Roussillon, France: The Ochre Village That Colored the World

Roussillon is one of the most beautiful villages in France. Perched high in the Luberon region of Provence, Roussillon immediately enveloped us in a landscape so vivid with rust, amber and deep red hues that the experience felt almost dreamlike, evoking the wild beauty reminiscent of Utah’s Canyonlands.

The town is surrounded by lavender fields, vineyards, olive groves and cherry trees, providing a feast for the eyes. The charming village’s yellow, orange and red house facades make it unique.

Overlooking one of the most beautiful villages in France, Roussillon. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

Why Roussillon Looks Like Nowhere Else in Provence

Roussillon sits on one of the richest, largest natural ochre deposits in the world. When Jean Etienne d’Astier discovered methods to extract pigments from the ochre sand in 1780, the resulting availability and use of these pigments not only transformed the economic and architectural landscape of the village itself, but also had a significant influence on the visual language of art and architecture internationally by providing artists and builders with new, vibrant natural colours.

Roussillon is one of the most beautiful villages in Provence, a vibrant landscape of oranges, reds and yellows. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

Roussillon is one of the most beautiful villages in Provence in the Luberon area. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

A Geological Story Written in Pigment

More than 100 million years ago, this region, part of the 25 km le massif des Ocres du Luberon, lay beneath a shallow sea. As the water receded, iron-rich sands were exposed and oxidized, creating natural ochre pigments ranging from pale yellow to deep crimson.

From the late 18th century through the early 20th century, ochre mining transformed Roussillon into a global supplier of colour.

The ochre cliffs are a masterpiece shaped by both nature’s artistry and centuries of human hands, each layer telling a story in colour. Over the years, as extraction methods evolved, so too did the landscape itself.

What is Ochre made of?

Ochre is a mix of white clay called kaolinite with hydroxide and colored iron oxide.

From extraction to making Ochre

In the beginning, before modernization, manual extraction of ochre was used in Roussillon from underground or open-cast quarries. After extraction, the ochre sands were first cleaned and the pigments separated from the sand. Ochre lumps were then ground into powder and the different ochre tints appear after cooking and mixing.

Few visitors realize that pigments extracted from Roussillon’s ochre deposits played a significant role in the development of Western art, providing essential materials in the 18th and 19th centuries for the creation of:

• Venetian reds and golden yellows are found in Renaissance frescoes.
• Earth tones used by European master painters
• Historic façades across France and Italy
• Early artists’ paints before synthetic pigments existed

At its peak, Provence supplied almost 90 per cent of the world’s ochre pigments, with Roussillon at the centre of it all. These colours changed how artists and builders saw the world. But in 1952, things shifted—synthetic pigments took over and demand for natural ochre faded fast. Even so, ochre is still used in products such as cosmetics, rubber, pencils, paints, food, and textiles.

These days, only a small amount is made in the nearby village of Gargas, where you can even visit the old factory and see how it’s done.

The most colorful and beautiful town. The Ochre Trail in Roussillon Provence. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

Fun Fact about Ochre:

Did you know that ochre pigment played a significant role in the creation of cave art and body painting? The best example of this is about 500 km (310 miles) away, at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lascaux, a world-famous series of caves with Paleolithic art dating back some 21,000 years.

Watch for my article coming soon on my visit to the caves during a Riverside Luxury Cruise excursion.

The Ochre Trail – The Sentier des Ocres: A Must-Do We Missed (and You Shouldn’t)

We didn’t have time during our short visit to walk the spectacular Sentier des Ocres, and it’s the one experience I would prioritize next time. The trail, also known as the “Giant’s Causeway”, is not to be confused with the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland.

Just beyond the village, former quarries have been preserved as a walking trail through dramatic cliffs of scarlet, saffron and burnt orange, the same pigments once shipped to artists’ studios around the world. Along the way, informational panels explain the geology, history and flora.

It’s widely considered one of the most visually striking walks in Provence and one of the most meaningful once you understand its history.

What makes the Ochre Trail essential:

• Two loops: 30 minutes or 50–60 minutes (the sand is not ideal for strollers or wheelchairs, making it not fully accessible)
• Mineral-rich sand that shifts colour with the light
• A rare chance to walk through the source of historic artists’ pigments

The Ochre Trail in Roussillon in the Luberon region of Provence. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

Wandering Roussillon Instead

Without the Ochre Trail, we spent our time simply wandering the narrow, winding cobblestone streets and alleyways. Sunlit walls glowed amber, rose and apricot. The village changes with every shift of light.

We discovered amazing shops filled with delightful artisan goods, tasty samples, art galleries and outdoor cafes. We bought tasty treats to bring home, along with small handmade ceramics and we could not resist the linen tea towels representing the area.

We stopped for lunch at a small café, Crêperie Le Castrum, on the main square and ordered our first crêpe in France. It was perfect, warm, lightly crisp, folded and we ate it without rush, while we watched other explorers in awe, taking their photos.

Roussillon is one of the most beautiful villages in Provence. This building is one of the most photographed in the town square. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

Melanie enjoys a crepe at an outdoor patio in Roussillon, France. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

A beautiful piece of artwork adorns a street in Roussillon, one of the most beautiful villages in Provence. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

Roussillon has numerous streets to explore and plenty of shops to browse through. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

Why Roussillon Is Worth Visiting

We were in Roussillon for only part of an afternoon, stopping in on a day trip from Avignon and it definitely deserved more time than we had. We didn’t rush. We wandered. At some point, we bought a pastry from a small bakery, then carried it with us until we found a bit of shade and somewhere to sit.

The colours are what linger. Not just bright, but layered, reds darkened by age, yellows softened by light, walls that seemed to change tone depending on where you stood. Late in the day, the village took on a deeper warmth.

Some places impress. Others stay with you. Roussillon does both.

How to get to Roussillon:

Leaving from Avignon, it is a one-hour drive. You can rent a car from Avignon or relax and take one of several tours available. We took a day tour from Avignon.

Discover more about France in our ongoing series, including our luxury Riverside river cruise through some of the area’s most storied landscapes.

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