Provence

Social News Assistant Editor Samantha Bartlett visited a picturesque lavender farm. However, although it may look like it could be Provence in France it’s actually based right here in the UK

Provence, in the south-east of France, is globally famous for its expansive lavender fields, which blanket the region in vibrant shades of purple and violet every summer. Known locally as “blue gold,” lavender farming is a cornerstone of Provence‘s agricultural economy and cultural identity, historically fuelled by the perfume industry in nearby Grasse.

So you would be forgiven for thinking that the stunning lavender field I visited recently is based there. However, instead of being in France, it’s situated right here in the UK. Lordington Lavender Farm is a family-operated, working farm situated in the South Downs National Park near Chichester, West Sussex.

Founded in 2002 by local farmer Andrew Elms following his shift away from dairy farming, it covers 10 acres of stunning French Maillette lavender – a variety exceptionally valued for its superior essential oil quality.

The farm, which is perfect for a sunny day out, stands out particularly because it functions with a rigorous commitment to conservation, employing no chemical fertilisers or pesticides, rendering it an environmentally-friendly sanctuary for bees, butterflies, and more than 12 red-listed bird species.

As it remains a working commercial farm, it welcomes visitors for just a short window in July annually when the flowers achieve their peak purple display.

This weekend (Sat July 18-Sun July 19) marks the final Open Days, so if you fancy experiencing this magnificent attraction, you’ll need to get there sharpish.

Visitors will find countless chances to wander amongst the lavender rows while capturing plenty of photographs and observing local wildlife such as bees and butterflies.

I visited recently with my family and my young son, who adored racing up and down the rows and discovering the butterflies amongst the lavender. There are also plenty of opportunities for snapping photos, including an egg chair, toy tractor and a table and chairs set to pose alongside.

Beyond the lavender fields themselves, visitors can opt to take a tractor ride down to the farm from the car park, which naturally my little one adored.

Educational talks about lavender are available too, alongside a ‘Hay Play’ zone for children, featuring some small slides, bowling and tin cans for entertainment.

In addition to this, there’s a new maize maze. The weekend of my visit featured alpacas, lambs and Pygmy goats as well, though sadly they won’t be present this coming weekend.

Despite being outdoors in the sun, there’s ample shade and numerous refreshments to sustain you, ranging from cakes to lavender-flavoured ice cream, fresh strawberries and Pimm’s.

Visitors can even browse the shop and purchase their pure, steam-distilled essential oils, natural soaps and potted lavender plants to bring back home.

All in all, we enjoyed a wonderful day out in a distinctive setting that I’m confident my little one will cherish for years ahead, so I’d strongly suggest heading down for a visit if you’re available this weekend.

My wife and I moved from London to Marseille a little over five years ago when our British passports still conferred “right to reside” in France. That first winter on the beach, in short sleeves, as our daughters played in the topaz-coloured Mediterranean and the sun set across an ever-clear blue sky, I understood why this part of southern France has always been popular with artists.

I was recently speaking about this with the painter Fanny Nushka and her sailor husband, Benoît Bouchet, on the terrace of Café la Muse in Marseille’s “coolest” neighbourhood. She said: “It took a long time to go back to blue. It’s like being in Paris and painting the Eiffel Tower. It’s dangerous to paint the Calanques [limestone coves] as an artist from here.”

We moved to Marseille for the same reason that has attracted countless artists: it’s cheaper to live here. Marseille’s affordability enables Fanny to paint full-time and Benoît to sail without being away from his family for weeks. Benoît runs daily catered cruises on a listed sailing yacht, Le Don du Vent. For €135, you get a taste of Mediterranean luxury with swimming, snorkelling and sunbathing in the unspoiled sea coves around Marseille, pausing briefly for wine and a lunch prepared onboard.

Céline Ghisleri, co-president of Provence Contemporary Art, which represents 62 arts organisations in and around Marseille, tells me the city has always had a dynamic art scene. However, the turning point came when Marseille was named European Capital of Culture in 2013. Since then, large institutions such as Frac Sud, Mac and the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations (Mucem) have expanded the city’s offering with bigger exhibitions from more widely recognised artists.

