When is the lavender harvested?

Harvest can start in July, so the earlier part of the bloom window is safer.

What does a perfect week in Provence look like?

Two days in Aix-en-Provence, two in the Luberon villages of Gordes, Roussillon and Bonnieux, a golden-hour evening at Valensole, a day at Sénanque Abbey and a Mediterranean finale in Cassis and the Calanques.

Where should I stay for lavender season?

Airelles Gordes, La Bastide; Crillon le Brave at the foot of Mont Ventoux; or Domaine de Fontenille in the Luberon, which has its own vineyard.

Provence Lavender Season: A Luxury Guide

Q: When does lavender bloom in Provence?

Roughly mid-June to mid-July. Valensole and the Luberon usually peak from late June into early July; higher ground around Sault blooms later, into mid or late July.

For a few weeks each summer, roughly mid-June to mid-July, Provence turns purple. The lavender on the Valensole Plateau blooms in rows that run to the horizon, and the whole region smells like a very expensive candle.

When is lavender season in Provence? Roughly mid-June to mid-July. The lower fields at Valensole and in the Luberon usually peak from late June into early July, and the higher ground around Sault blooms later. Harvest can start in July, so aim for the earlier part of the window.

Key facts

Peak bloom: late June to early July at Valensole and in the Luberon; into mid or late July around Sault.
Go early: harvest can start in July.
A perfect week: Aix-en-Provence, the Luberon villages, Valensole, Sénanque Abbey, then Cassis.
Where to stay: Airelles Gordes, La Bastide; Crillon le Brave; Domaine de Fontenille.

Timing Is Everything

Bloom dates shift with the weather and the altitude. Lower fields like Valensole and the Luberon usually peak from late June into early July. Higher ground around Sault blooms later, often into mid or late July. Harvest can start in July, so earlier in the window is safer.

The Perfect Week in Provence

Days 1-2: Aix-en-Provence. Cézanne's studio, markets, café afternoons

Peppers, carrots, leeks and aubergines piled in crates at the Aix-en-Provence market Photo: Terry Granger / Unsplash

Days 3-4: The Luberon. Gordes, Roussillon and Bonnieux, the hilltop villages

Stone houses of Gordes stacked on a hillside above the green Luberon valley Photo: Chelsea Essig / Unsplash

Day 5: Valensole Plateau. Lavender fields at golden hour

Day 6: Sénanque Abbey. Lavender in front of a 12th-century monastery

Sénanque Abbey's stone walls and bell tower behind rows of blooming lavender Photo: Joss Woodhead / Unsplash

Day 7: Cassis and the Calanques. A Mediterranean finale

White limestone cliffs and deep blue water at a calanque near Cassis Photo: Manuel Rheinschmidt / Unsplash

Where to Stay

Airelles Gordes, La Bastide in Gordes
Crillon le Brave at the foot of Mont Ventoux
Domaine de Fontenille in the Luberon, with its own vineyard

More of France

Provence is one chapter. My guide to France beyond Paris covers the other regions worth your time, and my Bordeaux wine country guide has a five-day plan for wine lovers. If you'd love a group trip where every detail is handled, our Champagne + Cognac Experience takes you from Reims to Cognac with bubbles all the way.

Book a free consultation and let's plan your Provence escape for lavender season.

6X Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist with 65+ countries visited across all 7 continents.