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Moustiers / Valensole / Riez

Valensole

At the heart of the Valensole plateau (about 800 km²: cereals, lavandin, truffles; average altitude about 590 m).

The Fête de la Lavande is traditionally held on a Sunday in mid-July (often the 3rd Sunday): a highlight for the village, but with maximum crowds. Plan your parking ahead.

3137pop. (2023)04210Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Valensole Nuno Alves · CC BY-SA 4.0

Today in Valensole

Today’s alerts (access to forest massifs, swimming, water restrictions, roads): data updated live when the page opens, from risque-prevention-incendie.fr, baignades.sante.gouv.fr and VigiEau, as well as the recorded roadworks schedule. If JavaScript is disabled, please consult these official sources directly.

Weather in Valensole

· — Forecast updated live when the page opens. If JavaScript is disabled, please consult Météo-France.

Live forecast — data by MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Coordinates 43.839, 5.939.

No upcoming event recorded for Valensole.

News from the town hall

Titles: source language (French)

Official town hall website →(opens in a new tab)Town hall Facebook page →(opens in a new tab)

Health in Valensole

Official Annuaire Santé directory, file dated 1 October 2026: health professionals in private practice or in a health centre. No ranking, no reviews.

Doctors
2
Pharmacists
1
Dentists
3
Nurses
5
Physiotherapists
4
Osteopaths
3

Health establishments and facilities

See the detailed list for Valensole →

Emergency numbers, on-duty pharmacy, hospitals: Health and medical emergencies →

Overview

Commune — the 2nd largest commune in the PNR by population

See also: lavender country, routes and the best times to go →

Where to stay in Valensole

Hotels, campsites and gîtes in Valensole, with their real rating when available.

Listings marked “Ad” (LiveVerdon plan) or “Recommended by the publisher” are ranked ahead of the others: plans first, then the publisher’s clients, then addresses recommended with no commercial link. How listings are ranked

Also compare on the major platforms:

Booking → Airbnb → Gîtes de France →

Services & shops in Valensole

EV charging — in the village: Manosque - powered by DRIVECO (2 points) · Parking Salle Polyvalente (2 points), network DRIVECO, eborn. See the map of Verdon charging points →

Fuel: 1 petrol station in the commune. See live prices →

Food & groceries
  • Carrefour Express (3 chemin du Riou, mini-market / local supermarket)
  • La Maison de Marius (delicatessen & greengrocer, local produce, cheese cut to order and fresh bread, 1 avenue Segond)
  • Couleurs Paysannes (farm and local produce, Les 4 Chemins area)
Bakery
  • Le Palais d'Or (artisan bakery and pastry shop, place de la Fontaine / place Thiers, in the heart of the village)
  • Valensole has a second bakery and pastry shop in the village
Butcher
  • Le Petit Testard (artisan butcher, charcuterie and caterer, homemade, 38 rue Jules Ferry)
Pharmacy
  • Pharmacie des Lavandes (30 chemin de Saint-Barthélemy)
Health (doctor, nurse…)
  • Dr Mathieu Peugeot (general practitioner, 32 chemin de Saint-Barthélemy)
  • Dr Anamaria Iulian (general practitioner, 32 chemin de Saint-Barthélemy)
  • Dr Caroline Jourdan (general practitioner, 37 chemin des Plaines)
  • Cabinet Jacquet – F. Jacquet & S. Lounis (dental surgeons, 2 chemin de Saint-Barthélemy)
  • Physiotherapy practice – G. Chatelain, V. Taisne, C. Honnorat (physiotherapists, 44 route de Manosque)
  • Nursing practice – C. Gorde & J. Duquet (home-care nurses, 32 chemin de Saint-Barthélemy)
  • Nursing practice – L. Bagarre & K. Gradian (home-care nurses, 28 bis chemin de Saint-Barthélemy)
  • Quentin Amaudric (osteopath, 32 chemin de Saint-Barthélemy)
  • Stéphane Ferry (osteopath, 28 bis chemin de Saint-Barthélemy)
Fuel
  • Two petrol stations / fuel points are listed in the commune
Bank / ATM
  • There is a bank branch in the village; ATM
Post office
  • post office, 1 Le Pré de Foire
Tobacconist & newsagent
  • Tabac-presse Pala (6 bis place Frédéric-Mistral)
Car garage
  • Several garages and car repair services operate in the commune
Spa, massage & wellness
  • Le Spa des Lavandes (wellness centre, Valensole plateau (guesthouse))

For a wider choice: Valensole, capital of the lavender plateau (about 3,200 inhabitants), has a well-equipped village centre: a Carrefour Express convenience store, local produce grocery shops, two bakeries, an artisan butcher-charcutier, a pharmacy and an extensive health hub (several doctors, dentists, physiotherapists, nurses and osteopaths grouped on chemin de Saint-Barthélemy). The list includes the essential businesses and a few notable addresses; it is not exhaustive.

