Lavender is entwined with the very soul of Provence. In the summer, when the lavender fields bloom, a vibrant purple sea envelops the region’s medieval monasteries, lapping at ancient hilltop towns and traditional working farms. In July, lavender is everywhere – snaking up hillsides in parallel purple rows, splashing field after field with a touch of day-glo purple. In August, it’s harvest time — the rows still stand but their purple hues are more subdued after tractors pass through and collect fragrant bunches of lavender for the distilleries. Already, the lavender festivals are in full swing. The lavender fields are scattered across Provence ( http://tinyurl.com/25e82nk ) many of them within an easy drive of La Bonbonnière, our rental apartment in Lourmarin. (There are small fields just fifteen minutes away!) Depending on their location, altitude and the year’s weather, the best time to see them runs from late June until harvest-time in late August. A few kilometers from our place, southern France’s “Lavender Roads” (Les Routes de la Lavande) ( http://tinyurl.com/2eagv7q ) offer a winding route through breathtaking vistas of lavender landscapes splashed with bluish-purple ( http://tinyurl.com/263j9md ). You will see aromatic fields, tiny gardens, busy distilleries, a few museums, a [...]