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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Felicitations! Je te souhaite bonne chance. J’espere que ce changement sera une grande succes et que tu sera heureuse dans ta nouvelle vie.
Peut-etre un jour on ouvrira une bouteille de Bandol chez toi! Entre temps, tous mes meilleurs voeux, et que tout soit bien chez toi.
J’ai des bons souvenirs des heures que nous avons passe chez toi au printemps, et je te remercie de nous avoir recu aussi chaleureusement.
Jeri
Something is driving you to the sea and tranquility. I hope that that something is a good thing and not a health issue. Regardless, I wish you a smooth transition. I have been following you for many years and have become attached to you and your life. Take care. Wishing you the best.
Thank you for the memories of beautiful Bandol your news brought to me today. I visited there while staying in Sanary-sur-Mer two years ago. I am sure you will enjoy all the new adventures and the beautiful new place you will call home.
Bon chance! Jacki
Bon chance! How wonderful for you both. All the best. Will look forward to your stories about living by the sea. Hilary
OMG, Kristi! Good luck with your new life on the coast. Bandol (and the wines from there!) is not a bad swop for Vaucluse.
As I have just written on DRB’s site, I feel a little sad that we have been sitting together for the last time below the mulberry tree tasting the beautiful wines of Domaine Rouge-Bleu with a view to les Dentelles de Montmirail.
Hope to see you all in Copenhagen one day, though.
Well we were all wrong!
I move house myself (about 220 km further south and away from the coast) at about the same time.
I just looked up Bandol on google maps, it’s bigger than I expected but with a beautiful yacht harbour. It’s a part of France I don’t know; so much country and with one half of us working full time, so little time.
Like most of your readers I’m looking forward to ‘Tales from the Med” when they come along.
Bonne chance,
Mike.
Amazing! I can hardly wait for your writing to resume, yet I have a question I’m even more anxious to have answered. Will your two pups transition with you? Best, best wishes to all.
I too have become attached to you and yours through these blogs. So, I will still be praying that this move is a good one and not a worrisome one. Change really is inevitable; I have learned , very slowly, to accept change and fully rely on God for courage and “tranquilite.”
Love to all of you–sorry I will not meet you next year when I make my very first trip to Provence.
Jackie
Wow! You’ll love it there. John & I spent New Years 2000 there and have been back many times. Remember I will be in Les arcs until April working on the cookbook. Come see me! Very best wishes to all of you in this new adventure.
Karen Mitcham-Stoeckley http://www.livininprovence.com
How lovely for you all. We are sea people, too. And Bandol is a lovely area. What a contrast from your upbringing in Arizona. Your children will love it after the initial shock of having to make new friends. My father is a retired minister, so as children we moved several times. It has made me a most adaptable person, and thanks for that.
Enjoy yourselves. I hope the move hasn’t worn you all out, and I look forward to your missives from the sea!
Chris
Wow, what a change. Best of luck to you and your family on the move. How do Jackie and Max feel about moving??
Having lived for two years in La Grande Motte right on the Mediterranean I can well understand why you wish to live by the sea.
There is no place more tranquil or beautiful.
Wishing continued happiness in your new home..
Bisous, Janine
Kristin,
What a wonderful move! Oh, to live by the sea – a dream of mine. You’ve just given me more to be able to live vicariously through you, with stories soon to come from you and your life on the coast! No wonder you were in a bit of distress – this is a big change – but, oh such a wonderful one! Like other readers, I went right to the internet to look up Bandol. I had seen it before when I was planning a short stop for our upcoming trip to France – from Provence to Nice – so it was familiar, but I had forgotten how beautiful it was. Congratulations. New books? ‘Missives from the Med’ or ‘Bavardage from Bandol’…..
I’m just sorry we had to postpone our trip from this past Spring to next Spring – I would have loved to have met you in St. Cecile! But, I get to ‘meet’ you every time I open up and read your posts! Thank you!
Vous avez déménagé. C’est chouette de vivre près de l’océan.
I did not expect you to leave your home, but my guess was almost perfect when I said vous allez acquérir une maison au bord de la mer.
Kristin, fais attention aux rayons de soleil.
