Q. It's on my bucket list to see the fields of flowering lavender in Provence. We would like to go at the end of June or early July. Where is the best place to ensure we see this? We have only four to five days. - Cally Kirkwood
A. I was lucky enough to be in Provence during lavender season a few years ago and I fully endorse the experience as a bucket-list item. The vineyards, olive groves and shimmering wheat fields of southwestern France are a delight to see at any time of year but when the hillsides rise up with purple waves, it's truly magical.
Of course, lavender, like any other crop, is dependent on the weather. Generally speaking, it blooms from mid-June until the harvest, from late July to mid-August. Early July would therefore give you the best chance of success.
A good place to use as a base is Sault, known as "the capital of lavender".
At the foot of Mont Ventoux, the village makes its living from lavender farming with several distilleries in the area - many of which offer tours in lavender season.
With a few days to spend, consider renting a car and simply rambling along the surrounding roads, to get lost in a maze of lavender fields - and eat lots of fabulous French cheese along the way.
Consider going north to the village of Ferrassières. Actually in the south of the Drôme department, it sits at an altitude of 1,000m and offers amazing views from above of the farms around Sault.While Sault has a lavender festival in August, Ferrassières has the earliest one: on the first Sunday in July.Other nearby spots to visit include Sénanque Abbey, near Gordes. It was founded in 1148 and its monks today grow lavender. Also, there is a Lavender Museum in nearby Coustellet.
Provenceguide.co.uk is a fantastic resource. It's packed with area info, including places to stay (to suit all budgets).
Best of all, it has an interactive map you can use to plot a route based on your interests. Yes, there is an option to build a route entirely around lavender...