I have never seen a multi-colored Fatima before. The rainbow-coated hand tickles a sluggish passer-by, Reveille-toi! Reveille-toi! Wake up! Wake up and paint the town! (Picture taken on the Ile de Ré. Watch out for the cougars.)
Today's word is le pecheur, after the mention in Jean-Marc's letter, just below. Read it in French or in English, and listen to the recorded letter: Download MP3 or Download Wav file
le pêcheur (pesh-er)
: fisherman
Finally, the news!
Chers amis, Dear friends,
Après 5 années de grande intensité, nous avons décidé d'ouvrir une nouvelle porte de notre vie familiale. Nous venons tout juste de nous installer au bord de la Mer Méditerranée, à proximité du village de pêcheurs de Bandol. After 5 very intense years, we have decided to open a new door in our family life. We have just settled beside the Mediterranean seashore, close to the fishermen's village of Bandol.
Bien entendu, cela peut sembler étonnant de quitter notre vignoble de coeur mais nous avons suivi notre instinct qui nous mène vers la mer. Nous resterons néanmoins très liés au Domaine Rouge-Bleu et je continuerai à en assurer une partie de la distribution. Of course, this may seem surprising to leave our cherished vineyard, but we have followed our instinct which leads us to the sea. We will remain, however, very tied to Domaine Rouge-Bleu and I will continue to ensure a part of its distribution.
Bienvenue à Caroline et Thomas à qui nous passons maintenant le témoin. Je détaillerai dans une future édition les raisons qui nous ont poussés à ce changement majeur de notre vie. Caroline et Thomas se présenteront à vous tout prochainement. A big welcome to Caroline and Thomas to whom we now pass the baton. I will give more details, in a future post, about the reasons that pushed us towards this major change in our life. Caroline and Thomas will introduce themselves to you very soon (in an upcoming post).
Entre temps, les vignettes de Kristi prennent une petite pause mais, rassurez-vous, elles reviendront très vite avec l'air marin… Meantime, Kristi's vignettes will take a little break but, rest assured, they'll be back quickly, with the sea breeze.
Nous vous remercions pour tous vos messages de soutien. We thank you for your messages of support.
Jean-Marc & Kristi
Some people are so creative.
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Chere Kristin,
Bandol looks beautiful! All the best to you and your family on this new chapter.
Your larme post was so touching and all the heart felt comments were true!
Bisous
It is wise to follow your heart. All the best wishes for this new adventure. Mary
Dear Kristin,
You have given us so much of your yourself which has enriched all our lives for so long. Now it is time for you, Jean Marc and your two beautiful children to start a new chapter which will be wonderful. You are a remarkable and unique woman, Kristin, and I wish you every success for the future which is what you deserve.
Youpi!
Blessings to your family and new home, love Jen
Bon Courage! A demanager a cette fois avec deux ados! Bandol est une tres belle ville. Tempier Rose pour le petit dejeuner? LOL Aprs votre vendage, JM peux aider avec le(?) mouvedre a Bandol. Il est toujours tard- le fin de Septembre. J’ai beaucoup de questions. J’espere que vous les reponderez bientot dans votre blog. Comme un roman mystere. Je vous souhaite la meilleure.
Congrats and Bonne-chance, you know i am part of the family, so will try and get to your new place as soon as i can arrange it, smart move jean-marc, you will live longer and healthier, await your news of your new home. love lou
Chere Kristin,
So happy to finally learn the big news. What a surprise, but a good one. Living near the Atlantic most of my life, I know the allure of the sea. In all our trips to France, we never got to the south, which I regret, but everyone I’ve known who did had a wonderful time. Much happiness to all of you. Les chiens will love it! Can’t wait to learn more about the why’s and wherefore’s but know you need some time off first. Bonne chance to you all.
OMG Kristin! You had us all so worried about the larmes. And it turns out you’re moving to a beautiful new house overlooking the Mediterranean? Poor you! I am so jealous.
Best of luck,
Paul Heffron
Kristin,
Yes, I definitely “see” you there blossoming by the sea. Being a cynical sort, I read that moving and leaving a home ranks up there as one of life’s most serious stresses (next to death, divorce, and serious illness) so my heart is with you during the transition. But once the new place is painted, boxes are unpacked, the paperwork signed, and the dust is settled i believe new beginnings and fresh sea air can fill up any void or trepidation. Sensing how much Jean-Marc seemed to love his vineyard and making wine, I realize that much time and deep thought went into making this decision for the whole family. In addition, moving with teenagers who are attached to their friends and school is a challenge. Did the sea call to you like a mermaid or was it simply beautiful with nicer weather? Did it seem better/closer for fostering wine distribution at the coast? Did life as a “grower” become terribly tedious and lonely? Did you sell your home and vineyard or lease it to Caroline and Thomas? So many questions pop up after being with your blog for so long. I cannot wait to read some seaside stories and to hear about what prompted the “big decision” to do this grand adventure. Bonne chance and i miss your posts!
