The Provençal Canyon in the Luberon: a practical guide for your trip

The Canyon Provençal is only an hour away of Avignon orAix-en-Provence. It is located in the Vaucluse (84) in the centre of the Luberonmore precisely in Rustrel. The Canyon Provençal car park is easily accessible. It is a large lot where you can park easily, but it is very busy in summer (July-August). For a more pleasant experience, you can postpone your visit until the end of the day or arrive as soon as the car park opens.

The walks you can do in the Canyon Provençal

To discover the ochres of Rustreltwo circuits are offered to visitors. The first, short and easy to access, focuses on the heart of Rustrel. The second one extends the walk and overlooks the whole of the Colorado Provençal, thus allowing a wider view of the site.

The Sahara Circuit : If you only want to see the essentials, you can take the blue trail. This is an easy walk for the whole family, even the less sporty, as it takes less than an hour to cover 2 km.

The Belvederes circuit : This signposted walk takes you first to the SaharaThe route covers about 1,500 metres, before climbing the surrounding hills to get different views of the Provençal Colorado. The route covers approximately 4 km and takes less than 2 hours.

The ochre quarries in the Canyon Provençal

The ochre quarriesa unique geological formation in FranceThese are nestled in the heart of the pinewoods and fascinate anyone who walks through them.

Both sites were once quarries forochre extraction. The coloured pigments were extracted until the 1990s. Then, slowly, the vegetation took over and the sites became a magical tourist attraction.

The landscapes are breathtaking and transport you instantly. The colours range from sunny yellow to dark brown, through all shades of terracotta, orange and even terracotta.

There are 24 shades of ochre, enough to satisfy any painter! You will find many geological formations along the walk, including hills, canyons and cliffs as well as cirques and fairy chimneys. It is difficult for your eyes to see the beauty of the site and the subtleties of the colours at the same time.

The Ochre Trail in the Canyon Provençal

This trail, laid out in former quarries, is a unique and interesting walk that awaits you in the heart of Roussillonone of the France's most beautiful villages. Roussillon is one of the best known sites in the Luberonwith its ochre trail.

These ochre cliffs are the result of the combined efforts of nature and man, who has been mining this coloured sand since 1800.

The walk of the Ochre Trails is also known as Giant's Causeway. There are two routes: one that takes 30 minutes and one that takes 50 minutes.

The Sentier des Ocres is a walk that will surprise you with its breathtaking landscapes, worthy of the American Far West.