The perched village of ROUSSILLON

The beautiful hilltop village of Roussillon is located in the Luberon valley, between Joucas and Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt north, Gordes and Goult west Bonnieux south. The village whose facades are coated with various shades of ocher dominates the valley on a rocky outcrop, and the red ocher contrasts intensely with the green of the vegetation.

It is thanks to the natural richness of the soil, the ocher, that the economic activity of the village developed. The whole village is on an ocher deposit which also extends around to other villages from Gargas to Rustrel (Where you can find the Provençal colorado). Many quarries surround the village and the outskirts, the old Mathieu factory has been converted into the Conservatoire des Ocres, the Ochre Conservatory dedicated to the theoretical and practical use of natural pigments ocher of Roussillon.
 
In the XVIIIth century, the demand for fabric dye increases and request more ocher Production

In the XXth century, the discovery of more interesting deposit and the use of chemical pigments slowed then stopped
the extraction of ocher. The mines closed.

From the 80s , tourism develops.

Ochre is not extracted in the town anymore, but its ocher trail, which starts in the village, attracts thousands of tourists every summer. the path winds between fairy chimneys, columns caused by erosion, to the Giant's Causeway among colourful cliffs from purple to red, orange to yellow. It is just spectacular. 
 
 The winding streets of the village, lined with art galleries, shops and beautiful old houses lead to the summit, to the church of the XVIIth century and to a superb view at 360 ° .

The market is held on Thursday mornings in the village center .

Roussillon is classified as one of the most beautiful villages of France and several car parks around avoid too much traffic.