Roussillon is the most dramatic of the ochre villages in the Luberon, built from and built on the extraordinary deposits of yellow, orange, and red pigment that were mined from the surrounding cliffs for two centuries. The buildings seem to have grown from the rock — the same palette of pale gold to deep burnt sienna runs from the quarry walls to the village facades to the dust on your shoes after an hour of walking. It is 10km from Apt and an easy drive from most of the Luberon.
The ochre was mined commercially from the late 18th century until around 1930, when synthetic pigments made extraction uneconomical. At their peak, the Roussillon quarries supplied pigment to artists, textile dyers, and building painters across Europe. The industrial history is still readable in the landscape: the old quarries just outside the village are now the Sentier des Ocres, a walking trail through sculpted cliffs and formations that are one of the most visually arresting things in Provence.
The village itself is well worth exploring. The streets climb steeply to a belvédère with views over the Luberon plateau, and the church of Saint-Michel at the top is a good 12th-century building. The effect of the buildings' colour is strongest in early morning and late afternoon light. A Thursday morning market sells local honey, goat cheese, and lavender.
Roussillon is one of the most-visited villages in France and gets extremely crowded in July and August — to the point where the narrow streets become unpleasant. If you are visiting in high summer, come early in the morning or consider coming in May, June, or September instead, when the light is equally good and the village is considerably more enjoyable.