Leave from Apt and take the N 900 in the direction of Avignon. Branch off to the right to the D4 in the direction of Roussillon.
Roussillon is a small village ranked as one of the “most beautiful villages in France”. It is famous for the ochre cliffs all around, made of ochre sands from sparkling yellow to deep red. The ochre colors are throughout nature and on the coatings on the houses - filling the village with color as you visit streets and squares.
Roussillon
See:
- The village with its ochre-washed hosues and narrow streets with shops and studios.
- The “Ochre trail”, marked with information signs to tell about the different steps in the mining of the ochre, and the geology. The ochre trail takes approximately 45 minutes round-trip through some of the loveliest ochre landscapes in the region.
- The Mathieu Ochre Conservatory - a former ochre processing plant, renovated to learn about ochre and its many uses. Open all year except Monday. Closed 4 to 20 January.
Take the D227 and the D2 to reach the village of St Saturnin les Apt then Villars on the D111a - a village where ochre workers once lived. Surrounded by cherry orchards.
Villars
See:
- The Bruyère circuit to discover the flora in the ochre landscape. Trail takes 3 1/2 hours.
Take small country roads to get to Rustrel.
Rustrel
See:
- The Provencal Colorado and the ochre cliffs.
- The Olive Mill museum, from June to August, every day but Tuesday morning and Thursday - by appointment only.
Take the D30 to return to Apt.
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