CUCURON
The Workshop Centre.
Established in the year 1064. A small human sized village surrounded by vineyards, at the foot of the Luberon mountains. Thirty Km north of Aix-en-Provence and within easy reach of Arles or Avignon.
Ideal as a Workshop centre, quiet, with small intimate spaces, two high grounds, medieval streets, fountains, shadows and the etang, a pond, provide situations to work, relax and think. With cafes and restaurants to suite. An arena for instruction, discussion, and reflection, with already much to photograph.
Morning market
Once a week the market comes to town, and in summer best to shop early.
The platane trees are so tall, the tops are held together with elastic bands, against the occasional Mistral. When the leaves come out in spring they shade the entire étang, thus a cool place to take a café especially after a hard morning shopping.
...pictures speak for themselves, wordlessly, visually or they fail.
Walker Evans.
Mid-day
By midday the streets, and alleys are emptying and good folk sit down to lunch together. It all belongs to you.
The Tower was a defensive measure nowadays chickens strut their stuff around it. Set on the east hill, in the medieval wall. Steps and two small lanes give access.
Preparing the Fête du Grande Menage, (spring cleaning) but more an excuse to celebrate spring, when life is outside again.
When Fêtes come around things can start early, as do the bisous du soleil.
Preparing for the Fête of the 'Tree of May'.Young men of the village cut down a very tall tree, carry it into the village, with a boy on top, around the narrow and cornered streets to plonk it up against the Church.
Rue d'Eglise, heart of the old village. Note there are three epochs of old village, each with enclosing wall and gates, and their own centre ville.
Small though the village is.
In olden days young women would tie a ribbon to the tree, the young men would plant a small tree outside the house of their sweetheart.
Around 1900. By Marc Deydier, Museum. Notaire and gentleman photographer
Where houses grow on trees.
A restaurant since 1900.
...and autumn leaves challenge Photoshop.
...and we have ruins.