Newsletter

Autumn 2004

In Praise of Provence (France)

For 20 years Atlantic Aromatics have made a specialty of supplying organic oils from Provence. Our current range of oils includes the following oils from this region - Lavender, Camomile, Clary Sage, Cedarwood, Fennel, Melissa, Neroli Water, Peppermint, Pine, Thyme and Immortelle.

What makes oils from Provence so special? There are four main reasons.

Firstly, this is the native region for Lavender and many other aromatic plants. One of the reasons plants produce essential oils is to help them cope with drought. Here the combination of hot sunny dry summers, cold winters with snow cover, and sufficient rainfall in spring make ideal conditions for oil production in many aromatic plants - in particular for Lavender where oil from the mountains of Provence is undoubtedly the finest anywhere in the world.

Secondly, the French people have a long tradition of agriculture based on the concept of the terrain whereby particular regions and sites are most suited for particular plants. For example, the wine growers of the Loire valley only grow Sauvignon Blanc grapes. They don’t try to grow Lavender flowers or Peppermint or Chardonnay grapes even though they could. This rigid maintenance of tradition has its drawbacks. Some of the traditional grapes of the South of France have until recently produced very dull traditional wines. However, when the concept of matching the plant grown with the landscape is married to common sense and the judicious use of improved new technologies, the resultant products are of the very highest quality.

Thirdly, a number of excellent growers and distillers have embraced organic methods of agriculture, producing oils of great richness and vitality which have the highest therapeutic potential and the most vigorous aromas.

Fourthly, the French adhere rigidly to certification standards. Their A.O.C. (application d'origin controlee) system is used to regulate production of many products, including essential oil of Lavender. In addition their Organic Certification procedures provide an excellent guarantee of oil quality and authenticity.

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