TRAVEL: A Trip to Provence with L’Occitane

*This trip was sponsored by L’Occitane en Provence. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

As many of you know, I got the opportunity to travel to Provence a couple of weeks ago with L’Occitane. It was a trip that I have only dreamed of  when I saw a few of my favorite bloggers post about it last year, and no way did I think it would be my reality this year! It was the trip of a lifetime and it allowed me to both experience a country I never have before and to also take an in-person peek behind the scenes to see all the labor and work that goes into producing products for the brand!

For the trip, we were hosted at L’Occitane’s own hotel, Le Couvent des Minimes Hotel. I knew it was beautiful, having looked at it online before traveling there, but the beauty of it in person is unimaginable! It has a modern, yet homey feel. It is surrounded by the Alpes de Haute Provence mountains and also has a top-of-the-line spa, in which of course L’Occitane luxury and natural skincare products and essential oils are used!

Behind me are the beautiful gardens of Le Couvent des Minimes. We were able to meet with the plant expert, Tachka, where we learned while touring the hard work that goes into growing aromatic plants and we also learned the process of distillation. During this time, Tachka prepared everyone fresh rose water, made with organic roses. It was quite refreshing to start off the day!

So at the Le Couvent des Minimes Hotel and L’Occitane Spa, I received a facial. Going into this, I was like, “okay, another facial…no big deal.” Ummm…LIES! This was hands down, the most incredible facial I’ve had in my life. From the natural scents of the various L’Occitane skincare products used, to how well my skin felt during and afterwards, I was astonished. It was the just hydration I needed for my skin. The estheticians on site were also so nice! It always puts icing on the cake when customer service is top notch. You have to add this spa to your bucket list beauties!

During my travels to Provence with L’Occitane, I was able to check something new off my bucket list…a hot air balloon ride! I have never been one to be afraid of heights or much of anything else to be honest, so I was the first person to hop in the basket and stand against the edge! The view over Provence was to die for. There’s just something so exhilarating about being high up and looking far down at everything. We were over 5000 feet in the air! My mom freaked out a little when I texted her the video! 😝

Next comes the part that everyone asked me about…the lavender fields! Being the lover of essential oils that I am, I thoroughly enjoyed this, bees included, haha! I also learned that there are 2 types of lavender, which I didn’t know before. There is “lavender” and there is “lavandin.” “Lavender” is a sweeter more delicate scent and “lavandin” is more of a medicinal scent, being much taller in height than lavender. L’Occitane’s Lavende skincare line is made with lavender, as you’ll see below in these beautiful fields! ☺️

To actually get to the lavender fields, we got the chance to ride in these cute little, vintage L’Occitane Citroen 2CV cars. I have always seen photos of these, but never in a million years would I think I’d actually ride in one and also get to take photos in one…another bucket list check! 😏

After several near bee stings (just ask the others how I took my pictures while screaming, haha!), we got the chance to enjoy a nice picnic lunch. Now mind you, before actually going out there, I was thinking to myself how hot it would be, based on the temperatures we experienced while exploring the lavender fields. However, I got out there and the weather was so nice and pleasant! There’s was a slightly cool breeze and it was all nice and shaded under the trees. It was the perfect place to enjoy a healthy, outdoor picnic and it really allowed us to enjoy nature while doing so! It was great to experience this in Provence, because in Texas, we would have probably nearly died in the heat. 😅

On the final day before departure, we got the chance to visit an olive oil mill, Moulin des Mées. If you didn’t already know, this is a producer of the olive oil used in L’Occitane’s haircare collection!

Also on the final day before departure, we got to enjoy a yummy lunch with the founder of L’Occitane, Olivier Baussan. He was so humble, even with the success of his business, an amazing man to meet in person!

Another highlight of the trip for me was getting the opportunity to visit the L’Occitane laboratories in Manosque. We were able to physically see the labor that goes into producing L’Occitane’s beauty products, as well as experience the quality control that goes into making each item. It definitely helped me to appreciate the brand more than I already did! ☺️

It was so incredible to experience L’Occitane, behind the brand, to understand and better appreciate all the hard work that goes into making their products. I already knew how great their skincare was, but to see the ingredients and get a chance to touch a few things in the lab, I can definitely see how passionate everyone is about the brand, and these days, that’s hard to come across. Everyone we met at the lab were so excited to share everything with us and it showed their true passion. It made me even more passionate about the brand as well!

I have linked a few of my favorite L’Occitane products in the widget below! If you have any favorites I missed, be sure to let me know so I can check them out! 🧡

Photos: SJR & Co Photography and Loïc Legros Photography