France/Italy roadtrip – Chemin des lavandes | alison richards

After leaving Sault yesterday, I head back in that direction today! When I'd left Sault for a campsite, I didn't really look at its location properly as I just wanted to be out of there, but it was on the other side of a mountain. Today I had to drive back over that mountain - probably not the best choice of campsite for the night but I wasn't being picky and this was the closest one my GPS suggested (annoyingly it seemed to do straight line distance, not actual distance)!

I had picked up a "Lavender walk" map from the tourist office in Sault and it had been a little too far to get to from Sault. So I head back that way, hastily driving past the village I knew so well and continuing down new roads. There was a little parking area near to the start of the walk and, being early, I was the first one there and parked up. I grabbed my camera, backpack and water and off I went!

The lavender fields visible while driving over the mountains from my campsite. Sault is in the distance

They often look quite neat, but lavender fields often have poppies, wheat and other grasses, and sunflowers growing in them

The walk was on quiet back roads and easy enough to follow. It went past about 6 different lavender farms, and it smelled divine! There was also the sound of buzzing bees, screeching cicadas and the farm equipment working in the fields. It was a truly lovely walk.... But as a lot of it was spent taking photos, I'm just going to load this post up with lots of photos of the purple goodness. Enjoy!

Lots of old stone huts stood nearby lavender fields. I assume they used to (or perhaps still do) hold the tools for tending the field.

This stone house looked a little abandoned… until I saw this little potplant

The lavender is grown in this rocky, dry soil. It must like it because it grows so well!

The very cool Renault Clan was a common sight around farm buildings in France

The lavender farm portion of the walk was over, and I was now walking on country lanes. There are loads of walking paths across France, with yellow signs denoting how far another town is and which direction. It was a really nice walk, with plenty to see. I probably could have done it in an hour but with so many pretty things to take photos of, it took me a lot longer! Also, please note that I did not walk into any lavender fields, between rows or pick any flowers because I respect the farmers and their work. The fields are not there to be pretty, someone owns and tends to them and makes their livelihood off them.

I made it back to the car and drove onward to Valensole...