Lavender was used as a bath additive in regions like Persia, Rome, and Ancient Greece. These cultures believed that lavender helped to purify the body and mind. Today, lavender flowers symbolize spirituality, purity, silence, love, grace, serenity, and calmness.
=================================================================(in southeastern France) Provence is a geographical region and historical province of southeastern France, which extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône River to the Italian border; it is bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south. It largely corresponds with the modern administrative region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and includes the departments of Var, Bouches-du-Rhône, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, as well as parts of Alpes-Maritimes and Vaucluse. The largest city of the region is Marseille. The Romans made this region their first province beyond the Alps and called it Provincia Romana, which evolved into the present name. Until 1481 it was ruled by the Counts of Provence from their capital in Aix-en-Provence, then became a province of the Kings of France. While it has been part of France for more than five hundred years, it still retains a distinct cultural and linguistic identity, particularly in the interior of the region. Lavender fields in France are found in Provence, on the Valensole Plateau that stretches over an area of 800 square kilometers (~309 square miles) covered with beautiful flowers. The Plateau is situated in the south of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and near the Verdon Gorges – France’s "Grand Canyon." There are several charming villages that you can visit on a day trip while you are visiting lavender fields. If you are staying in Aix-en-Provence, you will find it to be a great base for exploring much of Provence, its Lavender Fields, and the Gorges du Verdon. Provence seems to be nearly everyone's favorite part of France. The locals are friendly, the summer weather is great, the wine is fine, and a pastis before dinner is delightful as you sit in the shade and savor a bit of anise-flavored liquor. (With landscapes often exceeding the expectations of travelers, the rural "good life" can hardly get better than this.)
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