Context brings the brightest minds to your living room with perspective-shifting online lectures.

Lavender Fields: Experiencing the Blue-Gold of Provence France with Margaux Hofstedt

Lavender Fields: Experiencing the Blue-Gold of Provence France with Margaux Hofstedt


No events are scheduled at this time. Want to be notified when it’s back? Click the blue button to the right and we’ll notify you.

Can't make this time? A video recording will be sent to all participants after the seminar.

Egyptians once favored lavender for embalming Pharaohs, women from the aristocracy wore scented cones of various aromatics – including lavender – on their heads, Greeks used it in ointments, Romans recognized lavender for its healing and antiseptic qualities and as an insect repellent. Lavandula, which is derived from the Latin lavare, which means to wash, was mostly used in Roman baths for its relaxing properties.
During this interactive seminar, we will learn about the amazing properties of lavender essential oil, its history, how it was used against the Great Plague in the Middle Ages, how the perfume industry encouraged Provencal farmers to cultivate the wonderful Lavandula Angustifolia, an iconic natural raw material found in the composition of thousands of perfumes. 
The South of France is very famous worldwide for its rolling fields of lavender which begin blooming in mid-June and are harvested Mid-July. Provence's story arc for any traveler visiting Provence in the Summer months is to explore this beautiful region following the Lavender off-the-beaten tracks routes, through lofty Lubéron slopes.
The development of lavender fields shaped the South of France landscapes, bringing travelers from all over the world to witness the quintessence of purple-blue summer landscapes. Together we will explore some of the most beautiful centuries-old Provencal sentinels, perched villages, and Cistercian Abbeys protecting the wonderful ‘blue-gold of Provence.

The daughter of a French perfumer from the city of Grasse, the world's capital of fragrances, Professor Margaux Hofstedt forever associates scents with childhood memories: of her dad's scented fingers; of the fields of roses, jasmine, and tuberose surrounding her family home; of mysterious smells, like sandalwood, and patchouli, brought back from exotic countries. After graduating from the prestigious Higher Institute of Fragrances and Flavors ISIPCA in Versailles, an institution founded by renowned perfumer Jean-Jacques Guerlain, she dedicated her professional life to teaching and lecturing, sharing her passion with various audiences worldwide. She also created perfume-making workshops not only at The House of Fragonard but also at the European University of Flavors and Fragrances in Provence, opening the doors of a sensory journey for anyone interested in understanding the creation process. In addition, she is professor of Food Studies at the Institute for American Universities and the American College of the Mediterranean in Aix-en-Provence, France. Prof Hofstedt is bilingual in French and in English.

This conversation is suitable for all ages.

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

Customer Reviews

Based on 6 reviews
83%
(5)
17%
(1)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
D
Debra B. (Denver, US)
Lavender Fields of France

A wonderful seminar of the many aspects of lavender: taxonomy, horticulture, geography, history, mythology, medicinal ,and culinary. I lovely review. And inspiring!

T
T. (Arlington, US)

I loved this presentation! The presenter took us through everything we’d want or need to know about lavender; including history, architecture, crafts, recipes, and all with marvelous photos that makes you want to travel to Provence today.

T
T. (Arlington, US)
Wonderful journey through Lavender fields of France

I loved this presentation! The presenter took us through everything we’d want or need to know about lavender; including history, architecture, crafts, recipes, and all with marvelous photos that makes you want to travel to Provence today.

S
Sandra Mittelsteadt (Bakersfield, US)
Wonderful presentation. One of the best I have seen!

This was one of the best presentations I have seen.

P
Pamela M (Key West, US)
Amazing photos

This was a fascinating program with incredible travel tips and gorgeous photographs and videos. And I knew none of the history that was shared. I will definitely check out some of the recipes she sent. A very enjoyable afternoon.

Customer Reviews

Based on 6 reviews
83%
(5)
17%
(1)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
D
Debra B. (Denver, US)
Lavender Fields of France

A wonderful seminar of the many aspects of lavender: taxonomy, horticulture, geography, history, mythology, medicinal ,and culinary. I lovely review. And inspiring!

T
T. (Arlington, US)

I loved this presentation! The presenter took us through everything we’d want or need to know about lavender; including history, architecture, crafts, recipes, and all with marvelous photos that makes you want to travel to Provence today.

T
T. (Arlington, US)
Wonderful journey through Lavender fields of France

I loved this presentation! The presenter took us through everything we’d want or need to know about lavender; including history, architecture, crafts, recipes, and all with marvelous photos that makes you want to travel to Provence today.

S
Sandra Mittelsteadt (Bakersfield, US)
Wonderful presentation. One of the best I have seen!

This was one of the best presentations I have seen.

P
Pamela M (Key West, US)
Amazing photos

This was a fascinating program with incredible travel tips and gorgeous photographs and videos. And I knew none of the history that was shared. I will definitely check out some of the recipes she sent. A very enjoyable afternoon.