Lavender Summer

Did you know that the L'Occitane has museums in the middle of France's lavender fields? Yup, you read that right. Museums! For a skincare company! There's an endless display of L'Occitane related things - from the founding of the company to incredibly pretty seasonal packaging.

I guess it's no surprise that L'Occitane has a museum in this part of France, given how obsessed the French seem to be with everything related to lavender especially this time of year.

It's easy to see why and how the lavender obsession starts (although any real French person will never admit that they're properly obsessed over anything, that's being far too passionate). The fields burst into vibrant purple, so colourful it almost doesn't look real. Interestingly though, the characteristic calming scent of lavender doesn't get released until you crush the flowers, so even though the fields are filled with lavender they don't scent the air!

I couldn't resist taking a picture of myself in the field of flowers. Look how it's all the same colour as my hair!

This region of France is crazy scenic. I mean, this view! Look at this view! A warm summer's day, with clouds lazily drifting in the sky... It gives the effect of making everything look incredibly timeless, as if these fields and buildings have been here forever and will be here for a very long time to come.

It's impressive how every row of lavender is perfectly in line - just endless rows of perfectly carved, straight bushes of lavender. The only thing that wasn't perfect about this scene were the many bees and other bugs among the flowers - I kept thinking that I was going to get stung by a bee! Luckily for me nothing of the sort happened in the slightest.

So I continued dancing among the flowers.

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Lazy days in the South of France

In the South of France, there is a very small, very picturesque little city called Aix-En-Provence. The climate is warm and Mediterranean, the locals are genial and friendly, and everything looks like it was taken straight out of a story about luxury holidays.

Surprisingly, Aix is known as a student town, with students at many universities making up the majority of its population. How any of them get any work done in a city like this I don't know! (I'd be one of those kids who would just sit out in the sun all day.

The streets of Aix are filled with tourists in summer. (It is the South of France, after all.) Many have glowing tans and slight sunburns, dressed in big sun hats and cool, short-sleeved cotton shirts. They fit right in with the sun-orange walls of the Aix streets.

I love that everything in Aix looks like it's been there for the longest time! (Which, to be fair, it probably has.) I love the old-school shutter windows, the beautiful rails on the balconies, and the terracotta colour of the buildings.

On a hot summer day, who can resist a cold ice-cream? ♥♥

I love how in Aix there's just so much lavender everywhere in summer! They're right there in massive bundles, absolutely tonnes of lavender bushels, buds, scented sachets, soaps and oils and perfumes and creams... It seems like there's nothing that can't have a bit of lavender added to it! And because it's right in the middle of lavender country, the flowers are surprisingly cheap too. Well... As cheap as luxury lavender can be, anyway!

I wanted to take home one of these bushels for myself! But I couldn't figure out a way to put it in my luggage...

Aix isn't very big, so everything is walkable. The centre of the city is really small, with some old fountains and cafes at every corner. Cafes, ice-cream, sun and summer? Perfect!

I love places that have herbs displayed like this!! I love how having goods displayed in baskets makes everything look so much more rustic, old-school, and welcoming. I can't get enough of those handwritten chalk pen signs! It took every ounce of self-restraint not to take something home, even if I didn't exactly know what I'd be doing with them just yet.

Hordes and hordes of tourists!

There's nothing quite like letting yourself wander around the hundreds of narrow and irregular streets that seem to lead to the most enchanting little places, like cafes at the end of a lane or beautiful ivy-covered walls that look like something out of a storybook.

The main street in Aix is Cours Mirabeau, and it's been called the most beautiful street in France by some. Well, I don't know about the most beautiful street, but it's definitely right up there! The street is lined with trees on either side, and what I like best about it is how small it is - even though it is a main street, it doesn't feel too busy.

Just like the south of France should be, anyway.

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