Lifestyle by Rosier magazine - 2018

Lifestyle by Rosier is an annual, up-market magazine in English and French.

The fine splendour of Gordes

I didn’t know the Luberon a lot until I woke up one morning in august 2015, on one of the carparks in Gordes. Not really knowing where I was. No, it wasn’t the results of a long drinking night. Just the thrilling dayly routine of a life on tour. Well… thrilling for those who have chosen it, exhausting for the others.

As often I had spent sleeping the night in a bus. Of course, I was aware of this date, carefully mentionned on my summer celebrations schedule between Valence and Narbonne. I obviously knew that we were playing in Gordes. I knew the name but it did not evoke anything more to me, which is not so bad, than a rural village where santons immersed in old fountains of olive oil, or soap made out of rosemary and the traditional provençal markets.

I was sharing, why not doing it, the typical american « cliché », english or chinese of holidays in Provence ! Cliché so close to the reality in certain aspects.

That morning around 12.30 am (indeed the musicians on tour have an odd way of starting the day, as the middle of the day is 9 pm, that makes the one who wakes up at 11 am … an early soul !) So that « early » morning, around 12.30 am, I went walking to discover the surroundings. The hillside properties, the happy bustle of the summer, the sweeping views of the countryside as far as the Luberon ridges. Then, the narrow streets, the multiple stairs, the paths surrounded by low stone walls, fields with strange igloos made of dry-stone. And from down the village, from the valley, the fine splendour of Gordes, this village which is now so familiar to me.

In this village, thanks to Tara and Serge from the agence ROSIER, I have finally settled down, with my family and number of friends who come and visit on sunny days, I have made new friends and shared in and out the life from here which was for me the life over there.

Bénabar.

LIFESTYLE 2018