Field of olive trees at the foot of the Alpilles mountainsField of olive trees at the foot of the Alpilles mountains in the Bouches-du-Rhone department
©Field of olive trees at the foot of the Alpilles mountains|Mouton.A

The crops which shape the landscapes of the South of France

The South of France is bedecked with unique landscapes shaped by its emblematic crops. Lavender, olive groves, vineyards and orchards all colour and structure these lands. Dive into the natural harmony of these farming traditions which fashion Provencal beauty.

Lavender and hybrid lavender

The famous rows of blue flowers are part of the characteristic feature which forms the face of Provence. The fields of lavender and hybrid lavender offer perspective lines which lengthen the landscape and a structuring regularity. They are to be found especially on the Valensole plateau, and the Plateau d’Albion, in the Apt basin, south of Les Baronnies, in the Pays d’Aix and the northern part of the Var. Lavender and hybrid lavender flower between June and August and also away from the cultivated fields you can see clumps of wild lavender. Look around you when you’re out walking! You’re sure to see some.

Outside the flowering period, lavender awaits you in the region’s distilleries where you can discover the producers’ work, particularly how they obtain the famous essential oil. For example, in Mezel, Bleu d’Argens offers a tour of their farm to understand the secrets of processing lavender into everyday products.

Clary sage

From the same family as lavender, clary sage also likes the same soils. Next to its famous cousin, it also paints the landscapes of the South, particularly the Valensole plateau a soft mauve, almost lilac colour. Clary sage is taller and has bigger flowers and also stands out from lavender in the way it is grown: it doesn’t grow in long rows, but across vast fields and it forms a uniform carpet where bees are busy as soon as the flowers are out, from June to August. The cultivation of clary sage is actually quite recent, and today it is mostly produced for essential oil.

Viness

The large crescent formed by the vineyards planted in the South of France stretches from the Ventoux to the Pays Niçois and from the Mediterranean coast to the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. A vast territory where vines are part and parcel of the landscape and have clothed the Provencal terroir for centuries. The Phocaeans, a Greek people who created Marseille in 600 BC, were the first to cultivate vines and produce wine in France. You can see it grown on terraces in the Ventoux, perched on high in the hills of the Nice backcountry, well-rooted at the foot of the Montagne Sainte-Victoire, the Massif des Maures, the Alpilles and the Estérel, but also on the sun-kissed Mediterranean coast facing the wind and with a view of the sea.

To enjoy these picturesque landscapes, the Mas de l’Evajade has guest rooms where you can sleep and wake up in the middle of the Baumes-de-Venise vineyards. Further south, the Terre de Mistral estate gives you a warm welcome for visits, tastings and workshops all based on wine!

The olive-groves

The olive tree is certainly one of the most symbolic trees in the South of France and belongs to the age-old Provencal crops. It is grown in little groves which adapt to the Provencal environment and appear to be naturally part of the landscape. The “olivettes”, another name for an olive grove, that you can see between Mouriès and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence are a good example. When you’re out walking or getting up high to see the landscape, you can easily make out these trees with their rather spiky tops and silvery green in colour, with the groves forming little bushy forests.

Near Belgentier, take to the heights and perch in the gîte de l’Oliveraie des Escavalins. In the middle of the Sainte-Baume and its olive groves, you will have a superb view of the valley and taste their delicious olive oil. In the Alpilles, in Maussane-les-Alpilles, the estate of Plaines Marguerite, producer of PDO olive oil from the Baux-de-Provence valley, also offers a discovery of its farm on a « magic trail ».

Apples

Apples are one of the crops of the South which grow at the highest altitudes, mostly in the Durance and Haute-Durance valleys, particularly north of Sisteron. It’s hot in the daytime and particularly cool at night: the ideal climate for obtaining crunchy apples full of taste. The orchards are naturally integrated into the landscape along the Durance River and are planted in strategic places where there is the most sun. On the branches of these apple trees, you can pick Galas, but most of all Golden Delicious, the Queen of apples, with an IGP and a Labbel Rouge. Depending on the season, the orchards form long alleyways of bright green trees, in blossom or decorated with pretty yellow apples which look like lanterns in daylight. You can see them from far away with their white veil which protects them from hail.

