Take time to explore the narrow, steep streets, soaking in the rusts, reds, and ochers of the stone used in the construction of the houses. From the Castrum, at the high point along rue de l'Eglise, you'll see a magnificent vista. Face north and gaze across the Vaucluse plateau and to Mont Ventoux. Turn south to see the Coulon valley and the Grand Luberon.
You can reach the old ocher quarries, with their exposed, sunburned rocks, by taking a 40-minute scenic walk east of the village. Paths to the quarries start at the tourist office. The huge red cliffs of Chaussée des Géants comprise another panorama. To view them, take the path southeast of the tourist office. The walk is about 45 minutes and includes a great look back at Roussillon.
About 5km (3 miles) south of town on D149 is the pont Julien. Built more than 2,000 years ago, this three-arched Roman engineering feat of precisely hewn stone spans the Calavon River without the use of any mortar. It's thought to have been named in honor of the nearby Roman town of Apta Julia, known today as Apt.
