Provence from Fayence outwards

St. Tropez soap: Sous le soleil

St. Tropez' very own soap "Sous le Soleil" could be coming to a screen near you. The trailers look very fromageux but we can't wait to get the experience. And I quote: "The part drama, part rom-com has tracked the lives of three lovely ladies in the Cote d’Azur town, where glamour, money, large yachts, expensive villas and celebrities are plentiful. The story lines may be shallow, but sales have been rock-solid, with the series selling to more than 120 countries, including 20 networks in Europe. " Here's a trailer from You Tube...

Cannes of Bean

Here's what the Scotsman thinks of Mr. Bean and his holiday in Provence. Mind you, the Scots can get there in droves now.

"The film works on a predictable and puerile level that is unlikely to endear it to most critics, but there are moments when the silliness almost becomes sublime.

Atkinson's comedy skills are well deployed in a scene where a busking Bean improvises and mimes to a recording of 'Il Mio Bambino Caro', and one in which he takes desperate measures to remain awake while drifting towards sleep at the wheel of a car.

The best moments are saved for the end as Bean becomes the sensation of the Cannes Film Festival (all too easy to accept for anyone who has experienced that event). He finally heads to the sandy beach and piercing blue seas as the entire cast join him in an all-singing, all-dancing finale played to the sound of Charles Trenet's rousing rendition of 'La Mer'.

It may be easy to dismiss as simple-minded fun, but there is something about this latest Bean escapade that makes it sweetly endearing."

Mr. Bean's Holiday in Provence

Mr. Bean (aka Rowan Atkinson) is back and he's comimg to Provence. Here's the synopsis: "Mr Bean is heading to the South of France for a simple holiday in the sun. His voyage from London to the Riviera soon transcends into one of mischief and mayhem as he inadvertently creates havoc wherever he goes culminating in an unscheduled and riotous screening of his own video diary at the Cannes Film Festival."

I'm sure it'll be innocent, amusing fare & look forward to the liberties Mr. Bean will take with the French, Cannes and Provence in general.

Here's more blurb.

A Good Year ripped by the French

Ridley Scott's adaptation of Peter Mayle's "A Good Year" - dubbed "Une Grande Annee" in French - has picked up quite a few ropey reviews by the French cinematic intelligentsia, according to Reuters.

Unfazed by the translations, I tracked 'em down in the original and found load of Grande Annee reviews:

Paris Match: "Prévisible de bout en bout, l'histoire lourdingue accumule les clichés sur fond de carte postale pour touristes gastronomes."

Tele 7 Jours: "Dénué de caractère et de corps, ce millésime anodin n'a rien du grand cru attendu... "

Le Monde: "Sans lésiner sur les clichés, Ridley Scott adapte ici sans y croire un roman de Peter Mayle, qui défend la noblesse de l'argent du terroir contre la vulgarité de celui des marchés financiers."

I have yet to see it, but I shall going to see Perfume first.

A Good Year

Amusing review of new Russell Crowe/Ridley Scott movie set in Provence from Boston, Mass, "a mostly familiar story of a workaholic London financial whiz who learns to stop and smell the rosé after he inherits his uncle’s vineyard in Provence."

Provence on YouTube

Look what provence material we now have! Via YouTube (worth $1bn+ according to Google), we have access to the largest collection of video trivia in the world. and searching for a needle in a haystack, we might just find something of interest!

Good Year for Russell Crowe?

Provence feelgood movie "A Good Year" has been released, to decidely mixed reviews.  A few nuggets:

• "Crowe's turn at comedy in his new movie has been panned."
• "Crowe himself seems to want to forego any romanticism - he has a goofy hair-parting, wears unappealing outfits and hums, haws and sputters in search of some humour. A Good Year is at times downright clumsy"

I meanly quote China Daily in full:

"The only real dud, though, was Ridley Scott's A Good Year, adapted from Peter Mayle's A Year In Provence, in which City whizkid Max inherits a crumbling French chateau. The first 20 minutes are wonderful, thanks to a flashback to Albert Finney as Max's uncle, former owner of the chateau.

Equally good are early London scenes with Russell Crowe as the obnoxious Max. Once the film hits France, the rot sets in faster than it attacks the chateau's vines. A miscast Crowe shows little knack for comedy, smirking his way through scene after scene filled with clich¨¦s about France. Sadly, a Good Year barely qualifies as plonk."

Here's a link to the Good Year trailer.

Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources

Lovers of Provence will, I am sure, have seen Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources. For those of you who have, you'll love the hollywood-style US trailers for Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources respectively.

For those of you who missed them, simply watch them and enjoy.

Bachelor on the Riviera

Scouring the internet, I read the following about a bachelor who is dating women in Cannes:

"Travis whisks five women off to the romantic French Riviera where they spend a day swimming and jet skiing on a private yacht, and at night try their luck at a private gambling party at the legendary Carlton Hotel in Cannes. Tempers flare when Moana, who previously claimed a lack of interest, suddenly becomes aggressive with the Bachelor, diminishing the time Travis can spend with the rest of the envious women, who lash out at Moana with a barrage of trash-talking. Meanwhile, the jealous ladies do everything in their power to snag Travis' first kiss. Who will be the lucky woman?"

I am terribly excited because Travis is the central character in my own book - City of Liars - and I panic because somebody has swiped my name as I know that Travis would NEVER have developed in that way. But then I discover that Travis is the "hero" of an American reality TV show, which also has a blog I am shocked that these things can happen and yet keen to see the episode. I don't know how he does it, poor Travis.

A Good Year by Peter Mayle

I am reading the flimsy tome "A good year" by Peter Mayle at present. It's about a city clicker who gets sacked but miraculously inherits a run-down bastice avec vineyard. I purchased it along with Tender is the Night (set on the Riviera) for my summer reading (yes, I am way behind). I am jealous because it's all a bit trivial, following the incredibly popular "year in provence" format. And it's just over 200 double-spaced pages.

What's more, Ridley (Alien and Gladiator) is turning it into a movie starring big, strong Russell Crowe shot near my friend Clifford's house, or so he claims. I can't wait to hear Monsieur Crowe's french.

Recently, I have discovered 73 year old Mary (Murph) who is running a weblog which keeps us uptodate with the whole movie and its production. She's a huuuuge Crowe fan. Good for you, Mary.