Provence 5 days end of June

Here is a good podcast on Provence: https://joinusinfrance.com/episode/the-smart-way-to-visit-provence-episode-232/

We did the 'lavender trail' which covered Sault, Greoux, Valensole and some other spots - my notes say that we stopped in Moustiers Sainte Marie (my fav little village) then I said we passed what I thought were the best fields between there and Valensole. This was on July 10 - hopefully you aren't too early for the fields - it'll prob come down to heat and rain.

This is part of my post from the day before when we went from Manosque (where we were staying) to Sault..."We headed towards Sault and stopped probably 9-10 times - there were lots of fields, some you could just pull over on the shoulder and others had roads/small parking lots beside them. It was so incredible - one field had the most intense purple flowers I had seen. The smell, of course, was divine. The cicadas were intensely loud. I was not disappointed. This is what I was here for. We drove thru some smaller villages but stopped in Sault - where I had some amazing blood orange flavoured ice cream. There were some great views over the valley to the endless lavender fields below."

We saw the lavender fields last July in Sault, too! And they were beautiful and magnificent! We arrived in France around July 9 or 10, and I think we visited Sault about a week later. So we were there mid-July. So I hope the end of June is not too early. There are tons of lavender fields in and around Sault. The TI office in Sault can give you a map with the lavender routes. You can get out of your car on the narrow roads (there wasn't a lot of traffic), and take photos and walk through the fields! It was an amazing experience.

The village of Sault is very nice, too. I was surprised that it was not crowded when we were there, and it's not overly touristy, IMO. There are some gift shops, but I didn't think Sault was over-run with tourist shops. We had a delicious lunch at the Café La Promenade that overlooks the valley and lavender fields. A lot of bicyclists were here. The Café gets mixed reviews on Trip Advisor. Perhaps we were lucky and had a good chef and waitstaff. And maybe others were unlucky.

The lavender season always arrives earlier at the lower elevations, such as in the Luberon valley and then moves up, to the popular fields around Valensole. Sault tends to be last. All is weather dependent.

I found Sault very quiet - we picked up some lavender honey items there - and it was the one spot we sat for 15 min and watched a couple games of petanque! Actually, I found most of the towns quiet - Greoux almost seemed abandoned! I guess I was expecting lots of crowds - and yes, the larger towns were busy, but having the car allowed us to visit small towns and villages - and also to escape the heat! A few spots were 40C on the car temp reading!

Pont du Gard is an easy day trip by bus from Avignon. Perhaps you can do that before you pick up the rental car for the lavender trails.

Looking through my notes from end of June to early July 2019, I saw plenty of lavender fields in bloom. It depends on the elevation (blooms later in higher elevations) and the weather, so in addition to the websites, check with the local tour guides and tourist office. Pick the areas that interest you since it’s still a bit of driving between the different areas. I chose Valensole, the Luberon and Sault so I could see the hybrid Lavandin, which is more prevalent, and the true Lavender (Lavande).

I took a great half day morning minivan tour of the Valensole Plateau from Aix-en-Provence (before arrival in Avignon) with RS recommended tour guide Sarah Pernet, Discover Provence; www.discover-provence.net. She was wonderful and the lavender was already in full bloom in that region on June 26.

After picking up my rental car at Avignon TGV (very easy to do), I stayed for 4 nights in St. Remy and drove around to hit the lavender trails through surrounding areas of Menerbes (not so much for lavender but a lovely hill town), Goult, Gordes, the Abbey de Senanque (wow what a harrowing drive that was, but worth it), then Murs up to Sault, grabbed a map from the TI and followed the car trail through Ferrassiere, Simione-La-Rotunde, Aurel, and back to St. Remy. There are distilleries you can stop along the way and the Lavender Museum.

I also found a few Google Maps from a photographer that were spot on and included driving by some sunflower fields. Message me if you are interested and I’ll track them down again.

I happened to be there during the terrible heat wave so I was saved by the AC in the rental car and B&B. Bring plenty of sunscreen, bottled water, snacks and wear a hat while out on the trails.

Also, pay close attention to the Google Maps (and road signs) while driving around and up the hill towns. I made a wrong turn and found myself up some scary mountain roads before I realized I needed to turn around. I would also slow down a bit and really take in the scenery and towns next time. Safe travels and enjoy the lavender with your daughter!

I found another podcast from Join Us in France specifically on the Lavender Fields:

https://joinusinfrance.com/episode/lavender-fields-and-hidden-provence/