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Every year, the Association Lavande et Patrimoine de Barrême organizes the traditional lavender festival in the Distillery Park.
On the program:
Farmers’ market: local produce and lavender-derived products, garage sale, old-fashioned distillation of fine lavender and distribution of lavender water, Provencal folklore, donkey rides, horse-drawn carriage rides, basketry and lavender decoration workshop, exhibition on the history of the canton, objects and tools from the past, photo exhibition and competition, sheep-shearing, wool-spinning and wrought-ironwork demonstrations. Antique games, sculptors…
Visit to the distillery museum. Refreshment bar and barbecues.
A former production hub, local essential oils were for decades used by Grasse’s top perfume houses.
Thanks to its proximity to the world capital of perfume, and the quality of the fine lavender that was grown and harvested in large quantities, Barrême was an economic nerve center for the cultivation of this perfume plant. Local lavender (Lavandula Augustifolia), less camphoraceous than the lavandin grown on the famous Valensole plateau, was already highly sought-after by perfumers.
The “Lavande fine de Barrême” quality label is still recognized and used by some of the world’s leading perfume houses. It was in the 19th century, marked by the arrival of the railroads in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region, that fine lavender was transported directly to Grasse via the new railroad line. In the early 20th century, Grasse-based companies moved into the village to open distilleries and annexes to their factories. As soon as the ears of this pretty blue flower were harvested, they were distilled directly on site, producing an essential oil of unrivalled quality.
Despite an upturn in activity after the war, the distillery closed in 1972. Inspired by this beautiful story, this summer event organized by the “Lavande et Patrimoine” association has been attracting visitors from all over the region for the past 15 years.
It’s a great way to support the work of fine lavender growers in the surrounding villages, who continue to produce this high-quality product.
Animaux : Accepted without supplements
Sunday 28 July 2024.
Free access.