Feel like biting into an apple? Go and see Laurence et Marc Long, in Laragne-Monteglin, they will give you their fruit to taste and discover a whole variety of tasty products: juices, jams, compotes…

Almonds

Growing almond trees is part of the farming history of the Pays d’Aix. Up to the beginning of the 20th century, this territory was home to a number of almond producers. It was in Aix-en-Provence that the calisson, a sweet which is partly made from almonds was invented, in the  15th century. Today, almond trees are gradually returning to the Aix landscape, and also the Luberon, the Alpilles, Haute-Provence and the Ventoux. In these orchards with their straight lines of trees, you can see almond trees that are completely bare in winter and covered in white and pale pink flowers from March. The contrast between their blossoms and the slim, dark wood of the branches is always striking in the middle of a natural environment which is slowly warming up and hasn’t yet put on its spring colours.

In Valensole, the Grandes Marges estate introduces you to organic almond trees and their different almond-based delicacies: pralines, croquants, nougat, almond cream, cordials…

Cherries

In the South, cherry trees stretch mainly from the Luberon to the hills of the Monts de Vaucluse and all around Mont Ventoux. This is where the cherry from the coteaux du Ventoux, the first to have obtained an IGP in France is cultivated. The flowering of the cherry trees is like that of the almond trees: it takes place just after them, from April, and the flowers are bright white on trees which are still a little green. Gradually, the flowers give way to the leaves and the cherry trees, which have more leaves than almond trees, form dense orchards with dark green trees. From May, they put on hundreds of vermillion earrings which will colour the stalls of the region’s markets.

Durum wheat

The wheat crop is also one of the most emblematic of the south of France: the vast fields which turn from green to gold at the beginning of summer are spread all over the decor of Provence. You will see them in the Camargue, where they inspired Van Gogh for his paintings such as “Le champ de blé aux iris” or “Champ de blé en Arles”, and as far as the plateaus of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and the Pays d’Aix, the historic basin of durum wheat. And where there is wheat, there are mills! Directly linked to wheat-growing, they are also part of the Provencal farming landscape. In Régusse, for example, you can see two magnificent windmills which certainly date back to the 12th century. And have you heard of the Sainte-Barbe tradition? This Provencal custom demands that you plant wheat seeds in three saucers on 4th December, the day of Sainte-Barbe, and that you place them on the Christmas meal table, to guarantee prosperity for the family. As the saying goes: « Quand lou blad vèn bèn, tout vèn bèn ! », which means: « When the wheat is good, everything is all right! »

Rice

With rice, the historic production of Camargue, the local landscape changes several times during the year. In April, the rice fields fill with water and form a mostly aquatic landscape, like great mirrors with the sky reflected in them. In May, the rice emerges progressively from the water and starts to diversify the landscape, bringing some green. In June the vegetation takes hold and the rice fields look like big bright green lawns. For the rest of the summer, the rice will flower and give well-stacked ears. The landscape is then much denser and doesn’t look anything like what it resembled in April! In the autumn, it’s harvest time. Last of all, in the winter, farmers prepare the soil for the next sowing: harrowing, ploughing… and we’re off again for a new cycle!

To understand about how IGP Camargue rice is grown, head for the Maison du Riz, in Albaron. This place which is filled with history, has a farm, a shop, a gite and an educational area to welcome you on prior booking to take you on a visit of its estate in the middle of the Camargue.

Figs

Fruit of the sun and the Mediterranean basin, figs have been grown in the South of France for centuries. One of the most famous is the AOP Solliès fig, grown in the Var. In the Vaucluse, near Châteaurenard, there is also the Caromb fig, which is harvested a little earlier than the Solliès. A lot of Bellone Noire figs are grown in the Alpes-Maritimes, and Marseillaise figs in the Bouches-du-Rhône. The Marseillaise is also known by a delicate nickname: la couille du Pape (the Pope’s ball). In the Provencal landscape, fig trees make up green orchards in the summer, with trees whose top is spread and with well-developed branches. They are easy to recognize with their wide leaves which look like big hands held out flat under the sun.

Pastoralism’s place in the shaping of the landscapes of the South of France

Even though it is more a breeding mode than a farm crop, pastoralism has a role to play in structuring the landscapes of the South of France and has for thousands of years. By grazing and moving around, the herds of ewes (or goats) clear the undergrowth and regulate ‘invasive vegetation. They help to keep natural areas open – areas which form beautiful stretches of green across the Alpine pastures, massifs, garrigues and plateaus of the region. To appreciate them to their full, follow the itineraries which take you on the traces of pastoralism such as L’Amoutagna, the Sentier de la Pastorale or the GR69 – La Routo.

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