SOUTH OF FRANCE - May 1973

A couple of my previous postings seem to have created a little confusion amongst friends (possibly because they aren't reading the Blog) - so here's an overview: In May 1973 Pat and I did a bit of a pilgrimage through France visiting most of Le Corbusier's buildings, including his Pavilion in Zurich, after moving on to spend some time in Tuscany and Venice. While in the South of France our good friend Lisa Woodsworth accommodated us in her apartment in Aix-en-Provence, which was the perfect center for exploring the region. We spent a day with Lisa at Cassis where we lazed on the beach and watched a game of Boules unfold in one of the squares. I clearly recall the atmosphere inn that square, and fortunately have a picture to remind me of some of the details ........ it really was very French. We braaied on the slopes of Mont Sainte-Victoire outside Aix (immortalized time and again by Cezanne in his various paintings), and we spent many happy hours in Saint-Paul-De-Vence, one of the oldest Medieval towns on the Riviera, just burying ourselves in everything that surrounded us - again, that absolute and utter Spirit of Place, "I am watching you ....... are you watching yourself in me?" There were just so many details, so many little galleries, including the wonderful Fondation Maeght which is nearby. The village was home to Marc Chagall (and numerous other artists), and we recall an amazing exhibition of "ceramics" by Jean Miro, the master of "nothing is what it appears to be" at the Fondation Maeght, all of which turned out to be made of glass fibre. The American writer James Baldwin died in the village in 1987 as did the British actor Donald Pleasance in 1995....... both well after we visited, and I believe it is still home to former Rolling Stones Bassist, Bill Wyman.
If ever you are in the area be sure to visit both Cassis and Saint-Paul-De-Vence.

A game of boules in Cassis

Images of Saint-Paul-De-Vence