Glamorous lavender in Drôme Provençale

A magnificent house on a sunny plateau, surrounded by 5 hectares of lavender and lavandin. This is where Odile Tassi came to settle a few years ago. Falling in love with the setting, she is passionate about lavender, the virtues of its essential oil. After following training, she set up as a “lavender farmer”.

To give back its letters of nobility to lavender, it launches a first range of derivative products dedicated to the universe of the house, quickly followed by an eau de toilette and a range of cosmetics. “It's a small well-being range, developed with a laboratory based in Brittany”. The "Winter Lavender" eau de toilette was created with Jean-Claude Gigadot, a famous perfumer-creator.
But before being able to have the precious essential oil, you have to cultivate lavender and lavandin. “The hardest part is the first year, when we plant the cuttings. It is then an infernal fight so that they are not invaded by weeds. As soon as the plants grow and come together to form a continuous line, you're done. But in the meantime, as we don't use chemical weedkillers, we work with mechanical and manual means: long live the hoe! »

Odile Tassi planted Maillette lavender (a clone of fine lavender which grows at low altitude) and lavandin which is a natural hybrid from fine lavender and aspic lavender. The first harvest is done the year after planting. It is when the color of the flowers changes from blue to gray blue that the picking is done. “With machines to cut “grinded green” it goes quite quickly: the machine cuts and dumps everything into a dumpster which leaves for the distillery the same day. It takes a day to cut the 5 hectares and 45 minutes for the distillation of a bucket. For the 5 hectares, you need three dumpsters. »

The essential oil obtained is then packaged in spray, ampoule, roll-on. It is used in the composition of eau de toilette as well as care products. “With the undistilled flower chalices, we have created infusions. »

But the adventure does not stop there for Odile Tassi. As visitors willingly lingered in this privileged landscape, she had the idea of ​​creating a “lavender ritual”, a magnificent sensory journey of an hour and a half in the heart of nature between truffle oaks and fields of lavender. “This allows us to reclaim lavender, which is part of our cultural heritage. Its fragrances have often been overused, its virtues forgotten! » After an icy infusion of lavender and verbena, begins a relaxing body massage with shea butter and lavender essential oil. Soft and flowery fragrances mingle with the scents of the surrounding nature.

The “Lavender Ritual” offer (by appointment only, €65) lasts 1 hour 30 minutes, including a 45-minute massage as well as a visit to the estate. It's a bit difficult to get back on the road after this fragrant and relaxing experience in the land of lavender!