Colorado Provençal: A Surprising Natural Landscape in France's Heart
Formed over millennia, the Colorado Provençal is an extraordinary landscape of canyons and rock pillars reminiscent of the desert scenery of the western USA.
Far removed from what we regard as a typical Provençal landscape – sun-drenched lavender fields, olive groves and cypress trees – the 30-hectare Colorado Provençal is a totally unique and exceptionally fragile environment with rare flora. Set on a former ochre-mining quarry, it’s a surreal world of ravines, valleys, rocky escarpments and plateaus surrounded by heather, chestnut trees and maritime pines. Named after the rich, fiery red, rust and golden hues of its rocks – which are often compared to the Colorado desertscapes familiar from Western films – it can only be visited on foot. You are free to take your time to explore this incredible phenomenon, shaped equally by nature and human hands. Book your Provence hotel and read on for our guide to the most unusual attraction in Provence.
Visiting the breathtaking Colorado Provençal
Now a major tourist attraction in the south of France as well as an homage to slow travel and carefully protected conservation site, the bizarre Colorado Provençal is a land stained by iron-rich ochre in shades from deep rust to canary yellow.
How was the Colorado Provençal formed?
Two factors are at play here, as the site is the result of nature working alongside humans. The Colorado Provençal formed from ancient, iron-rich clay sands deposited when the tropical sea covering Provence receded about 10 million years ago. Humans subsequently made their mark on the landscape by quarrying for ochre formed over millennia as the clay oxidised. Since mining was halted, erosion by rain and wind has sculpted the landscape into the twisted pinnacles, canyons and sheer cliffs we see today.
Good to know: Valuable ochre pigment has been mined since prehistoric times to produce paints and dyes, latterly for the fashion and building industries. The ochre industry in the Luberon started at the end of the 17th century, blossomed with the arrival of the railway 100 years later, and was finally wound down in 1992.
How to get to the Colorado Provençal
About an hour east from Avignon hotels and the same north of Aix-en-Provence’s elegant Mercure Beaumanoir, the site is just outside the rural village of Rustrel in the Luberon, signposted off the D22. Rustrel itself has ancient Roman origins and was long associated with the ochre mining that enabled the outlandish formations of the Colorado Provençal.
The closest urban centre is Apt, about 15 minutes’ drive away and itself a workaday Provence town that’s off the main tourist trail. It has a pretty old heart to explore, and several supermarkets if you want to stock up on Provençal melons, sweet tomatoes, banon (a local goat’s cheese wrapped in chestnut leaves) and crusty baguette for a picnic when you reach the Colorado Provençal.
Good to know: There’s a lively local produce market in Apt, held every Saturday morning between 8am and 1pm.
How much time do I need to explore the site?
We suggest at least half a day’s trip. Its trails are easy to follow and perfect for a leisurely stroll or a lengthier voyage of discovery. You can park at the site’s aptly named Mille Couleurs (“thousand colours”) car park at 84400 Rustrel or stroll up from Rustrel in about 10 minutes. You’ll find plenty of picnic tables scattered around the area, plus a couple of simple terrace cafés overlooking the site. A small gift shop selling Colorado Provençal-themed calendars and postcards is found across the road from the parking area.
Good to know: Pick up site maps at the Mille Couleurs car park.
2 unforgettable hiking trails
There are two waymarked footpaths to follow around the Colorado Provençal. You’re sure to make ever-lasting memories on the way – just don’t forget a camera for capturing the iconic outcrops and Martian landscapes, and remember to stay on the tracks to preserve the frail ecosystem.
1. The Sahara Circuit
Follow the blue signs to take the shorter of the routes, an easy amble on blazing-red sandy ground – with some narrow passages – through several steep-sided old quarries and past factory ruins. Allow time to admire the weird and wonderful sand pillars backed by cliffs, and sweeping hillocks dotted with lush greenery.
- Easy with gentle slopes
- 2 km round trip from the Mille Couleurs car park
- Duration: 40 minutes
- Not accessible to wheelchairs or strollers
2. The Belvédères Circuit
Offering stunning viewpoints over the Colorado Provençal, this circuit is signposted in orange and takes you up above the quarries. You’ll spot the extraordinary Cheminées des Fées (Fairy Chimneys), which are dumpy, mushroom-shaped hoodoos, and the Désert Blanc (White Desert), an area of snowy-white cliffs and pinnacles contrasting with the vibrant red, saffron and gold rocks surrounding them. Keep an eye out for tree roots, expect steps cut into the steep cliffsides and to ford a stream near the end of the hike.
- Moderate with some steep sections
- 4 km round trip from the Mille Couleurs car park
- Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Not accessible to wheelchairs or prams
Good to know: The GR6 hiking trail connecting the Gironde with Alpes-de-Haute-Provence actually passes through the Colorado Provençal, so if you’re following the long-distance walk, you can take a break in the park to check out the unique geological formations.
6 practical tips for visiting the Colorado Provençal
Here are our top tips for making the most of a trip to the Colorado Provençal.
1. The site is open between early February and mid November, with hours varying seasonally.
2. Between May and August – peak visitor months – you need to reserve your slot on the official site if visiting before 1pm.
3. The site may close at short notice in times of high fire risk.
4. The site is exposed and can get astonishingly hot in summer: make an early-morning start or visit in late afternoon, always carry water, and wear stout hiking boots and a sun hat.
5. Don’t be surprised if you take some ochre away on your clothes and boots. Just wait until it dries and brush it off.
6. Dogs are welcome, but please keep them on a lead and always clean up after them.
What else should I see nearby?
To learn more about ochre in the Luberon, you can visit underground mines at Bruoux (20 minutes’ drive west), while there are fascinating displays at the interactive ôkhra eco-museum in Roussillon, a gorgeous perched village less than half an hour by car. At the epicentre of the ochre-mining area, it’s also home to two short hikes in a former quarry on the Sentier des Ochres (Ochre Trail).
Don’t miss Gordes (half an hour’s drive), an archetypal Provençal hamlet that ranks among France’s most beautiful villages. Set high over olive groves and lavender fields, it’s topped by a Renaissance castle and has a labyrinth of winding lanes lined with ateliers and bistros with Vaucluse Mountains vistas.
Good to know: If you’d like to spend time in this corner of Provence, book in at Mercure Cavaillon, with its pool and views over the Luberon Regional Natural Park.
Hopefully we’ve inspired you to look for more outdoor adventures in Provence, so here are our suggestions for days out in the Nice countryside – alternatively you may like to cycle through the vineyards of Bordeaux. Whatever your next excursion will be, remember that hotels soon fill up, so book your stay early!
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