Sunflower fields are special places of beauty in Provence, worth seeking out!

Friday, July 21, and we were on the road to find a good vantage point to watch the Tour de France near Lauris. As we drove toward the town of Orange to get on the A-7 autoroute, we came upon a huge field of sunflowers. There is nothing Shirley likes more than sunflowers, except maybe a field of purple lavender or red poppies, so we stopped for photos.

You may not be aware that despite the fact that you find postcards, photos and paintings of sunflowers all over Provence, they are actually native to the Americas. Sunflowers seeds were brought to Europe by Spaniards in the 16th century where sunflower oil became a widespread cooking ingredient.

Sunflowers, tournesol in French, have rough, hairy stems, and what most people call the flower on a mature sunflower is a flower head of numerous small flowers crowded together. The outer flowers are sterile and the flowers inside the circular head mature into seeds from which oil is extracted.

Sunflower

Sunflowers generally grow to between 5 and 12 feet tall and bloom from late June to the end of July with harvest occurring at the beginning of August.

Sunflower field near Violès

When we come upon a beautiful field of flowers (sunflowers, lavender or red poppies) that are in peak season and facing the road, it is mandatory that we stop and Shirley and whoever is traveling with us run into the field and pose for pictures.

Daughter Stephanie and Shirley

A common misconception is that sunflowers track the sun. In fact, mature sunflowers typically face east and do not move. The leaves and buds of young sunflowers do change their orientation from east to west during the course of a day; once mature the movements stop.

Sunflower field near Violès

You may not know that the Jerusalem artichoke also called sunchoke and topinambour, is a type of sunflower. It is cultivated widely across the temperate zone for its tuber, which is used as a root vegetable and delicious roasted or in soup.

More of the sunflower field near Violès

It's hard not to fall in love with a field of sunflowers: they give off a sense of happiness, like suns shining on a perfect summer day.

Sunflower field near Violès

I have read that the most beautiful sunflower fields in the world are in Tuscany. I have not seen those fields but until I do, I will continue to believe there are none more beautiful than the sunflower fields of Provence.

The family

If you are in Provence during July, make sure you stop and get a picture or two of yourself in one of the sunflower fields you will surely pass by. For me, I continue to look for a place where sunflowers and lavender grow next to each other so I can take one of those only on a postcard shots to share with you.