Herbes de Provence is sold in most US supermarkets, the big online spice shops and Amazon, so the hard part is not finding a jar. It is choosing between two different products that share one name: blends with lavender, which taste floral, and blends without it, which stay green and herbal. Decide which one you want, read the ingredient line to confirm it, and then pick the channel that sells that style in the size you will actually finish.
This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
What Is Herbes de Provence, and Who Decides the Recipe?
Herbes de Provence is a mixture of dried aromatic herbs named for Provence, the region in southeastern France, and used to season roast poultry, food off the grill, roasted vegetables, soups and stews. The usual base is savory, marjoram, rosemary, thyme and oregano. Past that, producers add basil, bay leaf, tarragon, fennel, parsley or a floral note as they see fit, and there is no fixed formula.
The packaged herb blend is younger than it sounds. Spice wholesalers, among them the French firm Ducros (now part of McCormick & Company), began selling commercial versions in the 1970s. Before that the phrase simply described the herbs of the south of France, which cooks used one at a time. Jean-Baptiste Reboul’s 1910 Provençal cookbook, a standard reference for Provençal cuisine, has no lavender in it at all.
The name has no protected geographical status, in France or in the United States, so anyone can print it on a jar. One French quality scheme does pin it down. The Label Rouge specification calls for 19% thyme, 27% rosemary, 27% savory and 27% oregano, with nothing floral. Those jars are ordinary in French supermarkets and rare outside of France, and by one estimate cited in the Wikipedia entry only about 10% of the product sold in France is actually made there.
Lavender or Not: What Each Brand Actually Puts in the Jar
That one flower is the single biggest difference between brands, and the front label almost never tells you about it. The table below uses the ingredient lists each seller published on its own product page in October 2026. Producers reformulate, so treat it as a starting point and read the jar in your hand.
| Blend | Listed herbs | Lavender | Formats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Label Rouge spec (France) | Thyme, rosemary, savory, oregano | No | French retail |
| Burlap and Barrel | Rosemary, savory, oregano, thyme | No | 0.8 oz jar, 7 oz |
| McCormick Gourmet Organic | Rosemary, marjoram, thyme, savory, sage | Not listed | 0.65 oz jar |
| The Spice House | 11 herbs incl. tarragon, fennel, dill | Yes | 0.8 oz jar or flatpack, 2 oz bag |
| Savory Spice | 8 herbs incl. marjoram, basil, tarragon | Yes | 1 oz jar or refill, 1.5 oz bag |
| Spice Jungle | Savory, fennel, thyme, rosemary | Yes | 1 oz to 5 lb |
| Herbco (bulk) | Basil, rosemary, thyme, parsley, savory | Yes | 1/4 lb, 1 lb |
The reason a floral blend can taste soapy is dose, not the flower itself. A pinch reads as floral lift on roast chicken; a heavy hand in a long stew concentrates it until it tastes like a bar of soap. What the front label does not tell you is the order on the back: US ingredient lists run from most to least by weight, so a flower listed last is a background note, while one listed second will dominate. Culinary lavender is food grade, not the oil sold for scent.
Five Label Checks Before You Buy
- The floral question, and where it sits in the list. Pick floral or green first, because it moves the taste more than brand or price does.
- Every herb named. A good seasoning label names each herb used. An ingredient line reading only “spices” or “herbs” means the producer would rather you did not know.
- Cut size. Whole and rubbed leaves hold their oils longer and suit a dry rub or a long braise. Finely milled versions disperse evenly through a marinade or dressing but fade faster once opened.
- Net weight against shelf price. A supermarket jar often holds under an ounce, which is why the sticker looks small and the cost per ounce does not. Divide before you compare.
- Date code, then organic. Most jars carry a best-by or lot code on the bottom or shoulder. Organic certification covers how the herbs were grown, not how recently they were dried, so a conventional jar off a fast-moving shelf can out-taste an organic one that sat for two years.
Where to Buy Herbes de Provence in Stores
Most supermarkets carry it, just not where you look first. The main spice rack often stops at Italian seasoning, and this blend gets shelved with the gourmet or organic jars, the same problem that sends shoppers hunting for dashi or cotija cheese in the wrong aisle.
Supermarkets and Big-Box Stores
The jar you are most likely to see at Walmart and in regional chains is McCormick Gourmet Organic in a 0.65 ounce bottle, with Badia as the other name Walmart lists. Shelf placement and stock vary by store, and Walmart’s own listing has shown the McCormick jar out of stock at times, so check the app for your store before a special trip. Regional grocers such as Martin’s list the same McCormick jar, usually in the premium spice section rather than the main rack.
Natural Grocers, Bulk Bins and Cookware Stores
Natural grocers and food co-ops with bulk herb bins are where the value sits: you can buy two tablespoons of a herb mixture, smell it, and stop. Assortments vary by location, so call ahead. For imported tins and gift sets, Williams-Sonoma is the usual cookware-store stop. Check the site first, since store assortments differ from the online catalog.
Buying Online: Retail Sites and Spice Specialists
Online sellers carry the widest range for French cooking, including blends grown in Provence and traditional recipes that never reach a US grocery shelf, and shipping is cheap on something this light.
Amazon and the Big Retail Sites
Amazon lists everything from grocery jars to the 3.5 ounce Straight from France tin. Sort reviews by most recent before ordering, since freshness depends on how fast that seller moves inventory. Walmart.com lists more brands and multi-packs than most stores hold, with store pickup where it is in stock.