Psst! JM, Messages de soutien (soutien sécrit sans T)
Congratulations Kristin…soon you will be wondering why you did not move before…look forward to new photos… lots of sea : )
Best wishes…
The images of Bandol do look pretty. Good luck!
Congratulations and good luck on your move and new venture.
What wonderful news! And you are young enough to start a whole new adventure ! I’m sure the kids are thrilled, though leaving friends behind is hard and will take some adjusting, I know, I was raised by a nomadic family…but as Chris mentioned, changes make kids more adaptable later, and they will thank you for it.
Living by the sea or the ocean is a dream…So happy for all of you! We love that area, rented a house in St Clair a few years ago, and drove all along there…if only Charlie spoke French, I’d live there in a
heartbeat! Best wishes to all of you for this new chapter, and have fun settling in to your new home.
How wonderfully exciting!!! We are looking forward to seeing the beautiful pictures from your new location in France.
Congratulations on this big move! It would be wonderful to live by the sea. I’m looking forward to your photos and blog about this new experience, Kristin. The best of luck to you and your family!
Kristi & Jean-Marc, Congratulations, your news is exciting & wonderful. I’m thrilled for you and your new adventure and feel priviledged that we get to come along on your new explorations. I’m sure Smokey will love the sea!
We are so happy for you and the kids! Can’t wait to finally meet up in October. Looking forward to hearing what Bandol and the area have in store for you!!! Bon courage!!! Gros bisous, Joanne
Wow! Congratulations on your wonderful life change. Everyone should follow their heart and and their head at this point of their life. May this bring peace and solace to you and wonderful new adventures too.
Hi dear Kristin,
CONGRATULATIONS to you and Jean-Marc (and the whole Espinasse family!)
This is wonderful news(!) and BRAVO(!!!) to you for following your hearts and beginning a new and happy chapter in your lives!
We share your joy and thank you for including us, your fortunate readers,in these terrific events!!
We’re looking forward to your gifted writings– and!! the next installments!!!
Love,
Natalia XO
Quite wonderful. Smokey and Mama Braise will have quite the adventure in their new home on the sea. Bandol is noted for its Rose-perhaps JM will start a new winery or become a distributor. Or you could have a B&B where you could show jules’s paintings.
A. Dumas liked Hyeres very much. much luck in the move and i await FWAD with an almost rivera flair.
ps. don’t forget to wear a big straw hat-the sun.
Good choice for you all! There’s nothing like the sea air to whisk away all your troubles (well, not quite, but it’s a start…). I’m so happy that your big announcement is something positive, and I hope that you are blessed with everything you’re hoping for from your move to the seaside. Enjoy!
Could not have been more wrong with my guess……I love love love that area. Good luck and hope to visit you then in 2012
Congratulations on your move to Bandol! Now more than ever, I wish I would have been able to come for a visit this summer.
I look forward to your new stories of the sea!
Best wishes to the whole family. This was one of my two thoughts on what was happening for you. A move to the sea sounds inspiring. Hugs from across the sea.
Chère Kristin,
Whatever the reasons for the move, I am truly excited for you. In 2000 I spent a delightful week in La Cardiere D’Azur (just a few minutes above Bandol) taking a cooking class from master chef, René Bérard. I fell in love with the area, the people and the lovely wine. You are in a wonderful location, close to Toulon, Nice as well as Provence…Jules will love to visit, bien sur! Félicitations et bisous à vous tous!
Cindy avec Hurricane Isaac dans Louisiane.
So good to hear this exciting news, Jean-Marc and Kristi! I haven’t had a chance to comment since the “larme” post, but I have been worried about you. Glad the news is good news! Félicitations et bonne chance! The move must come with many emotions, some of them sadness for what you have left behind. But a new adventure awaits you and I will look forward to hearing about it!
Bonjour Kristin,
Congratulations! Your new move sounds exciting. I wish you bon chance and please keep in touch.
Be well.
Bonne chance et bon courage.
Enormous congratulations on your move.
Will await next message eagerly.
Ronni
MOM’S ARE ALWAYS THE LAST TO KNOW !!!!
