I will tell you a little story. Some of you may know it already but I find that the best stories bear repeating often. Especially if you have a muddle of a memory like I do, it keeps them alive and in a row, like counting beads on a rosary or a mala.
Sometimes good does indeed come from bad, light follows the dark. So it was that we discovered Arles. Remi, my incredible professional photographer companion and I had made the long grumbly drive down from Paris, where we had been living together in very cramped quarters for two years. We didn’t dream of the South like others did, didn’t fantasize about Provence or the Luberon. No. We headed to Perpignan for Visa Pour L’Image, widely heralded as the world’s most important photojournalism festival. But somehow the sadness of the photographs that we saw overwhelmed us that year, the peacock strutting of competing photographers clashed as utterly inappropriate. So we left. Before the final ceremony, before the last pop of a champagne cork.
We drove towards the Camargue with the windows of our old Saab rolled down. Waves of hot wind slapped our cheeks, flamingos flapped off into the distance and white horses stomped through a bleached out landscape like galloping ghosts. It cleared our minds. “Why don’t we stop in Arles?” Remi suggested, breaking a silence that seemed heavier than air. All I knew of Arles was Van Gogh. But that is enough, isn’t it? “All right.”
The doors opened for us. Literally. We found a charming room available at the Hotel de L’Amphitheatre, one that we could afford, on a busy Saturday night, the first of September. Already as we ran our hands over the cool, cream stone walls and gazed out at the whistling leaves of the platane trees dotting the tiny square below, something was stirring. We got our first glimpse of the Roman Arena as we stepped out into the late afternoon. We let ourselves get swept up in the crowds rolling down the hillside towards the remaining exhibitions of the Rencontres d’Arles, another photography festival and yet a world away. A warm, golden light wrapped around us as did the notes from a jazz quartet that had set up camp on the cobbled street. Inside an abandoned church, we looked at the work of Harry Gruyaert’s “Rivages”. We turned ourselves towards beauty and that stirring surged up into tears. We knew. This was where we were ready to be.
It took us over two years to make the move. At the time, we were travelling nearly non-stop as a photographer/journalist team for different magazines in the French press. But it was worth the wait. In 2005, we packed up a truck, arriving in the dark at 1am with a Mistral wind roaring off the Rhone River to welcome us. Eventually, we welcomed an incredible Golden Retriever, Ben, into our family of two. I am as charmed by those old stones, by that light that is like a friend (albeit a moody one) as I was on the first day. And although I don’t know if I will be here forever as Remi and I are nomads in our hearts, for now I am happy to be Lost in Arles.
I want to thank the lovely Vicki Archer at the exceptional blog French Essence for having mentioned me, this blog and Arles today. I thought it only polite to introduce myself with a little curtsy to those of you that might be visiting for the first time. Bonjour et bienvenue!
What a heartwarming piece you have posted today. I feel in the words that it is authentic and straight from the heart. It is wonderful to be doing exactly what you wish at this moment in time. You are making beautiful memories, as well as a beautiful blog in the here-and-now. And I won't forget Ben, either! He is beautiful as well!!
Loved that story too!!!!!!!!!!!So, Ben is FRENCH through and through?Somehow, I thought he was AMERICAN!Born in ARLES was he?You have a beautiful BLOG…………its my favorite!I dont understand why more people havenot fallen upon you.You write so beautifully and your pics…..well they are priceless!I too hope one day we can linger in the jardin and sip a Heather APRETIFF………and share everything!IT WILL HAPPEN!Look you met The FRENCH ESSENSE DAME!!!!!!!!Somehow, somewhere Remi will get an assignment in California and I will come and scoop you away!!!!!!!!I PROMISE!
xoxoxo
P.S. – Your posts are showing up as: no*****@*****er.com(Lost In Provence) at Lost in Arles
Exactly like that. Is that the way they are supposed to be??
Wow. Holy Moly. You and Remi did what I have always wanted to do…follow my heart when it sings and announces that…"This is it. This is where you belong". Husband and I have been to a couple of places that sang to us, but he – being the pragmatist that he is – wouldn't go with the flow. I've always regretted that, but what can I say? He is the love of my life, and I have to do what makes him comfortable.
And then there is Ben, and for us it is Mackerel and Finn. And the grand children, laughing and full of themselves on the coast. So, maybe Husband was right. And I can always read your Blog, and sigh over your pictures…
Lucky woman. Lucky to be lost in Arles.
Arles is a lovely town. You are so lucky that your path in life took you there.
Heather – you have opened the window of memories for me – last year we had heard of Provence obviously – but the openness of the artists there and their wonderful friendship and sharing are amazing – they told us places to visit and drew mud maps for us!! We would come back in a breeze to stay for a while it is a fantastic spot – please don't stop posting whatever you do!!
The end result for me was several pieces of work inspired by this amazing space:
http://wynvogel.blogspot.com/2011/12/timetraveller-ghosts-of-st-remy.html
thanks very much!!
Hello my dear Hattats. As always, I thank you for all of your support but just so you both know, all of the photos that are on the blog are mine save for the very few on four or five of my posts about our previous travels and they have a ©Remi Benali mark on them. His work is at a far different level than my little snapshots that I share with you all. 🙂 But yes, travelling together was so wonderful beyond belief. I am so grateful for that!
Thanks so much Debra, you too have a handsome Golden of your own!
Hello Heather:
Your writing, dearest Heather, is as beautiful as Remi's photography is beguiling, what a perfect partnership you make. And, how enchanting is this story of your first visit to Arles. We were there with you, gazing at the centuries old stone, bathed in that most golden of honey coloured light. No wonder that you found it all so captivating. We are sure that we should find it so too. And Ben, simply adorable!
I will never tire of your writings Heather and love visiting you. Ben is also a wonder to see he's such a handsome boy he looks so happy. Nice hearing how you and Remi ended up down south and what a way to go.
XXX
Debra~