The charm of Simiane-la-Rotonde jumps to the eyes and to the nostrils. Walk through its calades (sloping cobbled streets) lined with mansions with carved wooden doors, to the summit castle, whose Romanesque rotunda, made up of twelve ribbed vaults, offers exceptional acoustics to baroque music concerts given here. In the Renaissance apartments, we learn about the virtues of essential oils. Outside, the slightest breeze brings country fragrances, a potpourri dominated by the powerful scent of lavender, with the sweeter notes of clary sage and the sweet smell of cut hay. Extend this olfactory festival to the nearby Valsaintes Abbey, whose gardens are home to a rose garden with five hundred varieties.
A workshop to create your own perfume
Join Banon, emerging from his mauve carpet. Known for goat cheese, this medieval village is home to France's largest bookstore in a rural setting. At Le Bleuet, you will surely find the recipe book that will allow us to cook good local products from local markets. Like those from Forcalquier and Manosque, which are full of fragrant tomatoes, tasty olive oils, sun-kissed fruits, and the best of Provencal craftsmanship. Visit the Artemisia Museum in the beautiful 13th century Cordeliers Convent to learn about the cultivation of perfume, aromatic and medicinal plants in the region. A fun and informative journey that you can extend with a workshop inviting you to create an oily macerate or a fragrant herbarium. You will even be able to create your perfume like a professional.
Valensole, capital of the purple flower
Passing through the village of Mane, dominated by its fortress built from the 12th to the 17th century, stop at the priory of Salagon. Listed as a historical monument, its Romanesque church with contemporary stained glass windows is surrounded by six hectares of thematic gardens. Labeled a "Remarkable Garden", this open-air museum tells the story of the cultivation and use of plants in Provence. It hosts a multitude of essences for all uses (medicinal, ornamental … even malefic), and a fragrant garden of scents. It is by crossing the Durance that one reaches Valensole, the capital of the purple flower. Marked paths allow you to stroll along fields of lavender or lavandin (a hybrid with a more camphoric scent but less subtle than fine lavender), whose bumpy rows form a corduroy that stretches as far as the eye can see. We do not fail to stop at a distiller to bring back a bottle of this essential oil … to Provence.
Convenient travel
Stay
- In Forcalquier. The Charembeau. In an old 18th century farmhouse, eco-friendly hotel with swimming pool, tennis court … Double room from € 90, charembeau.com
- In Niozelles. The Relais D'Elle. Rooms and table d'hôtes in a large Provencal farmhouse. Double room from 70 €, relaisdelle.com
- At Oraison. The Oustaou d'Oulivié. Bastide surrounded by olive trees, table d'hôtes and cooking lessons. Lodgings 6 p. from 950 € / week. oustaou.fr
Enjoy
- In Forcalquier. At the 2 Angels. Provencal cuisine using market products. Menu 17 €. Phone: 04 92 75 04 36.
- In Banon. Green Wines. Wine bar and gourmet dishes. Formula from € 14.50. restaurant- caviste-banon-04.fr
- In Lurs. The Lurs terrace. Country bistro, local products and regional cuisine. Main courses from € 13, laterrasse delurs.fr.
Info
tourisme-alpes-haute-provence.com
Read also :
⋙ Discover the Lubéron, the land of melon and lavender
⋙ Lavender essential oil: what are its benefits and how to use it?
⋙ Provence, a source of inspiration for cosmetics