Roussillon, Vaucluse

If you will insist on having homemade apricot jam for breakfast in the Luberon, then you must go off to Roussillon (an apricot-colored town) immediately if not sooner.

I did go yesterday and am still reeling.

Roussillon is a hill town (village perché) set on cliffs of the most extraordinary colors and a huge source of earth colored pigments, raw and burnt sienna, ochres, umbers.

Regarde! Wow

Roussillon is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. Roussillon lies within the borders of the Parc Naturel Régional du Luberon. Roussillon is noted for its large ochre deposits found in the clay surrounding the village. Ochres pigments range from yellow, orange, red. One of the former ochre quarries can be visited via the "Sentier des Ocres" (Ochre Path), a walk of either 30-60 minutes through the old works

A-Mazing!

The town is stunning

I was absolutely certain

I would find an outfit head-to-toe terra cotta color

Maybe a terra cotta T-shirt that said,

"I HEART ❤️ ROUSSILLON"

It doesn't exist.

Not even a scarf in these fabulous colors 

By the way, if you see pigments on sale there labeled 'Apricot' do Not buy them. There is no such color except  in makeup 💄 & wall paint.

I made watercolor sketches of Roussillon. This may become a print...if you'd like one, let me know.

Croissant d'Amande research and Saignon

I have been doing daily research on the croissant d'amande in the Luberon. This straight-up boulangerie is in Saint-Saturnin-les-Apt. Hands down they can beat out Paris every day of the week in the croissant d'amande arena. I'm ready to put good money on it.

FYI, a croissant d'amande is a day-old croissant flattened, filled with almond frangepane, sprinkled liberally with slivered, toasted almonds on top. Provence being the home of French almonds, I'm guessing (and hoping) they are usung the local product, thereby achieving a far better tasting end result.

Naturally when we went to another hilltown the other day, Saignon, I felt obliged to do comparative testing.

Chez Christine is a cosy pastry shop.

Their croissant d'amandes are bigger and pricier, but not necessarily better.

Still you must factor in that you're sitting under a red umbrella at chez Christine's cafe

With a stunning view of Saignon's romanesque church perched on a hill. All the towns of the Luberon seem to be perched on a hill (why getting wifi here is rather frustrating...ahem).

One mustn't grumble but Angelina could really clean up in the hot chocolate area here.

Nestle's, please go away from all Luberon cafes and stay away.

I would love to meet Mireille, the owner of this charming facade in Saignon. Pretty adorable you have to admit oui?