Best of luck to you and your family! Cannot wait to hear more.
I had never heard of Bandol, but not an hour after reading your blog I opened Paris Match and there was Patrick Ricard’s place just off of Bandol! How gorgeous it will be and what fun to start afresh by the sea!
I actually haven’t been to this blog is many months, but when I received the notice that Jean-Marc had unsubscribed from my blog’s feed, I figured something was up. 🙂
I might not have expected this, but I can’t say I’m surprised. My time at Domaine Rouge-Bleu underscored the deep respect I have for small vineyard owners. It is tough, unrelenting work. Rewarding, certainly, but still tough.
I wish all of you much good luck and happiness in the new home. And, hey, Bandol is a sweet little spot for rosé, is it not? Perhaps the wine saga isn’t quite fini for Chief Grape.
A new chapter is always exciting and a little unnerving as well….don’t you wish you could just fast forward six months to when the house is unpacked and in place, flowers in the vases, books scattered on table and the house has become a home again!? I am helping my father with this right now so know exactly the trepidation you are all going through! Bandol looks like a lovely spot and I know you will all be happy there! Wishing you all the best of luck for your move and may it all go smoothly!!
xx
Dear Kristin and Jean Marc,
What a lovely surprise! I wish you a wonderful new start in Bandol. I can’t wait to google it like Jules and look around the streets! As readers, we have many new adventures to look forward to as you and your family-including the puppies-discover the joys of your new home.
So happy you are following your hearts-you’re both such an inspiration. Thank you. Best of luck to all of you.
Much love, Carolyn 🙂
My home for 85 years has been on either of two islands at the entrance to Narragansett Bay, the water’s edge always within a walk away. Living by the sea will almost certainly get in your blood. Max and Jackie will most likely thank you for the rest of your lives.
Mr and Mrs Espinasse, you really know how to live! Felicitations et bonne chance!
Kristi, I am most happy for you and your family. However, I do regret that Nancy and I will not be able to visit you at Ste. Cecile-Les-Vignes,where such a treasured memory evolved over a blessed weekend. Just yesterday we agreed that we would try to do make that happen in 2013. So be it.
Affectueusement toujours, Fred
Wow what a big change! yes, I too was quite wrong in my guess – I thought you were going to announce an addition to the family! When is the vendage as perhaps I’ll try to come to help as have always intended visiting your lovely home illustrated in your photos, not to mention the woof-a-lots!
Alice Halliday, Oxford, UK
Best wishes for much happiness in your new home. I’m sure it is a bittersweet time and that you will miss the friends and familiar places you leave behind, even as you learn to love new ones. Jean-Marc mentions that the past five years have been “intense”, so I hope that you are also gladly leaving behind intensity of the hard physical work and stress of running the vineyard.
Kristin and Jean-Marc,
Je vous souhaitez les milleurs voeux dans votre nouvelle aventure. Vous meritez toute la joie de la vie!!
J’attends avec impatience de vos nouvelles
au Bandol. Bon chance!!!
Marti Hinman
Floride, U.S.A.
I hope you’re not feeling too sad, Kristin. Leaving the place where your kids grew up and where you spent such wonderful years is difficult. But with a loving family like yours, you will soon find Bandol to be no different, and there will soon be many wonderful memories of your new home.
I hope our words could cheer you up like yours did to us.
I really look forward to reading your posts again.
Great for you all but please, some more info on what led to the move. Last time, you seemed pulled by a spirit of adventure (and entrepreneurialism?), moving one degree closer to the origins of wine, making your mark. Given that, surely there’s more here than simply a desire to live near the sea? Wonderful rosé in Bandol!!
Does this mean a less stressful life….no worrying about the grapes? You are so lucky to make this move while you are young enough to really reap the benefits of a “beautiful life”. I wish you well, with much success in whatever lies in your future. Ah, to be by the beautiful Mediterranean again. I have taken painting groups to Provence and along the sea. Wish I still had the energy to do it again!
Congratulations! Best of luck in your new home.
So much love going out to you all from St-Cecile-les-Vignes all the way down to Bandol! Cannot wait to see you all again soon!
xx
I just reread the previous post in which your sadness and self-criticism seemed to deal you a blow to the midsection (the past that writes). To leave the home where you have worked so hard, raised your children, and made so many friends is a wrenching experience. I hope that the new home and surroundings nourish your spirit and your writerly utterances. Bonne chance!