The Valensole plateau is the Provence of the posters, and in the right fortnight it lives up to them. Rows of lavender, planted in precise lines that follow the curves of the land, stretch across a high, wind-scoured tableland at around six hundred metres, between the Verdon gorge to the north and the valley of the Durance to the south, with the village of Valensole in the middle. In the second half of June and through July, the fields turn a deep violet, the air is loud with bees and the scent is so strong it seems to settle on your jacket.
A note of honesty: most of the purple you see is lavandin, a sturdier hybrid grown for perfume and soap, rather than true lavender, which grows at higher altitudes. The difference matters to growers and perfumers, but your camera will not mind. Harvesting begins in July and continues into August, so the best colour is usually before the cutters arrive. The plateau also grows wheat, sunflowers, olives and almonds, and Valensole is known for its almond groves, which turn white in February, and its honey, sold at roadside stalls throughout the summer.
Valensole itself is a small town of about two and a half thousand people, with a church, a village square shaded by plane trees and a few cafes. Riez, with its Roman columns, is just to the east, and the ride to Moustiers-Sainte-Marie and the canyon is a short step further. Gréoux-les-Bains, a spa town on the Verdon, lies to the south-west.
The riding is easy and enjoyable: broad, gently undulating roads, with long straights and wide curves, often lined with plane trees, and views of the lavender stretching to the horizon. The surface is generally good, but traffic in July is heavy, with tour buses and photographers stopping on the road, so be careful of people stepping out. The wind can blow hard across the plateau, and the sun is fierce, so carry water and wear light layers.
For fuel, Oraison and Manosque, the latter about sixteen kilometres away, have stations, and the village has little more than a few essentials. Early morning is the best moment for photographs, with soft light and fewer visitors.