April 22, 2019 Roussillon

Roussillon - the grey sky doesn't do it justice

Sunny and warm today. Roussillon on the agenda. This town is renowned for its ochre production. This Plus Beau Village, like so many in this region is perched precariously atop a steep hill, with the oldest parts enclosed by a wall at the very top.

Even the trash cans have art on them in this very touristy town

There are vistas everywhere here and the sunny warm day makes the ochre colors of the buildings that much warmer.

view of ochre cliffs

church is in center of old town

There are lots of people in town today and I hear a lot of Italian, a smattering of French and English. Since it is Easter Monday and both Italian and French kids are off this week, we also see lots of children.

sidewalks, roads, cafés are all full of people

We drove to the center of town and found a place in a parking lot right next to the Tourist Office (which is apparently closed on Easter Monday, go figure.) However, we didn't see how one paid for the hour and a half allowed. So I asked a policeman who was apparently watching over this lot. It turns out that one needs a blue disc that allows 1.5 hours parking in public lots. Not sure how one gets one. Probably a French thing. So, returning to the car, I told our crew that we had to find other parking. At that time, the policeman noticed Dave assembling my scooter and came over to say it was OK and to leave the car. I questioned him and he responded with "Have a good day." So we were able to leave our car for the several hours we were in town. How kind.

A bit about ochre is needed.

Natural ochre formations 

wind and water rather than mining have formed these ochre formations in the Sentier des Ocres

This yellow-to-rusty red color was laid down millennia ago by sedimentary action on clay. Other geologic actions added minerals to this clay. Enhanced by chemical reactions and then pushed up by tectonic actions, thick layers of ochre became a feature of this landscape due to the iron oxides in the sand. When Roussillon resident Jean Etienne Astier discovered, in 1780, a means to process ochre so that it became an unalterable and non-toxic dye, an industry was born that lasted until the mid 20th century. The ochre was quarried either in open pits or underground quarries, processed by separating the sand from the ochre by means of water, then letting the water evaporate in the heat of Provence.

When used for art, ochre can be mixed with other media to create oils, pastels, watercolors, or acrylics. The town is full of shops selling sets of ochre colors in all sizes. A good souvenir for Judy.

one of many stores selling ochre powders. Note rack on right of all the colors

And of course, it is added to stucco and house paint and used profusely in this town, but also across Provence.

From an overlook across the street from the parking lot, we saw people streaming up the hill and heading for the "Sentier des Ocres" The Ochre Path. This natural formation of wind and water is kept wild but with a walking path of 30 minutes or 1 hour. My entry was free as I can only go 50 meters to an overlook of the first part of the hike. Dave, Judy, Clark and Janis did the half hour walk.

this is as far as I could go but I had the view you see in the photo below

my view of the Sentier des Ocres.  Amazing colors in amazing formations

Judy, Dave, Janis, and Clark before they got covered in ochre dust from their hike

Roussillon reflects these colors in their houses and the result is unlike any other city we've seen in Provence. This village has no particular history stories to recommend it, but the story of ochre makes up for the lack.

a door that was painted with Judy in front of it

The ochre colors of the buildings shows a bit more here. This street was full of artist studios

Thus there are no important saints or churches or statues to find. Just a saunter through the town.

The colors of ochre just make you want to take a photo, even with cars in front of your photo

We ate lunch on benches just below the church, beside the Hôtel de Ville with views out over the valley and up toward the pinnacle of the town.

Janis, Clark, Judy, and Dave getting out their sandwiches

our view from our lunch bench

Dave took this photo of us looking down from the church above

the town hall is colorful in this town

A walk up to the church brought us to the ultimate lookout and a quick look into the church.

view from the top - it's a long way down

these iris and poppies worked hard to cling to the top of this rock

now you can see the ochre color better - the sun is out; street leading to the church

St. Michael's Church, 11th century

nave of St. Michael Church

On the way home we stopped at St. Saturnin-les-Apt looking for a ruined castle. We found ruins all right and a pretty site, and an old windmill.

windmill

ruined castle walls are 15th century - the building remaining is a 9th century chapel. You have to hike to get to this castle - might be one for the Richgels family to try. 

this photo out the car window isn't the best, but we passed fields and fields of lavender like this. It will be June before these fields all turn the beautiful purple we all know as lavender. 

But it is too late and we are too tired to scramble around ruins, so we head home to our familiar aperos and dinner. We are such creatures of habit.