About L'Essentiel en Provence
L'Essentiel en Provence is the shop of a family distillery that Raoul Duffez founded in 1947 at Montségur-sur-Lauzon, among the lavender fields of the Drôme provençale. Several generations later, the family still distills its own fine lavender and helichrysum, and most of its essential oils are certified organic. The shop is on Chemin de la Decelle in Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux, a short drive from the distillery.
The shop's draw for visitors is its workshops, held on fixed dates or booked on request for two people or more. The beginner aromatherapy workshop runs two hours for €25 and covers how oils are extracted, ten everyday oils and how to blend them. A three-and-a-half-hour session goes deeper for €45, and a full-day course costs €110. In September 2026 the calendar also included two-hour lavender micro-distillation sessions, where you see a small still at work, plus custom face cream workshops.
On the shelves you will find the family's essential oils and floral waters, vegetable oils, diffusers, aromatherapy books, and Provence goods such as honey, nougat, soap and candles. Gift boxes and workshop vouchers are also sold.
Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux sits in the Tricastin, southwest of Grignan, so the shop pairs well with a drive through the lavender around Grignan and Valréas.
Lavender here
- Visiting
- Shop in Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux with booked aromatherapy, cosmetics and micro-distillation workshops.
- Varieties grown
- Fine lavender
From the farm shop
- Organic fine lavender and helichrysum essential oils
- Floral waters
- Aromatherapy blends
What to do
- Take a two-hour beginner aromatherapy workshop (€25)
- Watch a small lavender still at work in a micro-distillation session
- Make your own face cream in a workshop
- Buy the family's organic lavender and helichrysum oils
Season, hours and prices
- Admission
- Workshops (posted 2026): beginner €25, intermediate €45, full-day professional €110
Good to know
- Reservations
- Workshops booked ahead, on fixed dates or on request for 2 or more people
Tips for your visit
- Fixed workshop dates are announced on their social pages; call to set a private date.
- Their website does not post shop hours, so call before driving over.
Getting there
Questions
Can I see lavender distilled at L'Essentiel en Provence?
Yes, the shop holds lavender micro-distillation sessions on set dates, such as two in September 2026.
How much is an aromatherapy workshop?
The two-hour beginner workshop costs €25.
Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