Spice Specialists and Direct Sellers
Herbco sells a cut and sifted version by the quarter pound and pound, and Spice Jungle runs from 1 ounce up to 5 pounds. The Spice House and Savory Spice ship small jars and refill bags direct. King Arthur Baking sells a rosemary, savory, oregano and thyme blend through their online shop, and Burlap and Barrel sells a single-origin blend grown and blended in Provence, though its own site showed it unavailable in October 2026. Specialists publish the full ingredient list, the one check you can make before ordering.
| Where you buy | Typical amount | Cost per ounce | Freshness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarket jar | Under 1 oz | Highest | Depends on turnover |
| Cookware or gourmet store | 1 to 3 oz | High | Usually good |
| Amazon | 1 to 4 oz | Middle | Varies by seller |
| Spice shop or bulk bin | Any weight | Lowest | Usually best |
| Online bulk supplier | 4 oz and up | Lowest | Good if you cook often |
Four Mix-Ups That Change the Dish
Treating it as Italian seasoning. Both use oregano and thyme, but this mix leans on savory and often carries fennel or tarragon. Swap them in tomato sauces and the dish goes somewhere else.
Confusing it with fines herbes. Fines herbes is a separate classic French herb blend, usually parsley, chives, tarragon and chervil, added at the end of cooking rather than the start. Same country, opposite job.
Paying for the gift packaging. Decorative crocks, cork-topped tins and boxed sets are priced for the container. What is inside is often the same mix that company sells in a plain jar.
Buying the biggest bag you can find. A pound of anything fragrant is a bargain only if you finish it, and most home cooks reach for this seasoning a few times a month.
Storage, and How to Tell a Jar Is Finished
Dried herbs never become unsafe; they just stop working, and you compensate by adding more. This mix fades faster than ground spices because so much of its character sits in volatile, aromatic leaf oils rather than seed or bark. Three checks tell you where a jar stands:
- Crush a pinch between your fingers. Fresh product releases a clear resinous smell within a second or two.
- Look at the color. Grey and dusty means the oils are gone, while a fresh mix still shows distinct green leaf.
- Taste a few flakes dry. If you cannot pick out rosemary or thyme, the jar is finished.
Store in an airtight container in a dark cabinet, away from the stove and the dishwasher vent. Steam does more damage to a fragrant blend than time does. If you buy in bulk, a small glass mason jar for daily use, refilled from a sealed bag, keeps the main supply out of the kitchen air.
Top Picks
Picks are chosen on ingredient transparency, format and cost per ounce. Prices change often, so check the current listing.
Best Provence-grown blend: Burlap and Barrel Herbes de Provence. Rosemary, savory, oregano and thyme grown in Provence, close to the Label Rouge recipe. Its own site listed it as unavailable in October 2026, so the Amazon listing may be the easier route while stock returns. Check price on Amazon
Best French import: Straight from France Herbes de Provence. A France-packed blend in a 3.5 ounce tin, several times the volume of a grocery jar. Read the panel to confirm whether the batch includes lavender. Check price on Amazon
Easiest to find: McCormick Gourmet Organic Herbes de Provence. The version most American grocery stores stock, USDA Organic, with rosemary, marjoram, thyme, savory and sage listed. It is a small 0.65 ounce jar, so it suits occasional cooking rather than weekly use. Check price on Amazon
Best for heavy use: bulk from a spice supplier. Herbco and Spice Jungle both sell this seasoning by the pound, and both are floral styles. If French and Mediterranean cooking is a weekly habit, buying by weight and refilling a small jar is the cheapest route. Compare bulk options on Amazon
Start by deciding floral or green, then read the ingredient line on any jar you consider. Buy the smallest quantity your channel will sell you, and if a spice shop or bulk bin is within reach, go there instead of the supermarket rack: you will pay less per ounce for herbes de Provence, and you get to smell it before it goes near your soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does herbes de Provence always contain lavender?
No. Lavender is common in blends sold in North America and absent from the French Label Rouge recipe, which is why the same product name tastes different between brands. US ingredient lists run in descending order of weight, so an entry near the end of the list is a background note.
Is herb de Provence the same as Italian seasoning?
No, though the two overlap on oregano, thyme and basil. Italian seasoning is built for tomato-based cooking, while this mix leans on savory and often adds fennel or tarragon, which pushes it toward roast poultry, grilled fish and vegetables. Substituting one for the other is not wrong, only different.
What can I use instead if the shelf is empty?
Mix equal parts dried thyme, oregano, rosemary and savory, the four herbs in the Label Rouge recipe, then add marjoram if you have it. Close enough for a roast or a stew, and you can adjust to personal taste. Buy a jar next trip anyway: a commercial blend is milled to a consistent cut.
What is it used for?
It is used to season roast chicken, lamb, pork, grilled fish and roasted vegetables, and it works in a dry rub, a marinade or a vinaigrette. Add it early so the leaves have time to infuse the oil or liquid, and use a lighter hand with floral blends in pan sauces.
Is “herbs de Provence” the same as “herbes de Provence”?
Yes. Herbs de Provence is the anglicized spelling, and US retailers use both on labels and in site search. If a store search returns nothing, try the other spelling before assuming they do not carry it, and search the organic and gourmet spice categories as well.
Reviewed by the wheretobuyguides.com editorial team. Ingredient lists and retailer listings checked October 2026.