Following the recommendation of our friend Yves, we visited the beautiful little medieval/Renaissance hill village of Simiane-la-rotonde which is about 650 metres above sea level, at the south-western end of the Alpes de Haute Provence, close to Vaucluse. The village now has about 450 residents and is in the mountain region known for producing the type of lavender that is used in aromatherapy. The researchers at the aromatherapy laboratory at the site of the old castle emphasize that this is not the more prolific type Janice grows closer to sea level. Instead, this particular lavender must be cultivated in a more harsh climate at a higher altitude.
Views from the village were wonderful, overlooking the valley's farms and forests, neighbouring villages, winding roads, and the wide open sky.
