La Maison Angelvin
Nestled between Valensole and Puimoisson on the D56 road, Maison Angelvin has been producing, harvesting, and distilling essential oils for four generations. Founded in 1957 by “Grandpa” Louis Angelvin, this family distillery has continuously evolved and reinvented itself over the decades. Today, it offers exceptional local products: essential oils, olive oil, honey, almonds… treasures waiting to be discovered!
On the Valensole plateau, in the heart of beautiful Provence, a magnificent patchwork of colors unfolds before you. The deep purple of lavender fields contrasts with the pale yellow of durum wheat. The delicate pink of clary sage and the luminous yellow of immortelle flowers complete this enchanting tableau. You’ll also discover olive and almond trees, the emblematic and quintessential trees of our Provençal terroir.
1957
The Origins: “Grandpa Louis” Creates His Distillery
It all begins in 1957, when Louis Angelvin founded his distillery, one of the very first on the Valensole plateau. In those days, lavandin was cut with a sickle, tied into bundles by hand, then dried for a week in the fields, standing upright in “gerbiers.”
Once dry, the bundles were pitchforked onto a trailer before being transported to the distillery. There, Lucien, his son, took over the distillation process. He meticulously stacked the bundles into the vat. Steam then passed through the plant material before completing its journey in the condenser. At the outlet, the precious oil finally appeared, rewarding entire days of hard labor.
1974
The Age of Mechanization: The First Mechanical Harvester
The year 1974 marked a decisive turning point with the arrival of the first mechanical harvester. This innovation represented a considerable leap forward, and Lucien threw himself wholeheartedly into working with his new machine. His son Jean, then 13 years old, eagerly awaited lunchtime to take the controls himself.
1990
Farewell to Manual Collection
In 1990, the self-loading trailer arrived, signaling the end of manual collection. The era of modernization was in full swing, heralding the beginning of complete harvest mechanization.
1995
A Revolution: The New Green-Chopped Distillery
Lucien and Jean, always driven by innovation, realized that the bundle harvesting system had reached its limits. Inspired by mint harvesting methods in the United States and by some pioneering neighbors, father and son designed their own revolutionary system.
In 1995, a new distillery was born at Maison Angelvin, using a green-chopped process (stems and flowers chopped together): 3-row forage harvester with towed containers, oil-fired boiler, and evaporative condenser.
In 1997, Lucien retired with peace of mind, proud to have invented and perfected the evaporative condenser. He passed on this efficient tool to his son Jean, who took over the family operation.
2015
Jean Innovates in His Turn
Like his father before him, Jean left his mark on lavandin harvesting and distillation. He developed the 4-row forage harvester – still unique in France today – and improved his father’s famous condenser, which has now become the standard for next-generation distilleries.
2021
The Legacy Continues: The Fourth Generation
“Grandpa Louis’s” great-grandchildren are taking their first steps on the family farm. This new generation allows Jean to dedicate more time to direct sales and developing his “Maison Angelvin” brand, sharing with the public the passion and expertise passed down through generations.