The Perched Villages of Luberon: Roussillon

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Perhaps my favorite perched village in Luberon is the gorgeous, red-hued Roussillon. Known mostly for her abundant natural ochre that covers the steep hillside and paints the town red, Roussillon is quite a spectacular place. Medieval serpentine streets lined with red-hued buildings and terracotta roofs, meander all the way up to the top. A leisurely afternoon in Roussillon is bound to capture your imagination and soul.

As you approach Roussillon, you are struck by the dramatic scarlet red color of the rock and buildings which are perched high above the vast green plains of Provence.

Lovely Roussillon

Roussillon was our last stop during a day tour exploring four beautiful perched villages in the region of Luberon. Although each village was unique and had its own special beauty, Roussillon was my favorite due to sheer eye candy. The village is simply spectacular especially on a bright sunny day when the light and brilliant red color seems to dance off the buildings and surrounding landscape.

There is only one downside of such a beautiful, quaint place. It is no longer a secret. Unfortunately, there were a ton of tourists in Roussillon during our late April visit which coincided with the French Easter holiday.  However, with tourists brings all the wonderful amenities such as countless amounts of outdoor cafes, restaurants, hotels and boutiques. I could have sat down at any one of them sipping a glass of local wine and watching the world go by.

The radiant colors of Roussillon could be found everywhere from the walls of the buildings to the ground covering the land. It is no wonder so many artists have come to Roussillon and have been inspired by her beauty.

It wasn’t until we reached the top of the village, that we saw the magic behind what makes Roussillon so utterly spectacular and unique. Her abundance of ochre, a natural pigment mixed with sand that can give off brilliant, bright colors ranging from yellow, orange, red to even purples.

Check out the ochre blood orange that covers the hillside of Roussillon.

As we left Roussillon, it marked the end of our day tour through the perched villages of Luberon. All in all, it ended up being our favorite day during our trip to France. It inspired me to someday explore more of what the lovely South of France has to offer. All her magical treasures and jewels lie there basking in their glory under the Provencal sun.

If you go

Roussillon can be enjoyed any time of year however the village is quite small thus it is best to enjoy her beauty before or after the summer high season. Here is a good website with basic tourist information: Provence & Beyond 

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The Perched Villages of Luberon: Gordes

The Magical Markets of Provence

The Perched Villages of Luberon: Bonnieux

The Perched Villages of Luberon: Lourmarin

22 thoughts on “The Perched Villages of Luberon: Roussillon”

  1. restlessjo – Hi! I’m Jo! Johanna when I’m feeling posh, Jan to my Dad, and Joasiu to my Polish family. A bit of a mix-up, that’s me. The one constant, however, is my restless nature. I love to travel and to explore our world. It doesn’t have to be the big wide world. I can be ridiculously happy not too far from home, so long as I’m seeking new horizons. Of course I have a wish list, and it was to help me fulfil my dreams that I started to write travel guides for a venture called Simonseeks. I’d always kept a travel diary, and it was hugely satisfying to share my experiences and to make new friends who shared my passion for travel. Alas, Simonseeks hit a few troubles, but I still find myself writing about my travels. I’ve become addicted. I’d love to share them, and to make more friends. So, it has to be a blog- right? Or do I mean- write?
    restlessjo on said:

    Us tourists are a complete pain, Nicole- there’s no two ways about it! Sounds like lots of cafe owners are grateful though. Those cliffs are fabulous, and I have a bit of a soft spot for that over-the-top painted door 🙂

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    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks Jo! I loved the red color there. It was so beautiful. I really find Provence special. Love exploring all the little towns and driving through the countryside.

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks! Yes, it is quite a beautiful place isn’t it!

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks! I agree I’ve been fortunate. That is why I do so much to give back and volunteer. I feel so lucky to have seen such places. 🙂

      Reply ↓

  4. Oh, Nicole, the photos in this post are simply stunning! Well done, my friend. The colors are delicious. Yummy. I want to GOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

    Hugs from Ecuador,
    Kathy

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks Kathy! I’ve been meaning to ask you if you’ve had a chance to meet Lisa yet of Zeebra Designs? I don’t know how close she is to you and Sara but I bet it would be so cool!!!

      Reply ↓
  5. Ron Hillmar – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – I was born in 1973 in a small town in the middle of Holland, not coincidentally the green heart of the Netherlands. From early on my parents took me on some far away travels, including a year abroad as a 5-year old in the Amazon jungle of Surinam, which probably ignited my love for Mother Nature and all it´s beauty and ugliness. Since my return trip to Surinam in 1988 my interest for photography grew and especially the interaction between humans and the planet we live on and the influence we have on it. On that first journey I started photographing and exploring things and places which were left behind by us and nature embraced (again). After that my camera came with me on many journeys around the world including amazing places like Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Southwest US, many countries in Africa and ofcourse around Europe. It was a matter of time before I wanted to move abroad and focus on photography and my interest in abandoned structures and landscapes started by settling in Zaragoza in the Northern part of Spain. After 2 years exploring the province of Aragon and all its landscapes, abandoned villages and many other trips around Spain we moved to Madrid. A year later we took a big leap to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where the amazing beauty of South East Asia is now at my doorstep.
    rondje on said:

    Beautiful photos! Love it when the village is made out of the same color as the surrounding earth…
    Cheers, Ron.

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks! Me too! It is really a gorgeous place with a happy feel.

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Cool, you were there?! Yes isn’t it a beautiful place. Oh, if only I could have a month and the money to drive all throughout the countryside. Wouldn’t that be a dream? Hmmm…except the screaming, complaining kids!

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks Amy! 🙂

      Reply ↓
  8. prashlive – India – A Working professional but love to write my experiences and share them. Love travelling and explore new places. Family, travel, food, movies and friends are the most important part of my life. Would love to make friends who share similar interest.
    prashlive on said:

    Beautiful place. Seems so quiet !! Amazing.

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks!!! 🙂

      Reply ↓

  9. Your photos, as always, are stunning! I always look forward to seeing what your eye is drawn to, as you quite often have a unique perspective on the landscape.

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks Jill! 🙂

      Reply ↓

  11. Your photos are wonderful – make me want to hop on a plane 😀

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks! Me too…

      Reply ↓

  12. Pingback: The Luberon in Provence – A Complete Guide | www.theluberon.com | Jude The Foodie

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