Day Five continued: La Route de la Lavande

One of our favorite places on this trip was the Provencal lavender fields. On this trip we had already spent time touring the museum factories and seeing lavendar products in all of the markets and stores, plants scattered throughout the villages and cities of Provence. The presence of lavender and its essences are strong in this part of France. We were anxious to see the plants in their natural form, covering the landscape of the Alpes de Haute Provence. We followed a map and kept our eyes peeled all over the countryside for these beautiful fields.. We were beginning to be discouraged when we didn't find them, until late in the day we finally hit the right area (perhaps where it was yet to be harvested). It was so beautiful!

When you step into the field you find yourself quickly aware that you are surrounded not only by the sights and smells of lavendar, but also the sound of bees! All around, a not-so-faint buzzing sound...(see bee in picture? above right). Thankfully, the bees ignored us as we played in the lavender. On this route we drove through some different towns named Manosque, Volx, Sigonce, Cruis, Ongles, Simiane-la-Rotonde, and finally to Apt where we enjoyed a delicious meal at a restaurant named Le Chat Qui Peche, or, The Fishing Cat.