Our family has been growing lavender on the Valensole plateau in the Alpes de Haute-Provence for four generations.
In 2002 we decided to go organic.

Traditionally, in Provence, the family would go with a bourrasse (a large bag) to cut the wild lavender in the woods to distil it and make essential oils. The essential oil was then sold to brokers for perfumers, notably in Grasse, and later to manufacturers of detergents.
Lavender was first cultivated in Valensole around 1900. This cultivation started gradually and developed until the year 2000. Our great-grandfather Kruger Magnan (better known as Marceau Magnan) took part in the constitution of the Groupement National des Producteurs de Lavande et de Lavandin in August 1940 in Valensole.

Aimé, Marceau’s son, continued the family business and also produced cuttings and lavender plants. Damien took over and transformed the whole farm into organic agriculture. He now works with his son Samuel who markets the farm’s products with his company Le Marché du Plateau.