Vaucluse, The land of Ochre
LOOP STARTING FROM APT- 49.5km
A unique site in France which stretches over nearly 25km, the Luberon Ochres amaze both the young and the old. Here lies a festival of colours to be discovered in all of its forms across the villages, farm remains, and preserved natural spaces.
Stage 1 – Apt Museum: Understand this industrial adventure
In three stages, this museum retraces, by means of both documents and objects, the history of the industries that have supported the town since the 18th century: earthenware, candied fruit, and ochre extraction. A fascinating journey through time!
Useful information:
Open all year, guided tour in French available by reservation.
Stage 2 – The mines of Bruoux
Apt to Bruoux – 7 km
If ochre is mainly represented in Luberon by its open-air quarries, we more rarely think about the tunnels dug out for miles by the Ochre workers. These mines present an opportunity to be amazed as you walk with a guide along 650 metres of this labyrinth-cathedral of colour.
Useful Information :
Guided tour : 50 minutes, reservation required, open from May to October.
Group rates available for groups of 15+ (max. 30 people per visit, possibility of dividing into several groups).
Tour given in French, tablets available in several languages (GB – IT – ESP – NL – DE)
T. +33 (0)4 90 06 22 59
Stage 3 – Ôkhra – Ochre Ecomuseum
Bruoux Mines to Ôkhra – 7.5 km
Here is a place that will immerse you in ochre extraction techniques via a route that travels the length of the interior and exterior of this old ochre factory. It is also a place dedicated to the colour in all of its forms, where you can learn about the techniques of natural pigment application in a short workshop. A lovely shop, entertainment, temporary exhibitions focusing on colour… all in an incredibly charming setting.
Useful information:
Free or guided tour (in French, duration 30-40min), entertainment, shop & workshops. Open all year, seven days a week.
Group rate €5.50 (15 people +).
Stage 4 – Roussillon & the Ochre trail
Bruoux Mines to Roussillon – 7.5 km
It is impossible to miss the village of Roussillon, classed as among “The most beautiful villages in France”, with its ochre-coloured houses and alleys lined with artisanal workshops and little shops.
Things to see :
– The viewpoint at the top of the village, the charming church, and the shops that line the alleys
– The “Ochre trail”, marked with informative signs about the geological phenomenon of ochre formation and its uses (closed from January 6th until February 9th – group rate available for groups of 15 people +)
Stage 5 : Hiking in the ochre, a choice between:
Colorado Provençal de Rustrel
Two circuits, 1 with a length of 2km (Sahara Circuit) and the other with a length of 4km (Belvédères Circuit), allow you to explore at leisure these landscapes which have been shaped both by the industrial extraction of ochre and by natural erosion.
Useful information :
Open all year, except January.
Paid parking. Guided tour available (in French)
T.+33 (0)4 90 75 04 87 / +33 (0)6 43 97 76 06
www.coloradoprovencal.fr
OR
Hike in the ochre of La Bruyère in Villars
Roussillon to Villars – 15.1km – stop at the Jean-Jean hamlet, « La bruyère » locality (near the Gîte des Ocres)
Villars is a former village of ochre workers, surrounded by apple and cherry tree orchards. The La Bruyère circuit allows you to discover, in a peaceful environment and away from the main paths, the plant life of the ochres at a long-abandoned site (Duration: Between 2 and 4 hours depending on the chosen loop)
Useful information :
Ocres de la Bruyere à Villars website
https://www.luberon-apt.fr/massif-des-ocres/les-ocres-de-la-bruyere
Return to Apt on the D22 (10.3km).
