Between the Monts de Vaucluse and the Luberon, in the agricultural valley of the Calavon, a red mountain range rises up: it stretches from Roussillon to Apt, passing through the villages of Gargas, Rustrel, Saint-Saturnin d’Apt…
Roussillon is the best-known site; classed as one of the most beautiful villages in France, it can be explored from many angles: the ochre trail, the old village and the old Mathieu factory.
A WALK THAT BEGINS WITH A VISIT TO A FACTORY...
2 km from the village centre, the last ochre factory in Roussillon closed its doors in 1963. It has now been restored and refurbished to become the Conservatoire des Ocres et de la Couleur (Ochre and Colour Conservatory). A visit here will help you understand the history of this area and its landscapes, which were shaped by economic activity in the 19th and 20th centuries. Underground and open-cast ochre quarries, and factories producing up to 40,000 tonnes of ochre around 1930, have all shaped these landscapes, whose ‘natural’ appearance almost makes you forget how hard people worked in the past.
Guided tours or free visits of the factory’s several-hectare site will help you discover what ochre is, how this pigment was produced and how it has been used over the centuries right up to the present day. It’s a lively, fun place, offering painting workshops for children and vocational training in decoration and construction, and this year featuring a magnificent exhibition on prehistory with impressive photos of the Chauvet cave.
A HIKING TRAIL RIGHT IN THE HEART OF THE VILLAGE OF ROUSSILLON!
Au centre du village, un sentier aménagé et deux possibilités de balades pour découvrir sur le lieu d’anciennes carrières, des falaises d’ocre, cheminées de fées et autres dentelles de sables sculptées par l’exploitation et l’érosion… Une explosion de couleurs où les tons blanc, jaune, orange, rouge et violet des sables contrastent avec le vert profond des pins… Un site d’exception qui ravit les peintres et les photographes !
THE MOST COLOURFUL VILLAGE IN THE LUBERON...
In this hilltop village, all the facades are rendered in ochre, from pale yellow to the darkest red. A stroll through the picturesque streets of Roussillon leads to the ancient oppidum, from where you have a splendid view of the neighbouring villages of Gordes, Lioux and Joucas…
Many art galleries and potters’ workshops dot the route.
DID YOU KNOW?
The ochres can be explored on foot via a number of hiking trails in and around Roussillon, the best-known (and most popular) of which is the Colorado Provençal at Rustrel.
By bike, a 50km signposted route called ‘Les ocres à vélo’ (Ochre by bike) allows you to discover the most beautiful landscapes. The route passes through Gargas. Here you can visit the old ochre mines of Bruoux, a site of impressive size and coolness… even in the hottest summer!
Plaisirs et Maisons de Provence invites you to stay in one of its holiday rentals and discover Roussillon.
If you would like to discover this magnificent Provencal village, please contact us by clicking on this link.
