Diary herbalist: harvesting lavender in the montagne d'Angele.
Villeperdrix 7 September 2010. We are visiting our lavender farmer Bernard, tomorrow morning he will harvest for the last time this year along the south side (l'Adret) of montagne d'Angèle wild lavender at 1500 m. My last chance to come along, because we drive back to Belgium the day after tomorrow.
So wake up the next day at 6 o'clock to pick lavender in the Montagne d'Angele. First I drive to Villeperdrix, park my car next to Bernard's 4x4 in the parking lot, across the valley I look at Bernard's lavender fields and at the place where his house is to go.
We change cars here to move into the mountains. Driving the village towards Chaudebonne, first some paved road that quickly passes into a winding and steep gravel path, further down the hill there is partly paved road to the last farm and bergerie, towards the top of Montagne d'Angéle. Beyond the farm, past the tree line, we first find a lot of Brem and Boxwood with a little Lavender and other herbs in between. Bernard's squeaky 4x4 moans upwards, to 1100, 1200, 1300 meters, to more and more Lavender. We stop at 1500 meters at the peasant's bergerie, also the height limit of wild lavender.
Plateau Montagne d'Angèle
The vegetation on the plateau consists mainly of wild grassland with herbs and on the edge (crete) more and more alpine plants Sedum and Sempervivum species, Wild thyme but also southern Woollige teucrium and Rosaries. Here, in my own way, I would like to say a prayer. Bernard, meanwhile, continues to. About the sheep grazing on the south side of L'Adret and even having an 'appelation', about the cows, which can live better on the north side (l'Ubac), with other, juicier green food. Over the farmer, who owns the whole plateau 200 hectares and in winter with his son here comes hunting rabbits. Not on wild boars, they rooted a little lower through the oak groves and are mainly shot by the luxury hunters from Grenoble.
Lavender picking
But we (Bernard and I) come here mainly to pick lavender. The famous 'lavande sauvage' from over 1000 meters with its unique aroma. For clarity, the classic lavender harvest from below, of course, has long passed. But at 1500 m the flowering is much later, and in addition, for distilling the almost faded flower buds are harvested. Say the sepals, where most of the essential oil is contained.
