Memories of a French seaside summer

The summer of 2016 in France was one of the conspicuous luxury of Montecarlo with it polished yachts and loud, high-priced sports cars, the charm of Cap d’Ali with its bare and arduous rocks and the ancient seduction of the dark side streets and small port of Villefranche. Further away is Grasse with its aromas of lavender and violet. And then there is Nice, with the blood now gone from its Promenade, and nearby Antibes, which was Picasso’s getaway and inspired him to paint Joie de Vivre. He was 65 at the time and his new muse and lover Francoise Gilot was expecting his son. He painted it in his new studio inside Grimaldi Castle from where he could see the sea with its countless tonalities of turquoise that blended between the nuances of the sky and the sea with a sparkling sun that reflected on the sea and sand.

These colors, this idea of somber happiness and carefree wellbeing found in the Cote d’Azur are all concentrated in Picasso’s painting. But for those who are unable to go to Antibes, all this can be found concentrated in the rosé wines of the southern French coast. Just looking at their pale and ancient nuances of pink brings peace to your senses and gives you a feeling of contentment. All without pretext and characterized by an elegant simplicity.

I brought home with me in a bottle those sunsets over the sea and the rosé wines of the same color. I love coming home after the summer to those September evenings and listening to the tales of the summer of others that for a moment takes you back to your holiday.

What follows are four memories of the sea, the sunsets over the port where intermingled nuances of blue blended with a cloud of pink. Forgive me if I got carried away but I still have not fully gotten over my holiday.

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