I'm usually one to head into the mountains or the bush back home in Queensland on weekends, and I’ve always been a bit sceptical of those postcard-perfect travel photos. I figured they were just heavily colour-graded. But driving our little rental car up onto the Valensole plateau in southern France completely changed my mind. Just this massive, endless wave of deep purple hitting the windscreen. It’s a hell of a view.
Spent about five days driving around the region. Definitely glad we got a small car—some of these old town lanes and mountain roads are incredibly tight, and adjusting to driving on the right side of the road takes a bit of concentration if you're used to Aussie roads.
A few spots that really stood out:
Valensole was incredible. It’s not just a couple of neat tourist farms; it’s an entire plateau covered in colour, mixed in with golden wheat fields. We just pulled off on a quiet dirt road and stood by the edge of the fields. No entry fees, no crowds, just open space.
Sénanque Abbey was another quiet favourite. The old grey stone walls against the pale purple flowers looked brilliant. It’s fenced off to protect the plants, which is fair enough, but you still get a great view from the walking path.
Sault is further up in the hills. The lavender here is planted in smaller patches, looking like a purple patchwork quilt draped over the hillsides. Because it's higher up, it blooms a bit later, which was handy.
Also made the drive down to Lake Sainte-Croix on the fourth afternoon. After days of looking at purple, the bright turquoise water of the lake was a fantastic contrast.
A few practical things I realised along the way:
· The afternoon shutdown is real. Most shops in the smaller villages close up between 12 and 3 pm, so don't leave lunch too late or you'll be starving.
· The local lavender ice cream is actually really good—not soapy at all, just a nice, subtle sweetness.
· Respect the local farmers. Stick to the dirt tracks and don't go trampling through the middle of the rows.
Honestly, the best moment of the trip wasn't capturing the perfect photo. It was just standing by the edge of a field near Sault late in the afternoon, with a cool breeze coming off the hills carrying that clean, sweet scent, and just enjoying the quiet for a minute.
“I'm usually one to head into the mountains or the bush back home in Queensland on weekends, and I’ve always been a bit sceptical of those postcard-perfect travel photos.”@SleepySloth · 8 days ago