What to see in France

Roussillon, a charming village on a campsite

Vue sur le village de Roussillon
Vue sur le village de Roussillon

 

Ranked as one of France's Most Beautiful Villages, Roussillon is in the heart of the Lubéron valley in the Vaucluse department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte-D'azur region. Roussillon is a small Provencal town with a distinctive ochre colour, which can be seen everywhere here, both in the landscape - Roussillon is in the heart of an old ochre quarry - and on the facades of the houses, as is traditional. Choose the campsite for your accommodation and make the most of discovering this Provencal jewel.

Discover the campsite around Roussillon

 

There are plenty of campsites to choose from around the village, which has been classified as one of France's Most Beautiful Villages. There is just one campsite in Roussillon itself. You will find below a selection of campsites from which you should find the establishment that suits your criteria.

Camping l'Arc en Ciel *** Open from March to November, this campsite in Roussillon offers 70 pitches and an outdoor swimming pool to cool off and enjoy your holiday. You can also go horse-riding and relax with a game of table tennis. The Arc en Ciel campsite also has bicycles available for hire so you can visit the village and its ochre quarry.

Located in l'ile-sur-la-Sorgue, the La Sorguette *** campsite is 24 km from the village of Roussillon, but is well worth a visit. It borders a river on which you can kayak. Situated in the heart of nature, it offers more than 160 pitches, including around 40 rental pitches. Basketball, volleyball, and table tennis are also available here. Evening entertainment during the summer season will add a special rhythm to your stay.

The Domaine des Chênes Blancs *** campsite in Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt is less than 6 km from the village of Roussillon. Open from April to November, it has an outdoor swimming pool and 185 pitches, including around 60 for rent. There's a mini club for children and evening dances for all in high season. For campervans, there is an artisanal bollard inside the site, which requires an overnight stay. Volleyball and table tennis are also available on site.

ÀIn Apt, just 13 km from Roussillon, there are several campsites to choose from, including Le Luberon campsite ****, which has 110 pitches including 36 rentals, bungalows, chalets and mobile homes, giving you plenty of choice for your accommodation. There is entertainment for children, as well as pétanque and hiking. The campsite also has a lovely outdoor swimming pool. In the evening, the whole family can enjoy a show or dance organised by the campsite.

What are the hidden treasures of Roussillon?

It was ochre that made the village of Roussillon what it is today. It was this ochre that made the village so rich during the Ancien Régime and the exploitation of its quarries, which have now become the footpaths that attract so many visitors. It is also this ochre with its red and yellow tones that you find under your feet on the footpaths and that coloured fabrics until 1920 and that also colours the facades of all the houses in the village. A sort of marvellous rock with warm, sunny colours, a must-see in Roussillon.

The ochre cliffs of the Lubéron valley© iStock

The ochre cliffs of the Lubéron valley
The ochre cliffs of the Lubéron valley© iStock

The famous Sentier des Ocres walk is therefore one of the essential activities when visiting the site. There are two routes, punctuated by small signs providing information on the geology, history and even flora of this rock. There are two routes, one 30 minutes long and the other 60 minutes long, along which you can discover the ancient deposits, dotted with red ochre cliffs, sandy knolls, and fairy chimneys.

Visit the Musée de l'Ocre to learn that ochre was already used in prehistoric times.

The Ochre Trail
The Ochre Trail© iStock

As you enter the village, you are surprised to see that the colour ochre is omnipresent, particularly on the facades of all the buildings. The church of St Michel is no exception to this custom. Built in the Middle Ages, it was altered several times during the 17th and 18th centuries, to make it safer, and the church backs onto a cliff. Right next to it is an orientation table and an exceptional view of the Lubéron mountains.

Saint-Michel church
Saint-Michel church© iStock

Stroll through the village, your eyes full of stars as you take in the sunset colours, which vary throughout the day and the seasons depending on the intensity of the light. Admire the 18th-century houses in the Place de la Mairie, the Naiads fountain and the cattle fountain in the Place de la Poste. The Place de la Forge, which was the first courtyard of the castle, the Place de l'Abbé Avon and the belfry, which was transformed in the 19th century, are also worth a visit.

The interior of the village of Roussillon with its colourful facades
The interior of the village of Roussillon with its colourful facades© iStock

Just before, head towards the castrum, which is the old parapet walk, offering a beautiful panorama of the surrounding countryside and the village that you won't regret.

 

 

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