I was up at 5:00 a.m. – wringing my hands, as I knew it was just noon in Provence….
Kristi had told me yesterday that they would be unable to call me as they would be in the mist of paper-work finalizing the transaction for at least 6 hours as three sets of buyers/sellers would be at the conferance table in the village of Bandol. I have been on pins &
needles all day – watching one youtube gardening video after another. It never occurred to me to check my email……I am worn out from waiting for the news.
At last we are free from the gag-order and now can start talking about what types of roses and flowers and vegetables we should plant in this paradise.
I imagine Kristi is fast asleep right now, it’s 2 a.m. at Rouge-Bleu and she is sleeping for the last time in the middle of their vineyard.
I have spent the last five months on Google Earth driving that little yellow man around on all of the roads surrounding Bandol. I feel like I already know all of the neighbors and have picked out a few homes to visit and ask if I can use their patio view to take some beautiful photo’s of Kristi and JM’s new paradise on earth….I’ll be there in two weeks.
XOXO
JULES
Kristin, it’s easy to see why you have larmes and feel deracinee. (Sorry, I don’t know how to do accents on this.). What a change to leave the home and land where you’ve invested so much time, love, laughter, sweat, and tears. But what an adventure awaits you in a new town. The important thing is that you are together as a family, for home is truly where the heart is. Best wishes for all of you during this transition. Que le Seigneur vous benisse !
I told my husband that you would be moving to a new area, that it why you couldn’t say as real estate transactios are very finicky and require time to be sorted out. One must never say till all the T’s are crossed and the I’s dotted. Congrats, looking forward to new adventures. Don’t forget the sunscreen, I’m off back to the dermatologist with yet another sun problem!
Cheers,
shelagh
CONGRATS! Sounds wonderful. Looking forward to hearing about why the move and what is next up for the family.
Miss your wonderful stories, now can’t wait for all the new adventures.
My love sent your way.
xoxo
Cher Kristin et Jean Marc, WOW!!! We wish you “Bonne Chance”!! Of course our visits to Povence will not be the same without the two of you at Domaine Rouge-Bleu. We shared so many wonderful times together under your mulberry tree. As we are lucky enough to have a home on the Atlantic, we understand your wanting to be near the sea.
Much love,
Lee and Maureen
Cher Kristi and Jean Marc,
Congratulations and bon chance!!! We wish you all the happiness in the world on your new adventure! keep in touch we will miss you in SCdV, but can’t wait to visit in Bandol!!!
Alicalement,
Kathleen and Ron. Xxoo
Quelle joie: vivre à côté de la mer!
Can barely wait for you to be resettled and sharing with us all once again, Kristi! Huge congrats on this wonderful venture — what a thrill for each and all of la famille Espinasse … félicitations!!
What a change – but the countryside and sea near Bandol are beautiful;look forward to hearing from you aqain soon Kistin. Will also continue my search for DomaineRouge Bleu in Canada.
Bonne chance! Love your blog!
Holly H
Félicitations!! Quel rève de vivre près de la mer…. J’en suis très contente pour vous tous.
LOVE IT!! Love it for y’all. Love that area. Love the sea.
Congratulations!!!!
Because twin granddaughters arriving in next few days, and because of ancient wonderful dog, probably can’t make vendange this year. But surely hope to, while I’m still able.
Will be watching longingly every thing you’re able to send.
Bonne chance…..
sw
Soft winds blowing from the sea….makes writing a breeze !
Looking forward to the next chapters of your life…!!!
Sounds wonderful! Ste Cecile has its charms but nothing beats living on the coast & feeling the sense of possibilities that wide open horizon offers. I’ll miss the proximity from Vaison but who knows…maybe a change is in our future too!
Wow, congrats on your new adventure!
how beautiful, how perfect, so glad the news is not that you have finished with fwad – whew!!
your gorgeous posts are a big part of my life
warm regards to all
annie
Wonderful news~so very happy for you guys and your new adventures!
Much love and warm smiles for your new home;-)
Bonne chance!
Congratulations, Kristin and Jean-Marc! I look forward to hearing of your new adventures, and I am happy to hear that Jules is involved. You will be so happy by the sea, you’ll see(lol).