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8. Beaujolais Villages
Thoughts and images from Beaujolais, France, 2009.
It has often been said that Beaujolais is “the most famous unknown region in France”, with locals lamenting the fact that few visitors spend much time there, preferring instead to “overnight” on their way to somewhere else.
It has often been said that Beaujolais is “the most famous unknown region in France”, with locals lamenting the fact that few visitors spend much time there, preferring instead to “overnight” on their way to somewhere else.
08/09/2021
Artist Statement:
The wine region of Beaujolais lies in east-central France, 40 km north of the city of Lyon. The vineyards cover an area that extends approximately 64 km north to south and 16 km east to west. It has often been said that Beaujolais is “the most famous unknown region in France”, with locals lamenting the fact that few visitors spend much time there, preferring instead to “overnight” on their way to somewhere else. But, why?
Beaujolais is an area of vineyards and villages that stretches out over rolling hills as far as the eye can see. The people are open and welcoming, displaying a genuine appreciation to have you as a guest. The food is magnificent. The wine, like the people, is refreshing and exuberant. It has been the culture and lifeblood of the area for hundreds of years and is marketed, enjoyed and appreciated throughout the world.
The dozens of towns and villages scattered throughout Beaujolais are the support system for the vintners, their families and their employees and are, therefore, an integral component of the region. But … what are they like?
At first glance, for a number of hours in the early afternoon and then again in the evenings, the streets appear deserted. The truly important things are happening indoors. Taking time to enjoy conversation and companionship around a dinner table with fine food and wine has been a French tradition for centuries, and is no less a custom in Beaujolais. Perhaps that is why an internet search for photographs of Beaujolais shows numerous images of vineyards and rolling hills, with the villages situated picturesquely off in the distance, but what cannot readily be found are photographs from inside the villages themselves.
This series of photographs is an attempt to help fill that void.
This series of photographs was taken in 2009.
Images from the series (click to view): Empty Street - Night, Woman and Child, Bar Tabac - Left.
There are other images in this series that are not on this website. If you are interested in more information about them, please leave a message below or email me.
The wine region of Beaujolais lies in east-central France, 40 km north of the city of Lyon. The vineyards cover an area that extends approximately 64 km north to south and 16 km east to west. It has often been said that Beaujolais is “the most famous unknown region in France”, with locals lamenting the fact that few visitors spend much time there, preferring instead to “overnight” on their way to somewhere else. But, why?
Beaujolais is an area of vineyards and villages that stretches out over rolling hills as far as the eye can see. The people are open and welcoming, displaying a genuine appreciation to have you as a guest. The food is magnificent. The wine, like the people, is refreshing and exuberant. It has been the culture and lifeblood of the area for hundreds of years and is marketed, enjoyed and appreciated throughout the world.
The dozens of towns and villages scattered throughout Beaujolais are the support system for the vintners, their families and their employees and are, therefore, an integral component of the region. But … what are they like?
At first glance, for a number of hours in the early afternoon and then again in the evenings, the streets appear deserted. The truly important things are happening indoors. Taking time to enjoy conversation and companionship around a dinner table with fine food and wine has been a French tradition for centuries, and is no less a custom in Beaujolais. Perhaps that is why an internet search for photographs of Beaujolais shows numerous images of vineyards and rolling hills, with the villages situated picturesquely off in the distance, but what cannot readily be found are photographs from inside the villages themselves.
This series of photographs is an attempt to help fill that void.
This series of photographs was taken in 2009.
Images from the series (click to view): Empty Street - Night, Woman and Child, Bar Tabac - Left.
There are other images in this series that are not on this website. If you are interested in more information about them, please leave a message below or email me.
Empty Street - Night
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