"Lavender is the very soul of Haute Provence. Whether one arrives from the Drome, the Dauphine or the Var, here the earth's arid expanses are covered with violet-blue and scented...". The words of the novelist Jean Giono still ring true, although today lavender is grown throughout the world, from Piedmont in Italy to Wales, and from Bulgaria to China and Japan. From the mountains of Provence, it has journeyed into the bottles of the greatest perfume confectioners, while its many varieties have colonized our gardens. This friend of health and beauty has become one of the most important aromatherapy oils. As a culinary accompaniment, it adds an original and subtle note to sweet and savoury dishes alike, a flavour both fresh and sunny, comprised of herbs and flowers. In Provence and elsewhere, lavender can be found in many places: in the home, the garden, in perfumes, in cookery and even in a book, particularly when an author like Anne Simonet-Avril and a photographer such as Sophie Boussabha bring to the subject the depth of their knowledge and affectionate regard. Book jacket.
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