Stopping to smell the lavender

I’ve never visited fields of lavender nor heard of any in Croatia or Belgium. Until a friend mentioned a friend who knew of a place like that in Belgium. You know how it goes. Anyhow, I found out about it last autumn and waited nearly a year to finally see one, and boy was it worth it! You can find Limburg Lavendel not far outside Hasselt, next to fields of corn and a bike trail.

It’s not as big as those fields of lavender you see in Provence but it has its charm. As we drove to the parking lot, we passed by the field and could instantly smell the flowers. As we approached the field, the opulent scent of lavender washed all over us. It seemed to be even stronger due to hundreds of bees buzzing about.

Grégory was a bit careful about going into what sounded like a giant nest of bees, but I couldn’t wait. Also, I figured (correctly) that they would be so busy with the flowers they wouldn’t bother us.

The cutest part was the big amount of butterflies in all colors, flying from flower to flower. In fact, what Grégory did the most during our visit was chase butterflies with the camera. Considering the fact that he was running after them with an aperture of F1.8, he got some rather sharp results.

Aside from the rows of lavender, the farm consists of a rose labyrinth, an herb garden, and another garden filled with modern art sculptures. You can also relax on the terrace of the café, overlooking the rows of lavender. I couldn’t help but imagine if I lived in the neighborhood, how often I would drop by. To just sit there and write while enjoying the scent of lavender.

I still wish to one day visit those endless fields of lavender in Provence but until then, this will do. It’s an unexpected hint of Provence in Belgium and a pleasant visit on a sunny Sunday.