Atelier distillation - En anglais 🇬🇧

For 2 hours, go "from flower to bottle": you cut the lavender with a sickle, feed a traditional still, smell, taste... and leave with your essential oil.

Activity description

Here, we don't just tell you about distillation: you experience it. The "old-fashioned distillation" workshop is an immersive experience, designed to help you understand the techniques of the trade, and above all to create a tangible memory: you collect, you observe, you smell, you leave with your bottle.

For two hours, you begin with a clear introduction: what an agricultural distillery is, what is distilled, and how a still transforms a plant into essential oil. Then it's off to the fields: sickle in hand, you cut the lavender, gather it into bundles, and return to the distillery where the preheated still is ready to work.

The story continues "at the heart of the machines": Observation of the process, simple points of reference to understand steam/condensation/separation, and a visit to the restored antique stills. The workshop concludes with a sensory and convivial session: guided olfaction to differentiate between lavender and lavandin, tasting of a handcrafted lavender syrup made with Vercors spring water, and presentation of a souvenir bottle.

Highlights ☀️

• A real participatory experience: harvesting with a sickle, a traditional still in operation and the true gestures of the trade.
• "Family and transmission" format: accessible, concrete, lively (you understand by doing).
• Souvenir included: 1 bottle of essential oil per participant (not an option, it is the final point of the experience).
• Complete sensory experience: olfactory workshop and tasting of an artisanal syrup, you leave with sensations, not just photos.
• Setting at the foot of the Vercors mountains: fields, mountains, and equipped site (parking, toilets, reception).

Key information ✅

Prices 🏷️

• €13 full adult price
• €11 group rate (15 people or more)
• €9 solidarity rate
• €9 for children aged 6–17
• Free for children under 6

Schedules and time slots ⏰

• Workshop conducted in French: Mondays and Wednesdays at 5:00 PM
• Workshop conducted in English: Wednesday at 5:00 PM
• Duration: 2 hours

Meeting point 📍

Distillerie des 4 Vallées

302 chemin des Garandons, 26150 Chamaloc (Drôme)
Google Maps link: https://share.google/vWk6EcJKBquruo3Wt

Contact 📞

• By email: contact@lavandes.fr

• By phone: 04 75 22 20 12

• On our website: https://www.reservation.lavandes.fr/contact.html

Capacity & audiences 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒

• Participants: 2 to 99 years old
• Group size: from 15 to 40 people (depending on the organization)

  • Groups / private events / specific needs: contact recommended

• Workshop will proceed with a minimum of 4 participants; cancellation possible up to 48 hours in advance if there are insufficient registrations (alternative/postponement offered).

Accessibility & comfort 🥰

• Service animals allowed

• Toilets and water point on site

• Chairs available

• Children's area available with educational booklet

• No particular physical condition required

• Accessible by stroller

• Wheelchair: no (in the sense of ""activity"": terrain/fields and technical areas).

Parking 🚗

• Private parking directly at the distillery: approximately 30 spaces, including bicycles/motorcycles and camper vans

• Public parking 150m away

• Accueil Vélo label (secure parking, charging station, repair kit, route advice)

"On-the-ground" tips 🤠

• Closed shoes + hat or cap + water bottle (especially in summer).

Educational sequence 👨🏻‍🏫

1) Welcome & workshop framework

We set the framework: what you will do, how the workshop will unfold, and how to participate easily, even without prior knowledge, and a simple promise: "You will understand by doing" also the instructions to ensure the workshop remains smooth and enjoyable, even with children.

2) Understanding the "old-fashioned" still

The guide explains the principle in simple terms: heat, steam, condensation, separation. You identify the key components and the "direction" of each step.

3) Traditional harvesting: sickle in hand

Head to the fields (only in summer): you cut the lavender with a sickle and help bundle it. This step gives meaning to the rest: you start with the raw material, not a pre-filled bottle.

4) Back to the distillery: from plant to steam

The bales are taken care of, the preheated still is ready: you follow the logic of the transformation and understand the key points to watch out for (material, heat, time). This is where the workshop shifts from "harvesting" to "simple science".

5) Observation of the distillation process in operation

You observe the still in action and the guide comments on what is happening, step by step, to make the process understandable. The goal is not to give a lecture: it is to give you a clear mental framework that you will remember.

6) Technical heritage: restored antique stills

You walk among restored antique stills: the gestures of yesterday are linked to the needs of today (performance, safety, quality). This sequence reinforces authenticity: we see the continuity of a craft, not a set design.

7) Olfactory workshop: lavender vs lavandin

You smell, you compare, you learn to recognize the differences and to choose according to the intended use. You leave with concrete reference points (olfactory profile, typicality), not just "it smells good".

8) A convivial moment: tasting & souvenir

Enjoy a tasting of artisanal lavender syrup made with spring water from the Vercors region, followed by a bottle of essential oil to conclude the experience. The goal is clear: you leave with a tangible reminder of what you have just experienced.

FAQ 🙋🏻

1) How long is the workshop?

The workshop lasts 2 hours. It is a deliberately long format to allow time for harvesting, observing the still in operation, smelling the wine and ending with a convivial moment.

2) When do the workshops take place?

In the summer, the workshop is run in French on Mondays and Wednesdays at 5 pm and in English, also on Wednesdays at 5 pm. The site is open every day, but the workshop is offered at specific times to ensure supervision and group dynamics.

3) Is it suitable for children?

Yes: the workshop is designed to be participatory and family-oriented. Children grasp the logic of "I cut → I see → I smell" very well, and smelling is often their favorite sequence.

4) What exactly does the ticket include?

The ticket includes harvesting with a sickle, observing a traditional still in operation, visiting the old stills, the olfactory workshop, tasting homemade syrup, and a bottle of essential oil of its own production given to each participant.

5) Is the workshop wheelchair accessible?

No, in the strict sense of the activity: It involves movement and a sequence in/to the fields, and some technical areas are inaccessible. Strollers are permitted, but for specific accessibility needs, it is best to choose a more suitable alternative tour.

6) How many participants are required for the workshop to be held?

The workshop will proceed with a minimum of 4 participants. If there are insufficient registrations, the booking can be cancelled up to 24 hours in advance, with an alternative or rescheduled option offered.

7) Can we come as a group?

Yes: a group rate applies for groups of 15 or more. For pre-formed groups, it is recommended to contact the team in advance to finalize the arrangements and ensure everyone's participation.

8) What kind of outfit should I plan to wear?

Closed-toe shoes (essential), hat/cap and water in warm weather. You are outdoors in a field workshop, so comfort and safety are paramount.

Keywords 📃

Distillation workshop – Traditional distillation – Lavender – Lavandin – Still – Harvesting with a sickle – Participatory experience – Family outing – Drôme – Vercors – Local producer – Know-how – Know-how tourism – Olfactory workshop – Essential oil – Lavender syrup tasting.