The introduction of the rose in Bulgaria
In the heart of the Balkan Mountains, the Valley of the Roses is the stronghold of a famous rose of a delicate pale pink, even white or yellow. On the grounds mainly arranged around Kazanlak, capital of the Valley of the Roses, the Damascena rose (of Damascus) is a variety which adapted to its environment in the most optimal way which is. It was introduced between the 17th and 18th centuries when travelers exported it from Syria through Turkey. In the Rose Museum in Kazanlak, you will have the opportunity to learn about the history of this fantastic rose and the utensils used for its distillation. Besides the Damascena rose, other varieties are also grown in Bulgaria.
When the middle of May comes, the Valley of Roses is activated..
Like many roses, the damask has a flowering period that is at its peak in May. When the growers, experts thanks to whom the whole industry develops, believe that the rose is in its best condition, it is time to harvest it. The meticulous work lasts a month, during which everyone is busy. The quality of the oil or essence depends greatly on a good harvest, i.e. harvested at the best time of the day to obtain the most fragrant petals.
In the early morning, when the dew still refreshes the flowers, hands (usually female) begin to detach the petals of the roses one by one, quickly but never in a hurry. As for the men, they are in charge of closing the plastic bags and weighing them when the sun starts to hit too hard (at the end of the morning) then the work of harvest is finished for the day. We will come back tomorrow.
This meticulous and exhausting work, which lasts three or four weeks, constitutes the entire year's harvest and the income that goes with it. The field workers are paid according to the weight harvested.
Immediately after the petals are bagged and weighed, they are taken to the nearest distillery, where the best of their essence is obtained. To produce 1 kg of rose oil, 4 t of flowers are needed and the kilo can reach up to 7 000 €!
Once the distillation process is finished, the rose oil is then bottled. This is sealed with a seal made seventy years ago to avoid fraud and counterfeiting, some exporters mixing Bulgarian rose oil with oil from Iran or Turkey. The whole thing is then transported in copper containers and finally stored in the National Treasury in Sofia.
The Feast of the Roses
To celebrate the start of the harvest, the Rose Valley organizes the Rose Festival. It dates back to 1903 and varies every year, depending on the date of the start of the harvest, between the end of May and the beginning of June. The festival is spread over two weeks. The biggest part of the festivities takes place in Kazanlak. The inhabitants of the valley revive the traditions of the harvest. Women dressed in traditional costumes and wearing a crown of flowers on their heads walk through the streets with a wicker basket filled with petals on their shoulders.
Visitors who come at this time are offered demonstrations of rose distillation. The Rose Queen, the most beautiful girl of Kazanlak, is elected. And like any good Bulgarian festival, fireworks are launched. During this period, you will be invited to visit rose fields and to participate, if you wish, in the harvest. Some travel organizations offer this experience as part of their tour packages. But you can also go directly to a field (easy to find) and ask to come the next morning. For example, the Enio Bonchev distillery in Tarnicheni, between Karlovo and Kazanlak, has its own rose field and offers tours and picking to tourists during the festival.
The inhabitants will welcome you with open arms as they are proud of their valley, and it is understandable!
Products of the rose
To identify official Bulgarian rose products, the European Commission has created a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) label for the beautiful flower.
In Bulgaria, you can find rose-based products in the Rose of Bulgaria or Refan stores, which are located in the country's major cities such as Sofia, Veliko Tarnovo, Plovdiv, Varna and Bourgas.
Perfumes, soaps, creams, oils and rose water are made from roses, which give off the unique scent of roses.
Bulgaria is the world's leading producer of essential oil with 70% of the international market share. Guess who is the country's main customer? France. The great houses Christian Dior, Chanel or Yves Saint Laurent use mostly Bulgarian rose essential oil for their perfumes and cosmetics because it gives a very specific aroma and has a great longevity. Paco Rabanne, Bulgari or Kenzo also use it. After France, the United States and Japan are also big customers.
