1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 183 Chinese Elements
Roussillon is one of the Provencal villages that is also popular with tourists.

However, the style of tourists strolling in this village is different from that in other villages. They walk more leisurely, and it seems that every shop and every building can attract their curiosity.

Ronan walked around Roussillon for a few minutes and noticed another difference:
“There are a lot of galleries here?”

They only walked one street and saw four or five galleries, which is much higher than the density in Mena Village and Bonnieu in the "Golden Triangle".

Zoe nodded:

"Roussillon is also known as the 'City of Red Earth' and the 'City of Art'."

Ronan asked:

“Have there ever been any famous artists living here?”

Zoe smiled and shook her head:

"No, but the strong colors remind people of passion and art. Walking on the streets of Roussillon, even if you don't understand art or have no interest in it, you can't help but go to the art shops to have a look. This is what you call the 'characteristic' of the village."

Seeing that Ronan was quite interested, Zoe suggested:
"After buying the paints, let's go for a walk in Roussillon."

"Okay." Ronan agreed readily.

[Increase happiness by 50 points when having intimate physical contact with the opposite sex]

Zoe took Ronan's hand and quickened her pace.

Ronan followed her happily.

The happy vacation has finally begun!

Astrid said that the ocher industry near Roussillon was well developed and many people made money from it.

This time Ronan finally understood it.
A 500g bottle of ochre pigment costs between 25 and 45 francs, and Zoe ordered more than 30 bottles of different types at one time.

The boss was drinking while casually writing the order form:

"Buying so little, trying out the colors?"

Zoe moves through rows of brightly colored ochre paints:

"Yes, give me your phone number and I'll have you deliver the goods if you're satisfied."

The boss handed her the list and phone:
"The colors here are the most among the Roussillon ochre pigments. The things fired are both clean and beautiful. You will definitely like them."

Coming out of the paint shop, Ronan pouted and said:

"You still need to raise the price of your products."

God, these ingredients are so expensive!

Zoe smiled and touched Ronan's chin a few times. This was her 'unique' way of expressing her love:
"You don't use them when you make utensils."

If it is not used when making tools, then it should be used when making works of art?
Ronan asked curiously:

"How much do those glass and ceramic animals I saw at your house cost?"

Zoe looked around and found a direction to move forward:
"The art shop in Aix wants to buy it for 5000 francs."

Ronan tilted his head back:
“So high!”

Zoe waved to Ronan, signaling him to come this way:

"But I didn't sell them. They were priced at 9000 francs when they were exhibited at the Granet Museum, but Cotillard asked me to raise the price to 15000 francs. She said that some people might buy them for investment purposes after hearing my name. She was an 'expert', and I raised the price according to her advice."

Ronan trotted after him.

The rich lady in front, please wait for me!!

Roussillon is worthy of being called the 'City of Art' of the Luberon.

The works in the gallery cover a wide range of subjects, including those reflecting daily life and local scenery, as well as still life and realistic paintings.

Besides galleries, there are many other types of art shops.

The summer sun shines through the vines on the eaves and falls on the brown clay jars at the door of the ceramic shop, as if telling stories from long ago.

The artist in the shop was working on a rotating frame, surrounded by several tourists watching.

There are also shops that specialize in selling copperware and fabric art.
Time seems to have been paused here, and everyone is observing everyone and everything around them at a leisurely pace.

"Everyone who comes to Roussillon will slow down their pace." Zoe and Ronan stood side by side, watching an artist working in a shop. "There is an 'ochre trail' outside the village. There is nothing on both sides, only endless ochre mines, but tourists are willing to walk for an hour or even two hours under the scorching sun."

"Maybe this is the charm of art?" Ronan continued to walk forward. "The 'Ochre Trail' is boring. We should build an 'Art Trail' in Lourmarin in the future. Tourists can follow this trail to learn about the place where Zoe was born, lived and worked. I am really a genius. I have thought of a whole tourist route for Blanco."

Zoe smiled and said:
"I'm just thankful that Cotillard's art store is open."

She suddenly pointed her chin at a shop on the roadside:

"Go in and have a look."

Zoe is interested in all things handicraft and will go into any shop she sees that is interesting.

However, after entering the store, Ronan showed great enthusiasm and interest.

He stopped in front of a special piece of art and refused to leave - it was a bunch of 'wood-colored' flowers.

"This is--" Zoe, who was well-informed, did not immediately say the name of this craft.

Surprisingly, Ronan had guessed the process that Zoe didn't understand, so he asked the boss:

“Is this made of rattan or straw?”

The boss is an elderly woman:
"It's made of rattan."

Zoe asked Ronan in surprise:

"You actually know?"

Rattan weaving is not common in France, and only Sweden, the United Kingdom and Italy have professional workshops in Europe.

