Don’t Miss the Ochre Cliffs of Roussillon in Provence

We rarely go to our home in Sablet without taking a day trip to Roussillon, a village in the Luberon about 35 miles southeast of Sablet. We never tire of seeing this colourful village, tinted by 17 different colours of ochre that were mined here; this makes Roussillon unique compared to other towns in the area.

The Luberon is a combination of three mountain ranges that stretch 35 miles from Cavaillon in the west to Manosque in the east and from Apt south to the Durance River. Much of the area including Roussillon is protected in the Parc Naturel Régional du Luberon.

Continue reading here for photos by Our House in Provence of this village ranked amongst Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. We agree Roussillon is unique with its magestic cliffs in multi-coloured ochres.

Revisiting Provence’s Natural Ochre Hues in Roussillon is a story of artist Sabine Pinon-Amoore’s first encounters with the traces of orange in hotel guest’s bathrooms. That story goes back nearly 30 years, and today you cannot simply go and trek in the colourful open-air site. You need a ticket, and there are opening hours and pretty little wooden paths, so your shoes don’t get too dirty (paid for presumably by the local hotels!), and these take you where they want you to go, which to be fair are the most beautiful vistas.

Where to Stay in the Vaucluse

Village house: Sablet is a wine village known for its Côte du Rhone wines. Although as charming as the “touristy” villages as a working wine village, shops and other village services are open year-round. Our home has three (3) bedrooms and three (3) bathrooms, including showers and toilets. There is a large, well-furnished kitchen with a sitting area, wood-burning fireplace, and adjoining terrace. The house is air-conditioned and heated by electricity.

Wine Country B&B: Le Prieuré La Madelène is the site of a former 12th-century Benedictine priory nestled in Malaucène at the foot of Mont Ventoux. This Bed and Breakfast with five (5) guest bedrooms, a private cottage (gîte), is located just a few minutes from Vaison La Romaine. If you are looking for pure Provencal relaxation, Le Prieuré La Madelène is a charming, intimate guest house ideally located for exploring Provence and the Rhône Valley.