Société des Ocres de France

The Ôkhra ocher EcoMuseum occupies a former ocher processing site, the Camille Mathieu factory. Abandoned in the 1950s, it has been rehabilitated to become a place of history and discovery.

Cabinet with old products and pigments, some of them toxics as lead paint, sulfur, etc. ©photo by Alain Bañon, Mamut Pastels, 2020

Old press for pigment barrels, ©photo by Alain Bañon, Mamut Pastels, 2020

The cooperative has set itself the objective of “contributing to the preservation and promotion of knowledge and skills. -to be linked to the production of ocher and the use of coloring materials in various fields: building, painting, paper, art and crafts.

The worker´s “chemises” Ocher tinted. Most of the workers had lung problems… ©photo by Alain Bañon, Mamut Pastels, 2020

The SCIC cooperative was born from the association created in 1994 in partnership between the Municipality of Roussillon in the Vaucluse and the founders of the project led by Mathieu Barrois. The SCIC ôkhra is responsible for the enhancement of the Mathieu Factory and the development of the Conservatory of Ocher and Color.

Usine d´ocre Mathieu, Pigment shop and entry. ©photo by Alain Bañon, Mamut Pastels, 2020

Its main objective is to contribute to the preservation and promotion of knowledge and know-how related to the production of ocher and the use of coloring materials in various fields: building, painting, paper, art and trades. of art.

Soft Pastels tests for visitors and children. ©photo by Alain Bañon, Mamut Pastels, 2020