Northern Italy is well known for being the industrial center of the country and the location of intensive agriculture and livestock production. This part of the country also offers some remarkable tourist attractions, and the beautiful Alps are a source of real enjoyment for outdoor enthusiasts. Few people know that an ancient tradition of aromatic plants production, collection and use is well established in this part of the country. Northwestern Italy is very unique, as the peculiar soil and climatic conditions and close proximity to France1, (the capital of the perfumery industry), have created the right conditions for a thriving niche business that has been operating since the 18th century. We were determined to explore this area of the country and search for the last survivors of this ancient tradition, and we've been amazed to discover how antiquity and modernity have blended together in fascinating ways.The producer we have selected as our new source for Lavender and other oils is the perfect example of this synergy. The father and son, (who is now head of the company), still work together while combining ancient techniques with the latest modern technologies.The photo above depict the equipment designed for wild lavender distillation by the father in 1925 after a long residence in France. During the time of our visit the construction of their new premises had just been completed, and we were very impressed!The beautiful old farmstead has been completely restored and equipped with the latest green technologies due to the organic and environmentally conscious attitude of the owners.Close to the old distillation equipment we found a modern hydro distillation unit. Unlike the common steam system used in hydro distillation, the steam comes from above and not from below. Less steam is needed for the extraction and it makes the process quicker. Hydro diffusion is less harsh than normal steam distillation and can also improve the quality of the extract.The patriarch told us that until 40 years ago the valley was covered with wild lavender. He remembered how hard his job was at that time, but he smiled happily as he reminisced about the time when "his nose was trained" by the French perfumers.Proudly he showed us some pictures and an old publication. It was the degree thesis of Mr. Guido Rovesti, son of Paolo Rovesti (1902-1983). He was a chemist and pharmacist who founded the Institute for the research on plant derivatives.He was the author of more than 500 publications dealing with experiments on phytochemistry, essential oils, medicinal plants and functional cosmetics. He is recognized as the "father of phytocosmetics"2. This picture shows the gentleman still on his bicycle during the lavender distillation.In modern times wild lavender has almost completely disappeared from the local mountains, and the family grows its own certified organic lavender in the fields.Because they are certified organic, the fields need to be kept clean entirely by hand. Here a man in a white t-shirt stands out in this sea of lavender. He is picking weeds by hand and depositing them into a wheelbarrow.Humans aren't the only workers swarming around the blooming lavender plants! The bees are the owners of the fields. The buzz of their activity was clearly audible above the sounds of twittering birds and human voices. The air was filled with the aroma of the lavender plants, and lightly touching a plant with our fingers was like opening a perfume bottle.In fact, we soon discovered that between two of the lavender fields there were many beehives. A local beekeeper keeps his hives there to produce lavender honey.The view from the top of the property is simply amazing, as the land is quite mountainous.Altitude is an important factor in growing lavender. These photos were taken at around 800 meters above sea level and we noticed a more bluish color in the lavender plants as the altitude increased.The high peaks of the Alps surrounded us, enclosing the area with snow-capped scenery even in the warm season.Wherever we turned our eyes we were awed by the beauty of the place! At our highest point in the journey, we decided to end our search for lavender in the Italian Alps. With this final close-up, we tried to capture all the beauty of our recent exploration: the Lavandula Angustifolia in its utmost purity!1 We were only 30 km far from the French border.2 See Manuale di Aromaterapia. Proprieta' ed uso terapeutico delle essenze aromatiche, Robert Tisserand. Pg. 49.
