Between the Monts de Vaucluse and the Luberon, in the agricultural valley of Calavon, there is a small red mountain: it stretches from Roussillon to Apt passing by the villages of Gargas, Rustrel, Saint-Saturnin d’Apt…

Roussillon is the best known site; classified among the most beautiful villages of France it shows multiple aspects: path of the ochers, old village and the former Mathieu factory.

An outing that starts by the visit of a factory

2 kms from the center of the village, the last ocher factory in Roussillon closed its doors in 1963. It was restored and remodeled to become the Conservatory of Ochers and Colors. Visiting it allows one to understand the whole history of this territory and of its landscapes which were made by the economic activity of the 19th and 20th century. Underground or open-air ocher quarries, factories producing up to 40,000 tons of ocher around 1930 have fashioned these places whose so“natural” appearance causes one to almost forget the past work of men.

Guided or free visits on the several hectares of this factory leads to the discovery of what is ocher, as this pigment was produced and how it was used for centuries up to the present.

A very animated, playful place which offers paint workshops for children and professional education for decoration and construction and where one can see this year a beautiful exposition on prehistory with impressive pictures of the Chauvet cave.

A WALKING PATH IN THE HEART OF THE VILLAGE OF ROUSSILLON

At the center of the village, an improved path and two choices to discover on the location of the old quarries ocher cliffs, hoodoos and other sand lace sculpted by extraction and erosion... An explosion of color where the white, yellow, orange, red and magenta of the sands contrast with the deep green of the pines... An exceptional site which delights painters and photographers.

The most colorful of the Luberon villages.

In this perched village, all the facades are covered with ocher, from pale yellow to the darkest red. Walking in the picturesque streets of Roussillon leads to the old oppidum where one has a splendid view of the neighboring villages: Gordes, Lioux, Joucas…

Many art galleries, pottery shops.. pleasantly punctuate this tour.

Did you know?

Ochers are discovered on foot thanks to many hiking trails in Roussillon and the area, the best-known (and most used) walking site is the Provençal Colorado of Rustrel.

By bicycle, a 50 km marked itinerary “The ochers by bicycle” will let you discover the most beautiful landscapes. Notably, this circuit goes by Gargas. There, you can visit old ocher mines, the Bruoux mines, an impressive site by its volume and freshness.. Even in the hottest part of summer.

Plaisirs et Maisons de Provence suggests you stay in one of its vacation rentals to discover Roussillon

If you wish to discover this beautiful Provençal village, we invite you to contact us .