Lavender Picking & Distillation Workshop near Arles

Harvest lavender with a traditional pruning hook, load it into the still, and bottle the oil you made

A 2.5-hour lavender picking and distillation workshop near Arles where you harvest flowers in the field, follow the extraction process in the distillery, and fill a bottle with floral water and essential oil you've made yourself. The workshop includes a cutting tool and protective gloves. You'll leave with your own creation. A guide leads the session in English or French.

The experience

The workshop starts in the lavender fields where you learn to use a traditional Provençal pruning hook to cut the flowers. This is not a demonstration. You do the harvesting yourself, working through the rows to gather what you'll process. Once you've picked enough, you move into the distillery building where the real work begins: loading your lavender into the still and watching the extraction unfold. The guide walks you through how organic essential oils are separated from the plant material, the same method used for cosmetics and perfumery.

The second half is where you see the result of your labor. You fill your own bottle with the floral water and essential oil that came directly from the plants you cut and the still you helped load. It takes about 2.5 hours from field to finished bottle, and you leave holding something you made with your hands, not a souvenir, but an actual product of the process. The workshop runs in English or French depending on the group.

Wear sunscreen and bring water. Both are essentials in a Provençal summer. The site is accessible by public transport if you're traveling without a car. Children must be at least 10 years old to participate, and a moderate level of fitness helps with the picking and standing time in the distillery.

What’s included

• Cutting tool and protective gloves.
• guide in English or French.
• instruction in harvesting and distillation.
• the floral water and essential oil you extract and bottle.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 5 Jun 2027

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Under 10: can't be booked

GroupUp to 20 · max 8 per booking

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by un MAS en PROVENCE de la plante au parfum

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English or French, so you'll follow the instruction comfortably in whichever language suits you. The moderate physical fitness requirement reflects the time spent picking in the field and standing in the distillery, not a steep hike or heavy lifting.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly do I harvest and how long does the picking part take?

You harvest lavender using a traditional Provençal pruning hook, cutting the flower heads and stems from the plants in the field. The picking portion is the first part of the workshop. The distillery work follows once you've gathered enough material.

Will I actually see my lavender turn into oil, or is that done behind the scenes?

You load your lavender into the still yourself and stay to watch the entire extraction process unfold. The guide shows you how the essential oil and floral water separate from the plant, so you see the transformation happen, then you fill your own bottle with what you've made.

Is this workshop suitable for someone with no farming or distilling experience?

Yes. The guide teaches you how to use the pruning hook and walks you through each step of the distillation process. No prior knowledge is needed. The workshop is designed for first-timers who want to learn by doing.

Can I get to the workshop without a car?

Public transportation options are available nearby, so you can reach the site without driving. Check local transit routes from Arles or Nîmes before your visit.

What do I take home at the end?

You take home the bottle of floral water and essential oil you extracted and filled yourself. The cutting tool and gloves are provided for use during the workshop.