Where to eat

  • La Maison de Marius — delicatessen & restaurant · home-made cooking based on local and seasonal produce, 1 avenue Segond
  • Le Comptoir de Valérie — restaurant / bistro · village restaurant, Provençal produce
  • Brasserie du Plateau — brasserie · brasserie cooking in the village
  • Mia' Pizza — pizzeria · wood-fired pizzas
  • Restaurant du Musée de la Lavande — restaurant · on the plateau, on the outskirts of the village (Manosque road)

Services verified on 7 July 2026.

What to see, what to do

Valensole plateau (lavender fields)
Lavender/lavandin bloom from mid-June to mid-July, with full bloom usually from 25 June to 14 July. Harvesting starts around mid-July, sometimes earlier depending on the year: arriving in late July means risking fields that have already been cut — check how far along the bloom is before you travel. Described as the 'most photographed lavender fields in the world' according to MonGR. Picking is forbidden (working agricultural crop).

Culture, markets & festivals in Valensole

Market days

  • Saturday morning — Provençal market · village centre

Festivals & events

Fête de la Lavande de Valensole — third Sunday in July
Major lavender festival: Provençal market (approx. 80 stallholders), demonstrations of distillation in the still, folk dances, guided tours of the fields. From 9am to midnight.
Floraison de la lavande sur le plateau — mid-June to mid-July (depending on the weather)
Not an event but the peak flowering period on the Valensole plateau; heavy tourist numbers.

Culture & living heritage

Plateau and lavender fields — heritage
The Valensole plateau is one of the largest areas of lavender and lavandin cultivation in Provence; an emblematic landscape. Distilleries and local producers (honey, essential oils).
Saint-Blaise church — heritage
Romanesque-Gothic church of the village of Valensole; Provençal built heritage (fountains, lanes).

Local tips & secrets in Valensole

  • local tip The large Provençal market is held on Saturday mornings, generally from 8:00 to 13:00, on avenue Segond: matured goat’s cheeses, olives, honeys from the plateau. Come early, as the best products go quickly. — valensole.fr / tourisminprovence.com
  • local tip Valensole lavender honey carries the IGP Miel de Provence label: light colour, creamy texture, floral taste. A local souvenir to take home, straight from the beekeepers. — manosque-infos
  • free Beyond lavender, the plateau lives on almonds, olive oil and black truffle: ask about the producers and distilleries that open their doors for a tasting. — manosque-infos / generationvoyage
  • to avoid The Fête de la Lavande is traditionally held on a Sunday in mid-July (often the 3rd Sunday): a highlight for the village, but with maximum crowds. Plan your parking ahead. — fete-de-village.fr / greoux-les-bains.com
  • best time Lavender is generally in full bloom from late June to mid-July (often about 25 June to 14 July). In early June, you mostly see lavandin still green or fields not fully open: arriving too early is disappointing. — paysdemanosque.com / carnets-voyages.org
  • best time The light is at its most beautiful early in the morning and at the end of the day. Avoid high noon: crushing heat and harsh light that flattens the colours. Favour sunrise and sunset. — bgspix.com / carnets-voyages.org
  • to avoid Field etiquette: the fields are private and are the farmers’ livelihood. Do not pick, do not trample the rows, do not walk into the middle of the lines for a photo. Stay at the edge. — provence-alpes-cote-azur-experience / carnets-voyages.org
  • to avoid No drones over the fields: this is requested for the peace of the working bees (and is often banned). The humming of the hives is part of the experience; do not disturb it. — provence-alpes-cote-azur-experience
  • safety Even in summer, equip yourself for full sun on the plateau: plenty of water, a hat, sunglasses and sun cream. There is almost no shade between the fields. — carnets-voyages.org
  • local tip Many beekeeping farms and lavender distilleries open for visits with tastings: a chance to understand how essential oils are made and to taste lavender honey at the source. — manosque-infos / lesgorgesduverdon.fr

Addresses in Valensole

Accommodation, restaurants and activities listed on LiveVerdon — an independent Verdon directory.

Listings marked “Ad” (LiveVerdon plan) or “Recommended by the publisher” are ranked ahead of the others: plans first, then the publisher’s clients, then addresses recommended with no commercial link. How listings are ranked

Accommodation in Valensole

Activities & leisure in Valensole

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Near Valensole

Hikes in the area

GR4 — Traversée du Verdon →Cols de l'Âne et de Plein Voir →Gorges de Baudinard →Tour des Gorges du Verdon (GRP) →Baisse de Courchon →

Other communes in the Moustiers / Valensole / Riez area

Montagnac-Montpezat →Moustiers-Sainte-Marie →Puimoisson →Riez →Roumoules →Saint-Jurs →

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