Lavender, the Flower of Provence

There are certain things that instantly say Provence: the song of cicadas, a sun-warmed stone house, a market basket filled with something delicious—and, of course, lavender. Few sights are more breathtaking than those endless rows of purple stretching across the countryside. And the fragrance? I’m convinced it could make even a traffic jam feel slightly more civilized.

Lavender has become so closely linked with the South of France that it is easy to think of it simply as a beautiful backdrop. But this small, wonderfully fragrant plant has a history stretching back more than 2,500 years, and its story is every bit as interesting as those famous purple fields.

A Little Lavender History

Lavender belongs to the mint family—along with rosemary, thyme, basil, sage and oregano—which already puts it in very good company. Native to the Mediterranean region, it has traveled far beyond its original home and is now grown around the world. Still, for me, lavender will always belong to Provence.

The ancient Egyptians used lavender in perfumes and in the mummification process. The Greeks and Romans valued it for bathing and for scenting and purifying their surroundings. In fact, the word lavender is generally associated with the Latin lavare, “to wash.” Centuries later, Provençal washerwomen used lavender to perfume freshly cleaned linen—a tradition that somehow makes folding laundry sound quite romantic...

Lavender continued to be prized through the centuries for its fragrance and traditional medicinal uses. During World War I, lavender oil was even used in caring for wounds. In the early 20th century, French chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé became fascinated by the properties of essential oils and helped establish the field we now call aromatherapy. Lavender, unsurprisingly, was at the heart of that story.

True Lavender: Provence’s “Blue Gold”

There are more than 40 species of lavender, but Fine Lavender—Lavandula angustifolia, also called true lavender—is the one most treasured for the delicacy of its fragrance and the quality of its essential oil. It thrives in the dry, sunny mountains of Provence, particularly around Sault and the slopes of Mont Ventoux, generally at higher elevations where the soil is poor, rocky and well drained. Apparently lavender understands something the rest of us are still learning: sometimes less really is more.

True lavender grows from seed, so individual plants naturally vary from one another. That gives a field of Fine Lavender a slightly irregular, softer appearance. In summer, usually around July and August depending on elevation and weather, the fields burst into bloom. Traditionally lavender was cut by hand with a sickle; today larger farms often harvest mechanically. At Les Bouquets du Ventoux near Sault, the lavender is then dried and cleaned before bouquets are assembled by hand—a beautiful blend of farming tradition and Provençal savoir-faire.

The flowers can also be steam-distilled to capture their essential oil. Steam passes through the plant material, carrying the aromatic compounds with it; when the vapor cools, the essential oil separates from the floral water, or hydrosol. It takes an astonishing amount of lavender to produce a relatively small amount of Fine Lavender essential oil, which helps explain why the genuine article is so precious. No wonder it was once nicknamed Provençal “blue gold.”

Lavender or Lavandin? They Are Not Quite the Same

Here is a little Provence secret: many of the enormous, perfectly uniform purple fields we admire in photographs are actually lavandin, not true lavender. Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia) is a natural hybrid of true lavender and spike lavender. It is larger, sturdier, grows at lower elevations and produces considerably more essential oil.

Because lavandin is sterile, it is propagated from cuttings, so the plants are essentially clones and the fields look beautifully even. Its scent is stronger and more camphorous than Fine Lavender, and because it is less expensive to produce, it is widely used in soaps, detergents and household products. Fine Lavender, by contrast, has the softer, more refined fragrance prized in aromatherapy and fine perfumery. Both have their place—but if a bottle simply says “lavender,” I have learned to look a little closer.

From Provence to the Perfume Houses of Grasse

Lavender also played a part in another great story of the South of France: the rise of Grasse as the world capital of perfume. Grasse was once known for leather glove-making. Since the tanning process did not exactly produce a fragrance suited to elegant noses, glove-makers began perfuming their wares. Over time, their craft evolved into perfumery, helped along by the abundance of extraordinary local ingredients—rose, jasmine and, naturally, lavender.

One of Grasse's leading perfume designer, Robert Ibanez, describes the beautiful scent of lavender this way: 'a fresh, lively note. A floral scent without being heady, a green note without being bitter. Sparkling, fresh, floral but not sweet and often used as a top note.'

Today lavender appears in perfumes, essential oils, soaps, creams, sachets, culinary blends and countless Provençal products. Culinary lavender is carefully cleaned so that only the dried buds remain, and when used with a light hand it can add a delicate floral note to desserts, honey, lemonade and even savory dishes. The important words there are “light hand.” Lavender should whisper from the plate, not taste as though you have eaten the linen closet.

Why I Love It

Perhaps that is what I love most about lavender: it is beautiful, useful, ancient and completely unpretentious. It grows in harsh, stony soil under the intense Provençal sun and somehow turns those conditions into fragrance and color. It has scented Roman baths, Provençal linens, perfume houses and family homes for centuries. 

For me, lavender is more than the emblematic flower of Provence. It is part of the feeling of the South of France—the warmth, simplicity, beauty and pleasure found in everyday things. And as French writer Jean Giono simply said, "Lavender is the soul of Provence". One breath of it, and I’m there.