Tulips grown in the Vaucluse for sale in Holland.

We just returned from a short sojourn in Provence after an unusually long absence for us. Sadly, this was the longest time between visits since we bought our home in Sablet in 2008. 

One of our favorite things about Provence are the fields of flowers and orchard blossoms that we find at various times of the year. There are orchards with cherry blossoms in April and early May all around the village of Venasque.

Then, red poppies, known as Coquelicots in France, make their appearance in May. Coquelicots generally grow wild rather than cultivated so you never know where you are going to come across them as you drive around Provence.

Lavender, the most famous flowering plant in Provence, blooms from mid-June to late July depending upon elevation. Sunflowers adorn the landscape from late June to the end of July and are typically harvested in August.

A few years back, we discovered that tulips are grown around Jonquieres, a small village about 20 minutes from Sablet. I am not sure if one person owns all the land where they are planted as the location of the tulip fields changes year to year.  

Dutch tulip farmers outsource growing bulbs to farmers in Provence. While the flowers are still in full bloom, they cut the flower with a lawn mower type machine to save the plant's energy for the bulbs.  The first few times we passed by the tulip fields, it did not appear that they sold any flowers. Now, signs indicate flowers are for sale.  

Since the tulips are in bloom in early spring, from late March to early April, we headed out one recent morning toward Jonquieres to see if any tulips were in bloom. The following pictures are what we found.

Jonquieres tulip field

We have been told that tulips are also grown in the triangle between Lurs, Forcalquier and La Brillanne in the Department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. Maybe the next time we are in Sablet in late March, we will head here to explore this area. 

Jonquieres tulip field

Jonquieres tulip field

Jonquieres tulip field

Jonquieres tulip field

Jonquieres tulip field

Another flowering plant we see at this time of year is Colza, in English, Rape Seed. The plant is grown to produce oil for cooking and industrial processes. In the United States, we know the edible version of this oil as canola oil. 

Field of Colza (Rape Seed)

Watch this blog for new posts about visits to new restaurants and villages during our most recent visit to Sablet.

www.sablethouse.com 

Tulips in the Vaucluse put on a dazzling display of color near Jonquieres.

We are back in Sablet after an unusually long absence for us. One of the highlights of our sojourns in Provence, are the flowers that you find in various seasons of the year. 

You can see cherry orchards in bloom in April and early May around the Plus Beaux Village of Venasque. The time to enjoy their fruit is late May to early July. 

Then Shirley's favorites, bright red poppies, known in France as Coquelicots make their appearance in fields in May. The Coquelicots grow wild rather than cultivated so you can never tell where you will find them. 

Lavender, the most famous flowers to be seen in Provence, bloom from mid-June to mid to late July, depending upon elevation. Sunflowers bloom from late June to the end of July and are typically harvested in August. 

Back in 2010, I was surprised to discover fields of tulips growing near Violes, a small village near Sablet. I was surprised because we had never seen fields of tulips or read about them in any of the various guidebooks I have perused over the years. 

Since now is the time of the year when the tulips bloom, we went out to look for them on our first day back. We went to the area where we have seen them previously. Nothing! So, we made inquiries in Sablet, and discovered the tulips were growing in a different field farther from Sablet, near Jonquieres. 

So yesterday, we went out again and were happy to find multi-colored rows of tulips alongside the Route de Carpentras into Jonquieres, with views of Mont Ventoux in the distance. 

Tulip field near Jonquieres with view of Mont Ventoux

I grew up in Southwestern Michigan about one hour south of Holland, Michigan. An annual field trip in elementary school was our trip to Holland, Michigan to see the tulips.

Tulip field near Jonquieres

I learned back in 2010 that these tulips are not grown to be sold as cut flowers by floral shops or vendors at weekly markets that occur throughout France. 

Tulip field near Jonquieres

Rather, these tulips are grown for export to the Netherlands. In a few days, the flowers will be cut by a lawn mower type machine to save the bulbs. The bulbs will be harvested and shipped to the Netherlands. 

Tulip field near Jonquieres

Tulip field near Jonquieres

Tulip field near Jonquieres

Tulip field near Jonquieres

If you are going to be in the Vaucluse during the month of April, keep your eyes out for fields of multi-colored rows of tulips.

If you are planning a trip to the South of France, we would be honored if you would consider making our house in Sablet your home for your sojourn. We have weeks available in May and June, July 23 to August 5, and August 12 to September 2. Please reach out to me for information about availability and rental rates. www.sablethouse.com 

Tulips in Provence

When I think about flowers in Provence, some of the visual images that immediately come to mind include lavender, sunflowers, coquelicots and cherry blossoms in the orchards below Venasque.

One morning last spring as I was driving along the D977 heading toward Sablet from the Marseille airport, I came upon this field of tulips near Violes.



I was surprised because tulips in Provence were a new sight for me. This was our first visit to Sablet during this time of the year so I guess I should have expected to see sights I had not seen before.

I grew up in Southwestern Michigan about one hour south of Holland Michigan. I recall that an annual event during my elementary school years was a field trip every spring to see the tulips in Holland Michigan; so fields of tulips were not new for me. Just new for me in Provence.

As I looked at this field of tulips that day, I assumed, wrongly I found out later, that these tulips were being grown to be sold as cut flowers by village flower shops and vendors at the various markets that occur on a daily basis throughout France.

A few days later when I drove by the same field, the tulips were being cut by a lawn mower type of machine. It was obvious that these flowers were not destined for a vase on any one's kitchen table.

I asked around and found out that these tulips were being grown for export of the bulbs to Netherlands. I wonder despite European rules otherwise whether markets in the Netherlands will put a sign "grown in Provence France" when they are sold there.

We will be back in Sablet very soon. I wonder what new things we will see this time.