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Caption: FAMILIAR PLACES HYÈRES | GIENS | PORQUEROLLES Watch the story ➡️ Watch the film
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Caption: I planned to visit Porquerolles in the Autumn 2020. Unfortunately, like many of us, recent events have shattered my travel plans.
There will be no cavorting in the shallow waters of the Notre Dame beach, nor will I watch the evening on the place d'Armes sitting from the small concrete wall that faces the church Sainte-Anne.
But that's okay because I've spent the last months with Porquerolles. As I was finishing the editing of a film I shot between Giens and Porquerolles in 2018, I felt the need to stay on the island one way or another.
And so came in mind the idea of the Familiar Places series. I gathered a collection of photos and notes in those past confined months, and there I was, transported back to Porquerolles. I felt the wind on my face from the Pointe du Ribaud, I heard the song of the cicadas in the pinède, and I tasted the citrus notes in the white wine of the Domaine de l'Ile.
A feeling of shame crossed my body when I remembered that, even so briefly, I once took this magnificent place for granted. And today, 8074km away, swarmed with twenty years of memories, I can only be thankful to consider Porquerolles a familiar place.
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Caption: I remember the elongated pink birds feeding in the shallow brine and the shark fin guarding the river that ran through a small town with yellow painted houses and orange roofs.
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Picture of Plage de la Badine
Picture of Plage de la Badine
Picture of Plage de la Badine
Caption: I remember the long stretched road bordered with tall green pine trees beside the brown-coloured water from the sea-salted swamps.
Plage de la Badine
Caption: I remember the restaurant nested on a sharp bluff with a splendid view on the Mediterranean Sea made of a vast blue canvas speckled with triangular white sails. It ran from the bottom of the cliffs and spread across the horizon where lushly green domes stood, shrouded by a thin white mist.
I remember the ferry ride aboard the blue hull boat we boarded from a port named after a melted fort.
Picture of Porquerolles
Caption: And finally, I remember Her. She is said to be one of four daughters cherished by an ancient king. She was known for her two faces.
Like any formidable women, she was fierce, untamed and beautiful.
Porquerolles
Caption: The relentless winds carved her southern lines with sharp black cliffs that plunged into the depths where ferocious waves broke against her sides.
But she was also calm, soothing and kind. Her curved northern lines were filled with sandy beaches, delicately licked by crystal waters. She always sang with the cicadas, luring sailors from the Seven Seas.
It is said that a famous loving pirate gifted her of his entire treasure that she kept hidden ever since.
Picture of Porquerolles
Porquerolles
Caption: She was so mesmerizing that an Ancient Serpent fell for her and jealously fought prying sailors with its fire breath.
The Leviathan was named L'Alycastre and made its lair in a deep and dark cave pierced in the bluffs of a windy beach.
Those who dared to venture in the cove would hear the serpent's fainted roar blended with the waves.
Picture of Porquerolles
Picture of Porquerolles
Caption: She wore the most exquisite perfume, the sourness of citrus, the exotic scent of eucalyptus and the salted brine.
Picture of Porquerolles
Picture of Porquerolles
Caption: From the first time I saw Her, I knew. Like many men and women before me, I had fallen for Her.
She was named Porquerolles.
Picture of Porquerolles
Picture of Porquerolles
Caption: The way I see Porquerolles is a place where the only time that matters is the living present.
An island exempted from time zones. We find a table at the café Côté Port. With squared red sun umbrellas, red wooden tables and red chairs, it is hard to miss the salmon painted café.
Picture of Porquerolles
Picture of Porquerolles
Caption: There is a golden light bathing the Place D'Armes, I walk up the street that hugs the square towards the hotel Villa Sainte-Anne, below the eucalyptus trees. The dried and long yellow leaves crack under my feet, I pick up the few left green ones from the ground. They still hold their strong exotic scent.
Picture of Plage de la Badine
Picture of La Madrague
Caption: On the northwest side of Giens laid out the village of La Madrague. Fishermen's houses built on the shores and in the numerous Calanques.
Picture of La Madrague
La Madrague
Caption: In the Seventies, La Madrague welcomed a French actress - Initials B.B - the muse of many artists. Filmed by Godard and sung by Gainsbourg.
When she wasn't on the set of an upcoming film or sauntering in the streets of Saint-Tropez, mesmerizing the crowds, she retreated to La Madrague.
There she could often be seen swimming in the crystal water of a calanque, wearing nothing but her blonde long curled hair.
Picture of La Madrague
Caption: The waves gently rocked the small fishermen boats, and you could hear the waves breaking against the hulls that echoed in the hollows of the wooden dock.
With only a few fishermen casting off their rode, and the colourful pointus lit by the warm and soft sunset light, we watched the timeless Madrague shifting into the darkness of the night. This scenery was worthy of Paul Cezanne's brushes. That night, however, we did not come for an evening swim. Instead, we walked down to the docks of the small port that sheltered small old-fashioned boats.
Called Pointus, their colour palettes had for equals only their maker's imagination.
Picture of La Madrague
Caption: the places we often take for granted. Through collections of films, photos and short stories, I intend to shares tales of these familiar yet unique places that I am lucky to call home. The series Familiar Places is an open letter of apology to all
La Madrague
Caption: If you made it this far, thank you! @Steller #stellerstories #framedstories #stellerid #france #porquerolles #hyeres #var #southoffrance This story is dedicated to the hardworking team preserving & protecting these idyllic places that are the Golden Islands. Merci,
Robin Framed Stories To see more stories: Instagram