This summer, the Mucem’s exhibitions are Bonnes Mères, a collection of contemporary and historical works on the theme of motherhood, and Clément Cogitore’s fascinating Ferdinandea, l’île éphémère, a body of work centred on the brief existence of a volcanic Mediterranean island. At the end of August, the art fair Art-O-Rama will be hosted at La Friche La Belle de Mai. La Friche (the Wasteland) was a tobacco factory and is now an enormous warren of a multidisciplinary arts centre that is always buzzing, especially in the summer when they set up a movie screen and food trucks on the roof. La Friche is emblematic of the art scene in Marseille: absolute chaos, but somehow it works.

Outside Marseille, Plein Sud, a network of contemporary art organisations between Monaco and Montpellier, produces a guide with travel itineraries. It’s how I discovered the charming Gallifet art centre in nearby Aix-en-Provence, which is only about 40 minutes from Marseille but exists in a completely different universe.

You couldn’t be further away from Marseille’s port city energy than Aix’s daily market at Place Richelme, where you can grab a coffee and, if you are lucky, an outdoor seat at the patisserie and salon de thé Maison Weibel. For lunch, I recommend Drôle d’Endroit (Funny Place). It is tucked down an alley off a sidestreet, but the meals are always pleasing and the atmosphere friendly. Another solid choice is Tita for Levantine street food.

As tiny and quiet as Aix is, it has an abundance of museums, such as the Granet Museum, the Caumont Art Centre and the Vasarely Foundation, but they tend to lean heavily on art that historians have already anointed. For example, it wasn’t until 1984 that the Granet acquired any works by the local boy done good, Cézanne, whose preserved studio is just up the hill.

That’s why it was refreshing to find Gallifet trying something different. The owners, Nicolas Mazet and Kate Davis, have a mission to bring contemporary art to conservative Aix. Located on the ground floor of an 18th-century townhouse, the courtyard’s striking red sculpture of a swimmer mid-stroke, by Diadji Diop, hints that Gallifet is more than just a home (the owners live above the art centre).

This summer’s exhibition features a retrospective of the photographer François Halard, with more than 100 works spanning more than three decades. Until the end of September, Gallifet also hosts a seasonal restaurant and chef’s residency. This year, two Paris-based chefs, Lisa Desforges and Bruno Hammerle, will use Provence’s abundant and delicious ingredients to create menus including entrees such as smoked ricotta gnocchi with peas and a peapod veloute. Gallifet also offers two apartments (from €200 and €160 per night), both decorated with pieces from previous exhibitions and filled with Provençal features such as marble fireplaces and tomette terracotta tiles.

A little further up the Rhône, Avignon nestles against the river, enclosed by preserved medieval walls. The Palais des Papes overlooks the renowned vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape to the north and lavender fields to the south. Each July, the town is taken over by the Avignon festival, one of the oldest performance arts festivals.

After a visit, take a walk along the most picturesque and charming street in Avignon, La Rue Peyrolerie. A winding medieval cobbled alley leads to an equally charming restaurant, L’Épicerie, situated in a square beside a small 14th-century gothic church with an ornately carved walnut-wood door. The cuisine is classic French, served in generous portions by friendly staff. Every time we visit Avignon, we dine here and have never been disappointed, but be warned that the terrace fills up quickly. This is a well-known and well-loved spot among locals. Another safe bet for outdoor courtyard dining is Numéro 75.

The most notable address for contemporary art in Avignon is the Lambert Collection, housed in two stunning 18th-century townhouses, Hôtel de Caumont and Hôtel de Montfaucon. The collection is the legacy of Yvon Lambert, a celebrated gallerist and collector who made his reputation in the latter half of the 20th century championing American artists such as Nan Goldin, Donald Judd, Lawrence Weiner and Cy Twombly. The collection continues to support up-and-coming local artists in its Antechamber of Summer exhibition. This year’s exhibition is by Melika Sadeghzadeh, an Iranian artist living and working in Montpellier.

Just south of Avignon, Arles has at its centre a nearly 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheatre, which hosts plays and concerts. The Vincent van Gogh Foundation and Luma host several exhibitions throughout the year, but the real treat comes in July during the Rencontres d’Arles. For 50 years, venues across town, from galleries to grocery stores, have showcased a wide range of contemporary and historical photography.

Recently, we went to Arles for its Festival of Drawing. After a wander through the picturesque medieval streets of the Roquette district on the east side of town, popping into venues as we went, we discovered the tiny restaurant Páou in the quaint Place Paul Doumer. The menu promised sharing plates starring local produce and wines. So we sat down for another meal at another terrace table, under another clear blue sky.