The land of Ochres

When we talk about ocher, we cannot fail to mention France. And in particular, one of its most characteristic regions: French Provence. There is the Luberon, the heart of Provence and the last active Ocher quarry, located in Gargas, in the center of Luberon. And its iconic village, Roussillon.

Reds ans Ochers walls in The village of Roussillon, France. ©photo by Alain Bañon, Mamut Pastels 2020

A family business continues to transform ocher ore into pure ocher since 1901. The “Société des Ocres de France”. They produce about 1,000 tons of material annually and export about 60% of their production.

A beautiful walk trough the “Sentier des Ocres”, Roussillon, France. ©photo by Alain Bañon, Mamut Pastels, 2020

Nearby is the beautiful village of Roussillon, with its characteristic house painted in different shades of ocher, its bucolic appearance and its stone walls. There is also the Eco-Museum of Ocher, which houses an old ocher factory with its ovens, drying areas, exhibitions and more activities.

In the same Roussillon we can stroll through the Sentier des Ocres. An essential visit if one wants to see what an open-air quarry was like, and soak up the nature and flora of the place. A fantastic tour full of history and tradition, surrounded by a spectacular and surprising landscape, full of color.

A pure natural pigment in Roussillon, France, ©photo by Alain Bañon, Mamut Pastels 2020