CAROL DRINKWATER ❘ LOVE FRANCE A LEGACY OF LOVE Carol ponders what will become of her beloved olive farm in years to come S
BY CAROL DRINKWATER
ometimes I ask myself what will become of our Olive Farm when we are gone – what will its legacy be? Especially now when the summers are so hot that many of the trees are struggling to survive. It would break my heart to think of the land buried beneath blocks of flats. So how can I pass on a little of the magic that this scruffy terraced patch has rewarded us with?
The Miró Labyrinth at
Fondation Maeght, which is a must-visit next time you are in the south of France
A HAVEN FOR THE ARTS A famous Spanish-born French actress, Maria Casarès, mistress of Albert Camus, left her home to the French state. The Maison Maria Casarès is situated at the heart of the Domaine de la Vergne on the banks of the Charente. Today it is a thriving location where theatre, heritage, landscape and education all come together: sometimes, a retreat or rehearsal space for actors; in other seasons, a residence for foreign dramatists. There is a barn that has been transformed into a theatre and used for performances and workshops. In summer the estate throws open its doors to a festival where adults and children alike are entertained. Michel dreams of an open-air cinema at the Olive Farm. I have been mulling over the possibility of a writers’ retreat or creative writing courses. Or what about an open-air museum? Twenty minutes east of us at the foot of Saint-Paul-de-Vence stands the fabulous Fondation Maeght. If you have never visited this private museum then I beg you, when next in the south of France, please, dedicate half a day to immerse yourself in this enchanting setting. It
was established in 1964 by Marguerite and Aimé Maeght, two very influential art dealers who owned a gallery in Paris and who represented and were friends with some of the most lauded artists of the post-war period. The Fondation’s permanent collection includes works by Georges Braque, Pierre Bonnard, Joan Miró and Alberto Giacometti, amongst many others. In the olden days there used to be lively concerts in the grounds. Nights at the Fondation Maeght is an album recorded in 1970 by the American jazz saxophonist Albert Ayler.
“THE STAGE WAS PLACED WITH 300 CHAIRS ENCIRCLING IT. THE NIGHT WAS WARM WITH NO WIND. THE CICADAS, IN FULL VOICE, COMPETED WITH THE MUSIC”
Three years ago, the Friends of Saint-Paul-de-
Vence Association decided to organise its own summer festival in the village, a mix of jazz and classical music. One of this year’s events was held at the Fondation Maeght, under the stars in a part of the grounds known as the Miró Labyrinth. I booked tickets. We went the whole way by including a delicious early dinner at the Fondation’s restaurant, Sous Les Pins (Beneath the Pine Trees).
AN ENCHANTED EVENING The Miró Labyrinth consists of 20 artworks conceived especially for this winding, hilly garden. The works of ceramic, marble, iron or even concrete are sometimes huge and always original and inventive. Some are attached to the Provençal stone walls. One of the pieces is a massive sundial. This was where the stage was placed with 300 chairs encircling it. The night was warm with no wind. The cicadas, in full voice, competed with the music. The immense pine trees surrounded us. At one point I glanced upwards and spotted a tawny owl perched on a high branch seemingly entranced by the music. During the entr’acte I caught snippets of conversations in many different tongues. Music, of course, is a universal language. I whispered a silent merci to the Maeghts, who imagined this place and hived off part of their land to make it happen. Fifty years on, their vision is still weaving its spell. FT
Carol Drinkwater is an award-winning actress and the best-selling author of The Olive Farm series. Her latest work is An Act of Love, a story of bravery and courage in WWII France
80 ❘ FRANCE TODAY Oct/Nov 2023
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