| On the Vaucluse plateau, an arid limestone upland in the east of the département, lavender fields blossom in the Mediterranean summer heat. Cultivation of fine lavender began about 1920; the crop was distilled to produce an essential oil for perfume. Now, however, it faces competition from lavandin and synthetic products. By 1992, annual production had dropped to 25 tons (a sixth of production totals in 1960). This decline is all the more worrying in that lavender cultivation, which makes use of arid land, supports rural communities in mountainous areas where agriculture is in decline. A program to relaunch and modernize this activity was started in 1994. In 2000, 9,884 acres (4,000 ha) produced 65 tons of essential oil (70 percent of world output), and a further 1,235 acres (500 ha) produced flowers and bouquets. The perfumed, purple carpets that are strewn over the landscapes of Haute Provence are also a considerable asset for tourism in southeast France. In less than a century, the evolution of rural life has given this little flower an important role in developing the local economy. |
Landscape of brightly colored fields near Sarraud, Vaucluse, France (44°01’ N, 05°24’ E)..&title2= Landscape of brightly colored fields near Sarraud, Vaucluse, France (44°01’ N, 05°24’ E).&title3= Campos de colores vivos cerca de Sarraud, Vaucluse, Francia (44º01’ N-5º24’ E).){kind=link}