Isabelle, our second architect!

The day that the United Kingdom voted to Brexit, our daughter Isabelle became an architecte diplomé d'Etat having graduated from L'Ecole Nationale Superior d'architecture de Paris Malaquais.  We are very proud parents.

Isabelle receiving her diploma and being teased about Brexit by the principal.

Last vernissage of the season

David and Christabel hanging the last vernissage

I know there has been nothing on the blog since June! Its been so hot from the middle of June to this last week, the heat has just been draining.  We've had no extra energy to devote to other things like the blog.  The kitchen was regularly at 31C in the evenings and its taken all our efforts to keep going! I've put together a selected highlights of the summer to give a flavour of how life has been at Les Bassacs.

The heat broke last week with some spectacular skies.

autumn equinox

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Morning stripes

With the lavender and the corn ripening in the fields, the countryside is revealed in all its beauty in contrasting strips of colour.  These fields are between St Saturnin and Rustrel.

Judy painting

David took his group to the basse fontaine area of Gordes to shelter from the mistral.  Its a beautiful little spot, quite secluded and surrounded by some spectacular terraced gardens.  A professional photographer passing by took this shot of Judy painting in the sunshine. He stopped to talk to David and promised to forward him the photo.  Here it is.  Many thanks to David Schmaus and his analogue Hasselblad!

Rebecca Hind's week with David

Unfortunately Rebecca was unable to teach her course this summer at Les Bassacs.  David stepped in to take the week which meant that he dusted off his watercolours and enjoyed the freedom to experiment in his sketch book.

Rustrel

St Saturnin les Apt

On picnic day in Lourmarin David sketched the chaotic jumble of buildings in the centre of the village and some comical donkeys in front of the chateau.

Opium Poppies in Les Bassacs

Papaver somniferum spotted in the Les Bassacs car park!

Chagall's Gordes

The mistral has been blowing hard this week which gives us clear skies and bright sunshine but also keeps the air temperature fresh! It is always a great trick to find painting sites that are out of its reach.  On Monday,  David took the group to the lower part of Gordes. It was here that Chagall lived during the war until 1941 when he was smuggled out of France and eventually to America.  Varian Fry who worked to save Chagall and his wife, visited the Chagall's at their home in Gordes.  He wrote of the visit in his diary.
 “Gordes is a charming, tumbled down old town on the edge of a vast and peaceful valley. I can see why they didn’t want to leave; it is an enchanted place."

In this part of Gordes there were a series of mills that were used in shoe manufacturing and Chagall's house is one of these, it is built over a stream which was originally a small river.

David noticed that the electricity counter still has Chagall's name on it!

 The area is quite secluded and there are many well preserved ruined buildings and cobbled streets which make good painting subjects.

Abandoned troglodyte dwelling at Oppède le Vieux

During John Raynes watercolour week the group painted at Oppède le Vieux. Its an exciting place to explore as much of the village is still in its abandoned state.

David stumbled upon the lower floor of an abandoned troglodyte dwelling with an elaborate vaulted ceiling and these beautiful mullioned windows.

The Les Bassacs Team part 1

Liz, Anna and David (photo courtesy of Carol Gillot)

Terry Thompson's week 30th April 2016

Terry's week started bright but suddenly very cold.  We had to put the heating on for a few days.  Then the wind dropped and the sun shone . . .

(Photos courtesy of Terry Thompson)