Ochre

This is an ochre quarry near Rousillon. Ochre was used as a dye and lots was extracted from various sites in the Luberon. The ochre is the result of various sands etc being deposited in a sea, some show some current bedding very clearly.

These cliffs are there because they are topped by a layer of hematite, an ore of iron, that protected the soft sands below. The colours range from a deep red to white to a bright yellow (I think as I'm not too good with colours).

The village of Rousillon is perched on a cliff formed from the ochre. All the houses have to be painted in ochre colours. It's rather spectacular and a real honey pot for tourists. It was good early morning before the coaches arrived!