Tourrettes-sur-Loup is famous for being “the land of violets.”
The village has made violet cultivation, its identity, the main economic source and a tourist attraction.
Tourrettes-sur-Loup is a village perched between sea and mountain, about 20 minutes from the coast. It is a medieval village and one of the most authentic in the region.
Of incredible charm are the old stone houses set in the ramparts and which have been built around the fortified town since the 19th century.
Tourettes-sur-Loup is the privileged site of an incredible historical and architectural richness but also the privileged meeting place of artists and craftsmen who give life to this small village.
This village on the French Riviera is the only place in France where violets are grown as the main crop for horticulturists. Here the flower-named Violet Victoria-is grown organically and reasoned to offer a product of excellence. It is therefore not for nothing that Tourrettes-sur-Loup is known as the “country of violets.”
The violet is the only variety that is still grown in all seasons of the year so that it can be used for various purposes. In spring, the flower is harvested and intended for confectionery. In the summer season, the leaf is mowed to be distilled in the various perfumeries in Grasse. In autumn and winter, the flowers are harvested to form pretty bouquets.
A place entirely dedicated to the violet is the Bastide aux Violettes. This is a museum where the history of Tourrettes, its soil, and the different uses of the violet are told. In addition, there is an opportunity to observe the cultivation methods and the flower in full season through a tour of the greenhouses.
La Bastide also presents products made from the violet, with the possibility of purchasing them.
In March, Tourrettes-sur-Loup celebrates its flower during the Violet Festival. Created in 1952, the event is the village’s main annual event and attracts many tourists.
The vivid color and heady scent of the violet flood the streets. The day is marked by many suggestions of activities “in purple,” and the village is tinged with the color of its flower from the early hours of the morning.
On the program, animations for children and adults, a market of local producers, floral creations with a parade, and many other surprises.