Roussillon

After visiting Gordes we went to Roussillon, possibly the prettiest village we saw. But it’s not just me, it’s actually on the ‘Most Beautiful Villages of France’ list. Along with Gordes, it's the most visited village in the Luberon. Roussillon is tiny, very picturesque, and it's also at the top of a steep hill, although the highest point actually seems to be the parking lot, from where you stop to take some pictures of the village and then descend to the base of the town.

A few in our group stayed in the café at the bottom while the rest of us walked up the winding streets to the summit. At the top, after passing under the old clock and bell tower, topped by a unique wrought-iron belfry, is the Saint Michel church, with its beautiful 17th century gold ochre façade. On the way down we passed the biggest vine I've ever seen, which according to the sign on it is 150 years old. 

But what’s really special about this village is its many shades of red.

Roussillon is famous for the rich deposits of ochre pigments found in the clay near the village, which were mined for pigments used in the textile industry. The old quarry can be visited via the Ochre Path, a beautiful walk through the old workings.