Valley of the Sun

The Plateau of Valensole is situated at an altitude of 500m above sea level in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France. The name means Valley of the Sun (from the Latin vallis and solis) and for good reason: it gets over 300 days of sun a year. Every July, the plateau becomes a kaleidoscope of colours, as fields of sunflowers and lavender bloom under the blue sky. At dusk and for a fleeting moment, the colours of sky and earth align in a silent, fragrant harmony.