Warm Shades of Provence

Roussillon

Roussillon is a Provençal village in Vaucluse and is situated in the Luberon Regional Natural Park. It’s famous for one the largest ochre pigment deposits in the world. The pigment encompasses shades of yellow, orange, brown and even red. The park is also known as Colorado of Provence.

This magical village reflects the colours of the landscape. The combinations of various shades can be seen on façades and paintings on houses. The village is also home to a number of art galleries that exhibit works of art, particularly those that were inspired by the local landscape. Roussillon frequently attracts art enthusiasts and collectors as well as all kinds of artists. It prides itself on fifteen different venues where one can admire art.

The main centre is Place de la Mairie, the square outside the city hall that becomes especially lively on Thursdays when the weekly market takes place. Captivating streets are perfect for exploring. Walking down the streets and squares enables you to view the natural pigments with which the locals live and have been using for millennia. The ancient knowledge of how to use the pigments reveals the harmony between nature and humans that came to be. Soon, you arrive to a small traditional Provençal church that towers over the village and is also hidden beneath a veil of yellow and orange shades. You can end your trip by visiting the viewpoint at the village’s highest elevation and admire the view of the surrounding countryside.

Natural pigments

The remnants of cave paintings show that these pigments had already been used in ancient times. In 1780, a local named Jean Etienne Astier manufactured a permanent and harmless pigment by refining the colourful soil. Etienne Astier also became the first pigment manufacturer in France. Pigment manufacturing was a lucrative business in those times, and some pigments were extremely expensive and hard to acquire. The industry expanded in the 19th century when pigment manufacture using minerals reached an industrial scale.

The pigment was also used for plaster in residential and other buildings in Provence. It’s heat- and light-resistant and therefore suitable for use in the protection of buildings. In addition, it’s also used as an ingredient in products where one wouldn’t expect to find it, such as cheese rind. It’s also added to cosmetic, paper and ceramic products as well as rubber.

With the advent of synthetic pigments, the traditional manufacture saw a bit of a demise.

Le Sentier des Ocres

There’s a trail winding through the landscape, which take you through old digging sites and where you can bury your feet in the orange sand and marvel at the unusual scenery. The trail is called Le Sentier des Ocres. It forks into two trails you can choose between – the longer one will take 50 minutes and the shorter one 35 minutes, but it all depends on each individual and how much time they’ll spend on the trail marvelling at the incredible colour show.

Both of them are marked with arrows – yellow ones for the shorter route and red ones for the longer one. The trail is suitable for all age groups, is really great for families and small children, and it’s even not that difficult for elderly people. But it’s not suitable for people with disabilities because there’s not wheelchair access. There are also quite a few steps, which otherwise don’t pose any major obstacles. When it comes to footwear, sports shoes are recommended and, if possible, one should avoid wearing white or any other light colours because you might end up coming back with a different shade than the one you started. Along the way, you can notice panels with text and information about the history, flora and fauna, as well as hints for certain natural landmarks. You can take your time and relax because there usually aren’t any crowds or masses of tourists.

Roussillon is also suitable for those who want to add more hiking to their trips. There are quite a few other trails nearby, in addition to the above-mentioned Ochre trail. You can also hike onto the Grande Randonnée GR6, which goes throughout the whole Provence.

Geological changes or the heart sauce

There’s no detailed explanation as to why geological changes resulted in this precise spectrum of pigment colours in this specific area. Putting scientific explanations aside, you can delve into the world of fantasy and go by what the legend says, which is that the cliffs were coloured red by the blood of lady Seremonda who jumped to her death after her husband had served her lover’s heart, cooked in a sauce. Whether you believe that or not, the landscape will definitely leave a mark on visitors and will be stuck in your mind, at the very least in the form of big orange stains on your white sneakers.

Where to stay?

There are two hostels that are part of the Hostelling International network in this part of Provence. You can stay in Nimes, which has a hostel that’s situated in the green area of a botanical garden, or Arles, where there are plenty of points of interest to visit, such as the impressive Roman Arles Amphitheatre.