The entrance to the Colorado Provençal Belvédères trail is located at the ticket office of the "Mille Couleurs" car park along the D22 between Rustrel and Gignac. Information will be provided at the ticket office.
(S/E) At the car park exit (marker 1), follow the orange markings of the Belvédères trail in the direction of travel.
(1) At marker 2, turn right to follow the trail that runs along the bed of the Doa River. From marker 13, the trail begins to reach the ochre quarries, and the ochre sandy soil turns red.
(2) From markers 14 to 21, the trail crosses the old main quarry called "Sahara". Do not go beyond the wooden posts and ropes that mark the fragile areas. The ochre sand dunes must not be climbed for their protection.
(3) Marker A indicates the continuation of the Orange route. The Blue trail returns to the car park. Take the Orange trail, which enters the forest and leads to three viewpoints.
(4) The first viewpoint overlooks the main quarry. Continue along the trail.
(5) The second offers a view of an old quarry where fairy chimneys can be found. Return to the trail at marker I to continue.
(6) The L marker indicates the white quarry called "white desert" formed by kaolinite. Continue to follow the orange markings on the left to return to the car park.
At marker P, take the shortcut across the Doa River if the water level allows it, otherwise continue to marker Q and take the footbridge, turning right at the end of the footbridge. You will return to the start of the blue and orange marked trails and the site entrance sign.
Start of the Colorado Tour via the ridges
The Colorado Tour via the GR® allows you to see other ochre quarries, although you cannot access them as they are private property. Much of the walk is through forest or along fields. The most spectacular part of the site is on the Belvédères trail.
(1) At marker 2, turn right onto the track, cross the Doa river ford, follow the GR®6 and GRP® Around the Luberon and Monts de Vaucluse, marked in white and red on the DFCI MV41.
After one kilometre, the track overlooks the Barriès site, a former ochre quarry. This is private property and is not accessible.
(7) Continue along the track to the Barriès signpost.
(8) Leave the GR®6 on your left and continue towards Pradenques on the track on your right. At the tarmac road, turn left for about a hundred metres, following the yellow markings.
(9) At the Pradenques signpost, turn right onto the road towards Ubac de Pradenques, following the yellow and red markings.
(10) Leave the road at a slight bend and take the ridge path to the Croix de Cristol signpost. Be careful not to take the paths that descend before reaching the Croix de Cristol; continue on the path marked with a red cross and a yellow cross.
(11) At the Croix de Cristol signpost, head towards Rustrel and Istrane. Be careful, as the path can be slippery in some sections of the descent. Towards the end of the descent, you will have views of the Colorado cliffs and old ochre quarries.
(12) Cross the Doa River, go up the road to the right of the water treatment plant, turn right onto the "Chemin de la Poste" road and continue along it to the Colorado car park (S/E).