Halloween at the Musée de la Lavande

During the All Saints’ Day school holidays, the Musée de la Lavande in Cabrières-d’Avignon gets into the Halloween spirit, with tours full of chilling anecdotes, magic lavender sachets, scented watercolour and activities for children.

Creative workshops, mysterious tales, unusual objects and family activities invite children and adults alike to see Provence’s fine lavender in a new light, blending mystery, creativity and Provençal traditions.

Magic lavender sachets for children, from 19 October to 1 November

From 19 to 25 October, every afternoon between 2pm and 4.30pm, children can make their very own lavender-scented sachet. Fabrics, ribbons and dried flowers are provided so they can put together a little keepsake, to keep in a wardrobe or tuck under a pillow. The workshop takes roughly 20 to 30 minutes and costs €2 per child, on top of the museum admission ticket.

From 26 October to 1 November, the workshop takes a more bewitching turn with the “magic potion sachet”: young wizards prepare a lavender sachet, then head home with what they have made. Times (2pm to 4.30pm), duration and price (€2 per child, added to the admission ticket) are unchanged.

A special Halloween guided tour: plague, miasmas and Four Thieves Vinegar

From 26 October to 1 November, the special Halloween guided tour fills the museum with a far more mysterious atmosphere. As the guide follows the story of fine lavender in Provence, the tour touches on age-old beliefs, distillation techniques, tales of plague and epidemics, miasmas, Four Thieves Vinegar and some of the most intriguing objects held in the collections.

The guide also explains what sets fine lavender apart from lavandin, how the crop was once harvested and distilled, and why certain plants came to be linked with folk beliefs. This family-friendly tour combines Provençal heritage, authentic facts and a few gentle shivers. It runs at 11am and 2pm, lasts about 1 hour and is covered by the museum admission ticket.

Scented watercolour with Nathalie Maire on 18, 21 and 28 October

On 18, 21 and 28 October, the scented watercolour workshop offers an original creative experience, led by professional watercolourist Nathalie Maire. The pigments are perfumed with natural essences used in perfumery, and the Conservatoire des Ocres de Roussillon developed them specially for the museum. As the brush moves across the page, fragrances settle into the paper, so everyone leaves with a painting to look at and to breathe in.

Each workshop day offers three sessions, at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm, each lasting about 1 hour. The price is €15 for an adult and €10 for a child, and it covers the workshop as well as a museum visit, either guided or with an audioguide.

30 October: frog hunt, witches’ potions and a fancy-dress snack

On Friday 30 October, the museum widens its programme with a Halloween day for children, designed with families in mind. All afternoon, little wizards can enjoy a range of activities:

• a hunt for mischievous frogs;
• witches’ potion making;
• magic lavender sachet making;
• temporary tattoos;
• games and little surprises;
• a mysterious gift taken from the bottom of the wizards’ chest.

A fancy-dress snack is also served to children from 2pm to 5pm. Witches, ghosts, pumpkins, vampires and other fantastical creatures are all welcome, and a costume is strongly recommended to make the most of this cheerfully bewitched day. The special Halloween guided tours still run at 11am and 2pm, and are covered by the museum admission ticket.

An audioguide route: stills and films on the Domaine du Château du Bois

Outside the guided tours, visitors can also explore the museum at their own pace with the audioguide, which comes with the admission ticket. The route, lasting about 1 hour, covers the botany, cultivation, harvest and distillation of fine lavender. It features the films about the Domaine du Château du Bois and lets visitors admire a remarkable collection of stills, along with objects tied to the history of lavender in Provence.