The “ochre village” : a spell-binding Provence…

Tourist villages in the Luberon known for their rich deposits of ochre, Roussillon, Gargas and Rustrel propose fascinating landscapes in which the red and yellow clay provides a surprising contrast for the more subdued colours of pines and vines…

East of Gordes and the Luberon’s Golden Triangle, three typically Provençal villages share a spell-binding heritage : Roussillon, Gargas and Rustrel, whose earth laden with ochre was exploited for three long centuries (Gargas and Rustrel still have an unused quarry), bequeathing a surprising decor of shimmering colours. With its traditional houses flaunting such extraordinary hues, Roussillon (with approx. 1,400 residents), less than an hour from Avignon and its TGV station, is in fact listed as one of the “Plus Beaux Villages de France”. Visitors discover a good number of art-galleries and the remarkable “Ochre Pathway” whose colours range from yellow to mauve. Rustrel (with about 800 inhabitants) is home to the famous “Colorado provençal” with its fairy chimneys, 17th-C. château and 18th-C. oil mill. Gargas (pop. about 3,000) is home to the ochre mines of Bruoux, now open to the public.

As for the property market, which is highly residential, prices here are heterogeneous : “Roussillon, the commune closest to the Golden Triangle and TGV station in Avignon, is the most expensive, followed by Gargas then Rustrel,” explains Alice Sanchez, manageress of Pierres & Tradition, with two agencies based in Apt and Céreste, covering an area stretching from Ménerbes as far as Mane, in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, as well as Le Pays de Sault. “In Roussillon, the starting price, corresponding to a small house on an estate - outside the village - without a garden and in need of renovation, is around 100,000 €. Prices then climb to 1.5 million euros for properties at the top end of the range.” Which are in fact proposed from 800,000 €, as illustrated by a contemporary home of 200 m2 in almost 4,700 m2 of grounds with a pool, currently on offer at 787,500 €. “Roussillon is an important market for holiday homes, sought by a mainly Belgian clientele, while Gargas and Rustrel are more popular among people working in the area around Apt with budgets of up to 300,000 €.” Worth noting : a building plot of about 2,000 m2 costs 140,000-150,000 € in the plain, 350,000 € or more on the hills.

“Bargaining is systematic and tough. Some wonderful opportunities are thus to be snapped up,” comments Magali Brazard, an estate-agent with Allo Immo, which has four agencies, in Gargas, Camaret-sur-Aigues, Bollène and Lapalud. For example, she recently handled the sale of a 3-bedroomed villa on the hills of Gargas in grounds of 2,000 m2 with a delightful view, priced under 300,000 €. “A typical holiday residence, acquired by Belgian clients. On this market, most transactions range from 300,000 to 400,000 €.” Our expert delves into her portfolio for more examples : “In a quiet residential area in Gargas, a single-storey villa offering 3 bedrooms, a garden of 720 m2, a pool, jacuzzi and garage sold for 357,000 €. And in another of these pleasant areas, near the village centre, a house also all on one floor with a mature garden, pool and independent studio is on offer at 399,000 €”. As for building plots, a speciality for Allo Immo, those of 800 to 1,000 m2 are priced from 85,000 to 110,000 €, or 150,000-160,000 € if they have a pleasant view.