In the middle of Provence, the land of sleepy hilltop villages and rich fragrant air, there lies the historic village of Roussillon. Not more than 20 minutes drive from Hotel Crillon le Brave along windy roads that carve through the gorge and forest separating these two villages, Roussillon stands out for its bizarre geology. 

Compared to its sand coloured, pastel hued neighbour’s, Roussillon is a fiery burst of amber, scarlet and pink reflecting the land that sits on. Pick a sunny day to visit and the complimentary colours of the red earth and the lush green forest against the backdrop of a blue sky makes it feel otherworldly - certainly not the South of France. Wandering through the forested hills next to the village you almost expect to see some strange creature from the tropics pop out and scamper across the path.

This mound of ochre not has not only served its purpose to artists but countless children keen to hurl themselves down the natural slides. Running around caked in red like a Sadhu, or a scene from the Hindu Festival of Light, ignoring the calls of their parents.

Artist shops in the village abound with shelves tightly packed offering an array of ochre pigments tempting you to purchase a full artists’ set that even though you haven't held a paintbrush since primary school. An image forms in your head of spending a therapeutic Sunday afternoon in front a canvas absorbed by the project in hand.

Roussillon's ochre quarry was one of the most significant ochre deposits in the world although nowadays synthetic dye is used in the paint pigment. The disused quarry adjacent to the village is open to the public (for a fee) and is a striking mix of ridges, chimneys, cliffs and valleys much of which is slowly being taken back by the forest.

The story behind Roussillon’s ochre began millions of years ago when the Luberon region was under the sea. The colour is a result of the mineral goethite (named after the German writer Goethe who was a keen mineralogist) although the reason behind why it causes a palette of oranges and reds is unknown. 

A more interesting take on its origins is the tale of a young damsel named Sermonde who was married to Raymond d'Avignon, the lord of Roussillon, in the Middle Ages. Raymond spent most of his time hunting and in the long interludes Sermonde fell in love with a local troubadour. When Raymond found out he cut the troubadour's heart out and served it to Sermonde for dinner without telling her. On the realisation of what had happened Sermonde threw herself from the top of Roussillon turning the earth all around red with her blood that will continue to run till the end of time.

Stay at Hotel Crillon le Brave: www.crillonlebrave.com, +33 (0)490 65 61 61
Details on the Vaucluse region: www.provenceguide.com (Avignon, Luberon, Mt Ventoux)

By Angela A