If, like me, you love pretty stone huts, you’ll be delighted! A small hut seems to be perched in the middle of the lavender fields, a real treat for the eyes…
🇫🇷 44°04’49 N 05°22’24 E
Lavender fields in Provence with a charming village in the background
The first perfect postcard view on the road from Sault to Aurel (D942) at a small crossroads. At your feet, beautiful rows of lavender seem to plunge into an abyss and on the hill just opposite is the small village of Aurel. Sublime, isn’t it?
🇫🇷 44°07’23N 05°25’21 E
Lavender in every color!
At the crossroads, I recommend taking the road towards “Aurel inattendu.” The small paths are surrounded by incredible fields of lavender. Some are tinged with green, others with white, depending on the herbs that grow among them. The place is quiet, allowing you to enjoy the landscape even more!
🇫🇷 44°07’39 N 05°24’41 E
A sea of lavender
A few hundred meters further on, a stop at the place called “Grange Neuve” is a must. Here, a sea of lavender stretches out below the road. It’s an absolutely fabulous sight. In the foreground, yellow broom enhances the color of the lavender. I mentioned postcards earlier, and here’s another one!
🇫🇷 44°12’20 N 05°40’07 E
Lavender and poppies
Now I suggest you head south of Sault and take the D245 road surrounded by lavender. Poppies invade the rows, and red and purple blend together everywhere. I loved this place, which also offers a beautiful view of Mont Ventoux in the distance. You can even pick wild lavender on the side of the road!
Because yes, it is of course forbidden to pick lavender in the fields, as it is cultivated and the farmers’ work does not deserve to be sabotaged or trampled on.
🇫🇷 44°03’30 N 05°26’02 E
With Mont Ventoux in the background
The last two stops are actually in the Drôme, a few meters from the border with the Vaucluse. Around the town of Ferrassières, we found the most beautiful fields of the entire trip!
From Ferrassières, the D63 and D189 roads to the northwest offer magnificent views. But the most beautiful is undoubtedly the D189 south of Ferrassières.
On one side of the road is a sea of light purple, with a pretty little borie in the middle and the majestic Mont Ventoux in the background. Surprisingly, just on the other side of the road, the lavender is even more colorful! The deep purple is the brightest color we saw during our road trip. Another borie stands in the middle, as if to satisfy photographers. The setting is perfect, and we were blissful amid the lavender!
🇫🇷 44°07’45 N 05°28’38 E
MAP OF THE LAVENDER FIELDS IN PROVENCE ON THE CLAPARÈDES PLATEAU
Another very pretty spot in the Vaucluse is the Claparèdes plateau, in the south of the department.
From Bonnieux to Buoux, and from Buoux to Auribeau and Saignon, the little paths will delight you if you dare to take them. It can also be an opportunity for a magnificent bike ride as the distances are short.
A scenic route
The first pretty road is the D11 from Buoux heading north. You will start to see lavender everywhere, as an appetizer. At the junction with the D232, I recommend heading east, towards paradise!
🇫🇷 43°50’38 N 05°23’22 E
Bories in the middle of lavender fields in Provence
The road stretching out before you will definitely make you want to stop every ten meters. There is so much lavender at the top of the plateau that you won’t know where to look! Feel free to get lost on the paths, each one is really worth it. Between Buoux and Auribeau, you won’t be disappointed!
The plateau is also covered with magnificent stone bories, making for a magical walk. You’ll hardly meet anyone here; you’ll probably even have the paths all to yourself!
🇫🇷 43°84’55 N 05°42’96 E and 43°84’59 N 05°43’22 E for the cutest bories.
The hilltop village
Our last pretty stop, which this time isn’t about lavender. If you have the chance to return to Apt, the D48 offers a magnificent view of the perched village of Saignon. You’ll see it suddenly appear around a bend in the road. From a distance, it seems to float in mid-air at the top of its rock. Up close, however, some of the modern buildings don’t really do the village justice.
🇫🇷 43°51’37 N 05°25’53 E
OTHER SPOTS TO VISIT NEAR THE LAVENDER FIELDS IN PROVENCE
There is plenty to see in the region!
– The Nesque Gorges (15 minutes from Sault): the road through these magnificent gorges (dry in summer) offers extraordinary views between Monnieux and Villes-sur-Auzon. One of the most beautiful roads in the region.
– Mont Ventoux (summit 40 minutes from Sault): this legendary peak is visible from everywhere in the region! Easily recognizable by its white summit, it is well worth a visit, either by car or by bike for the more energetic.
– Lourmarin (20 minutes from the Claparèdes plateau): this pretty village, listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France, has a chic and very Provençal charm. It is lovely to stroll through its stone streets and admire its pretty castle. Also read my post about the 5 Most Beautiful Villages in Vaucluse.
– Roussillon (25 minutes from the Claparèdes plateau): two weeks ago, I told you about Roussillon, which came third in the TV show “Le village préféré des Français” (France’s favorite village)! This orange-hued village has taken on the color of its rich ochre soil. You can also visit the ochre quarries in Gargas (15 minutes from the plateau) and the stunning Colorado Provençal in Rustrel (25 minutes away). Read my post about them : A Local’s Itinerary to Visit Ochres of Provence.
See you soon for more discoveries in the land of lavender!
If you also use Pinterest, follow me on this network: La Marinière en Voyage – and don’t forget to pin this article so you can find it easily!
