Roussillon
Roussillon is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Provence audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~90 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type village
- Suggested visit ~90 min
- Provence Provence guide
About Roussillon
A village of 17 shades of ochre, perched above the extraordinary Colorado Provençal, the largest ochre quarry in the world, where the cliffs and houses glow in every shade from pale yellow to deep blood-red.
Roussillon is one of the most visually extraordinary villages in Provence, built entirely of the brilliant ochre stone that is found in the surrounding cliffs and hillsides. The village sits above a landscape of eroded ochre formations, the "Colorado Provençal", where geological processes have carved the ochre deposits into bizarre and beautiful towers, arches, and ravines in shades ranging from pale yellow through orange to deep blood-red. Seventeen distinct shades of ochre have been identified in the Roussillon area. The Sentier des Ocres (Ochre Trail) allows visitors to walk through the ochre formations on a marked path. Roussillon was formerly the centre of the ochre-extraction industry; today it is a member of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France" and one of the most popular destinations in the Luberon.
Did you know? Seventeen distinct shades of ochre have been scientifically identified in the Roussillon area, ranging from pale yellow through gold, orange, and rust to deep blood-red, all produced by different concentrations and oxidation states of iron oxide.
How long should you spend at Roussillon?
Plan about ~90 min at Roussillon. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Roussillon worth visiting?
Roussillon is one of the 12 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Provence, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Provence
Hear the story of Roussillon
Preview the Provence tour free in the Gingerguide app.