A picturesque part of france’s wine haven, champagne is an artist’s paradise
Over the years, France and all things French have silently crept into our lives and are inseparably strung to our consciousness. So when you actually land in the country, you feel it’s a home away from home, although in an exotic way. When I set foot in Paris, there was a noticeable change in the ambient noise, the populace and the overall culture too. Everything appeared foreign to me for obvious reasons, but once I tried to soak in all the novelties like a soft sponge through my senses, I was enamoured by the country.
After landing in the capital, my journey took me to the commune of Marnay-Sur-Seine, where I was invited to do a one-month residency at a Unesco-affiliated creative centre called Camac Art Centre. It offers a slew of international residency programmes for artists, scientists and technologists working with new-age media. Situated at a distance of 125 km from Paris, Marnay-Sur-Seine is a beautiful village, nuzzled in the lap of lush greens and dotted with interestingly carved-out villas. It is, in my view, a haven for aesthetic pursuits and actually attracted me like the Pied Piper’s flute.
The Camac facility is stationed in a huge old villa, right on the banks of the river Seine. From my fellow tourist students, I got to learn that the villa was originally a home to a few great jazz musicians, before it was converted into a residency for artistes from around the world, in 1999. I consider myself fortunate to have been able to spend time as a visiting pupil in such a grand, yet subtle place with some of the best artistes I have met from various fields and corners of the world. Breathing in its air alone, I could fathom that this was the Holy Grail I had been chasing all along. Dabbling in music for ages, I would always dream of reaching a cultural seat of universal repute and Marnay-Sur-Seine gave me that opportunity.
Located in the northeast part of France, Marnay-Sur-Seine is a commune in the outskirts. It falls in the Champagne region of the landmass and is also a world famous den of wines. Though I am not a liquor connoisseur, I couldn’t help tasting the nectarine extracts from one of the best vineyards in the world. When I wasn’t doing my research work, I would saunter on the pebbled pathways along the grassy meadows with a guitar or a rabab in hand. Singing and composing notes became quite a favourite past-time for me during my stay. I also had a rare privilege to be in the house of distinguished sculptor Didier Rousseau, thanks to his daughter and our lovely host Mathilde who took us around and gave us a first-hand experience of countryside France.
Apart from the beautiful natural landscape, the place has some delightful architecture too. Marnay is surrounded by the historic towns of Troyes and Provins. In fact, the latter was an acclaimed ground for hosting fairs in the medieval times. In the modern era, it has become a Unesco World Heritage Site. The world famous roof architecture of Burgundy here was a wonderful sight to explore too. Conspicuously, stone is the prime building material in this place. Ambling around, we observed a line of spaciously designed conventional farmhouses, half-timbered abodes and winegrowers’ habitats with walls painted in soothing shades. From crumbling caves to worn-out attics, the beautiful structures spelt out an old world charm. Tiny windows adorned with stone and ironwork, pigeonniers (for housing domesticated pigeons), towers, lavoirs (covered wash houses with a ceiling and a basin below), fountains and wells — all appealed to our cameras and we madly went click-happy. Several such structures looked weather-beaten for being exposed to the elements of nature for ages, but are still as beautiful. I also cannot forget the gigantic churches and cathedrals, which were grand in architecture and rich in history.
But wait, you haven’t explored a place entirely unless you’ve visited the markets. So early, every Sunday morning, I would unfailingly hit the markets and travel from village to village, picking up the essential groceries and some knick-knacks. Raiding the racks, I would find anything from old hats to gramophone records, fishing rods to outmoded cameras, clothes and crockery. It was a terrific few weeks and I still rewind the experiences in the French countryside in my mind very often, but only till I visit again. Until then, it’s au revoir from me!
Author is a musician and filmmaker bitten by the travel bug
