The almond tree in Provence is in bloom
The almond tree in Provence is in bloom! Beautiful landscapes await you...
Perhaps it’s because thealmond tree is the first fruit tree to blossom at the end of winter, when it’s still freezing in the morning, that the people of Provence are so attached to it.
From the Alpilles to the Ventoux, from the Luberon to the Comtadine plain, from the Sainte-Victoire to Marseille, the fragile pink and blue flowers burst forth in the transparency of February skies.
The almond tree, dear to the heart of Provence
The almond tree has long been a favorite subject of painters, including Edouard Manet, Yves Brayer, Vincent Van Gogh, Pierre Bonnard, Léo Lélée…
In Provence, its pattern is printed on Provençal fabrics, and almonds are used in many Provençal specialties: nougat, calissons and even orgeat syrup! It’s also one of the dried fruits listed among the 13 Christmas desserts!
A conservatory orchard of almond trees, located in Apt near the Moulin de Salignan, has even been created by the Parc du Luberon. It features a national collection of over forty varieties of almond trees.
Towards a renaissance of almond growing in Provence ...
Since the frost of 1956, the number of almond trees in Provence has steadily declined. Numerous initiatives are currently underway to ensure that almond trees once again play an ever-increasing role in our Provence landscapes.
Pierre and Philippe Sylvain, nougat-makers in Saint-Didier near Carpentras, have planted a 35-hectare almond orchard and plan to plant a further 10 hectares to cover their nougat-making needs.
On the Plateau de Valensole, the Jaubert family is France’s leading independent almond producer. In the early 2000s, they planted 15,000 trees on 75 hectares of land. Today, Terraroma produces 40 tonnes of almonds a year.
As part of its program to revive the almond industry, the Vallée des Baux-Alpilles community of communes has just planted 250 almond trees at the foot of the citadel of Les Baux, on January 20 and 21, 2016, in partnership with the Yves Rocher Foundation.
The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Chamber of Agriculture is hoping to plant 1,000 ha over the next 5 years throughout the region.
Did you know?
The Maison de l’Amandier in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence organizes numerous exhibitions on the theme of the almond tree, and recovers the finest dead almond wood to create beautiful works of art.
We invite you to contact our agency Plaisirs & Maisons de Provence by clicking here, and we’ll be happy to design a tailor-made stay for you to discover the beautiful landscapes of Provence in March.
For your accommodation, we propose a selection of vacation rentals in the Luberon, a selection of rentals in the Alpilles or, a vacation rentals in Provence by clicking here.
