When on holiday Michelle told us to visit Roussillon which has been inhabited since Neolithic time, then later by the Romans who also left their traces. Samuel Beckett lived there during the Second World War.This was certainly worth the 1.5 hour drive and if you are ever going to visit somewhere in France this should be near the top of your list.  Spectacular views of the surrounding countryside make this a very special day.

In Roussillon, the most memorable feature is not Roussillon itself, but the ochre mines below the village.

The range of colours in the white-orange-red rocks is extraordinary, and the curiously shaped rock formations add further to the spectacle. It creates to my mind a landscape that you might think was from another world or the moon.

Roussillon is yet another super-attractive Provencal village. The colour in the mines is mirrored in the colours of the house in Roussillon itself, above the mines - the extraordinary colour of the houses in the village, tinted by the ochre that was once mined here, really does make Roussillon different to the other villages in the region.  It is a spectacular sight walking around the village and being confronted by a range of colours, all different, around each corner.

I would imagine that to see Roussillon when the first sunshine of the day strikes the village, to see the glowing colours of the houses at their most stunning.

Roussillon has many beautiful houses, constructed mostly about 300 years ago, and also has its fair share of tourism related gift shops and galleries etc, like all the 'most beautiful villages of France.  Also like many touristy type areas it is very, very expensive.  I can’t help but feel that if they reduced the prices they would sell considerably more.  The day we visited very few people were buying.It is a lovely little village to explore - shady squares, amazing architectural details, faded shutters, cats sleeping on windowsills - everything you hope for from a Provencal village. Take care and stay safe. Pictures at: http://www.donking.spaces.live.com/