| The Lavender Museum
in Coustellet - Luberon - Provence |
The Lavender
 The
Romans used lavender to scent their baths as well
as their freshly washed laundry. Our grandmothers
called it the clothes guard. We also say that it
is the "Swiss Knife" of aromatherapy because
since the beginning of time, from Dioscoride in "Materia
medica" in the 1st century up to René Maurice
Gattefossé
who gave rise to modern aromatherapy in 1928, lavender
has always been recognized and used for its medicinal
properties. |
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In
aromatherapy, pure lavender in the form of "100%
pure and natural essential oil" has its place
in the treatment of insomnia (2 to 3 drops on the
pillow), of irritability (circulated in the air),
of headaches (massage it on your temples), of stress
(5 to 6 drops in the bath).
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| Fine
Lavender, spike lavender and hybrid lavender |
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Fine
Lavender grows on the dry Provençal
mountains above 800 metres altitude. It is a
small plant with only one flower on each stem.
It reproduces itself by seeding. It is also called "population
lavender ". Used since the beginning of
time for it medicinal properties, it was the "blue
gold" of the region when it was sought after
by the largest perfume makers for its very delicate
fragrance, hence the name, used by producers,
of "fine lavender". It takes approximately
130 kg of flowers to obtain, by distillation,
1 litre of essential oil. In a good year, one
hectare of plants could produce up to 25 litres
of essential oil.
Spike
Lavender grows in scrub land between 0 et 600 metres
of altitue. It is a large plant with several branchings,
each stalk bears many, small flowers. It reproduces itself
by seeding. Little used in France because its fragrance
is too strong (too camphorated), it does serve in Spain
and Portugal as a thinner for oil paints and on porcelain. |
Hybrid
Lavender grows between 0 and 800 metres
altitude anywhere in the world. It is a large
plant, has 2 branchings and forms a highly developed
cluster in the form of a ball. It is a hybrid,
which means a cross between fine lavender and
spike lavender. Because it is sterile, Man propagates
it with cuttings. It is also said that it is
a clone. It was brought into cultivation starting
in 1950, and since it has been confused with
fine lavender. That is wrong because it has a
stronger fragrance, much less subtle than the
fine lavender, and it can not used for its medicinal
properties. Its use remains industrial, for scenting
housecleaning products and detergents. The flower
is used for making the little sachets of lavender.
It
takes about 40 kg of flowers to obtain 1 litre of its essential
oil (a much more interesting yield than from the fine lavender!). |
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Musée
de la Lavande
Route de Gordes
84220 Coustellet
Luberon - Provence
Phone : 04 90 76 91 23 - Fax : 04 90
76 85 52
Contact
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