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The red rock formations at Colorado Provencal in France.

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Colorado Provençal

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Named after its fiery red and orange landscape (which locals likened to Colorado), this former ochre quarry is one of the best places to appreciate the area's mineral riches. Ochre was mined here from the 1880s until 1956, leaving a legacy of canyons, valleys, hills and sculptural rock formations such as the Cheminée de Fée (Fairy Chimney). Several colour-coded trails lead from the car park.

The site is signposted south of Rustrel village, off the D22 to Banon.

Parking costs €5 (free November to March), or you can walk down from the village. The site gets blazingly hot in summer: start early, carry water and wear hiking boots and a hat – and don't be surprised if you take some ochre home with you on your clothes (the best idea is to wait till it dries and brush it off).

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