"I said, I am also a 'knowledgeable' person." Ronan could finally make up the 'this is nothing' gesture.

Zoe thought of something and asked with sudden realization:

“Is this kind of craft common in China?”

She heard from her friends that the art of rattan weaving was developed in Europe thanks to the trade between Asia and Europe, and rattan materials were sent to Europe in a steady stream in the 19th century.

Ronan nodded:

"Yes, I have rattan coasters at home. My mother said that when they were young, they would use rattan baskets to buy groceries. In China, in addition to rattan, there are also straw and bamboo woven daily necessities, which can be seen in everyone's daily life." He excitedly asked the shop owner:

"Is the artist who did this in Roussillon?"

In Europe in 1986, although rattan furniture had not yet become an important representative of "Bohemian aesthetics" driven by mobile Internet, high-end brands such as Italy's Bonacina had also emerged.

In the 21st century, the second-hand furniture from this century-old Italian store is hard to come by, with prices driving up to tens of thousands of dollars a chair.

This shows that the use of rattan is in line with European aesthetics, but it had not yet spread to France at that time.

During this period, Ronan has been thinking about how to decorate the restaurant with "Chinese elements", including using this handcraft that has been passed down for thousands of years.

Rattan art is very common in most Asian countries, and straw and bamboo weaving has been included in China's national intangible heritage. If this element can be added to the restaurant, it will definitely serve as the finishing touch.

Ronan guessed that the [Organization] skill in the system should correspond to these skills.

However, the sudden creation of this niche handicraft by "Pulling Onions from Dry Land" would definitely arouse suspicion from others. It was difficult to find someone who could do this in France, so this idea only appeared briefly in Ronan's mind and was quickly put aside.

Today, he discovered the emergence of this craft unexpectedly in Roussillon.

This means that there are probably people in Provence who are skilled in this craft!
Ronan didn't believe that the shop owner went to Italy, Sweden or Italy to purchase goods.

As long as he could get in touch with this person and find a way to "learn" from him, Ronan could do it himself.

But the shop owner shook his head apologetically:

"No, I found this at the specialty art market in Aix."

Zoe explained to Ronan:
“The specialty art market in Aix is just as unregulated as the flea market on Ile-de-Sorgue, and the stall owners change every week.”

Ronan's heart instantly sank.

Isn't this like looking for a needle in a haystack?

"Any other information? I want to meet this artist," Ronan continued to ask.

The shop owner thought about it carefully for a long time and said uncertainly:
"He was probably in his 30s, very thin and white. People around him seemed to call him Pan, Pani or Batty. That's all I remember."

After leaving the art shop, Zoe saw Ronan was distracted and asked him:

“Why do you want to meet that artist so badly?”

Ronan said matter-of-factly:

“I wanted to feature this craft in my dining room and it fits the style I was going for.”

When Zoe heard that this matter was so important, her expression became serious:

"I'll call my friends in Aix when I get back and ask them to look for this person."

Ronan quickly calmed down and looked around with a smile:

"Don't worry, let's have an artistic lunch in Roussillon before going back."

There is no doubt that today is a holiday filled with a strong artistic atmosphere.

So Zoe and Ronan asked the villagers where the most "artistic" restaurant in Roussillon was, hoping to fully implement today's theme.

I thought that such an 'artistic' restaurant would not be popular with tourists, but I didn't expect that there were people waiting for a seat and they couldn't enter directly.

"Let's go to another restaurant?" Zoe asked Ronan, "Let's finish eating earlier and go back earlier. Helping you find someone is important."

Ronan carefully looked at this unremarkable restaurant:

"This is also 'business'. No one was waiting for a table at other restaurants we passed by, and this one doesn't look small. Business is so good, I have to go in and learn from it."

"Okay, I'll listen to you." Zoe had no objection to Ronan's decision.

The waiting time is not boring at all.

The young couple held hands and looked at the sky and the ground. If there was nothing to see, they would lean against each other and whisper.

Regardless of whether Ronan can learn anything in this restaurant, today is a fruitful day, and he is filled with happiness in every sense of the word.

About half an hour later, they finally stepped into the bustling restaurant.

The storefront is plain, as is the interior decoration. Ronan therefore concluded that the key factor in attracting customers is most likely the food.

When the waiter brought the appetizers Zoe ordered to the table, Ronan and Zoe's expressions changed at the same time.

Zuo said with a smile as he picked up the fork, eager to try it:
“It’s quite ‘artistic’ indeed.”

Each dish is served in a different container, and the presentation of the dishes also perfectly interprets the exquisite style of French cuisine.

Ronan looked thoughtful:
"Do you think anyone would come to this restaurant just to eat because of the beautiful tableware?"

Zoe thought about it:
“I don’t know if they will come here specially to eat, but I know the owners of those restaurants and cafes are willing to spend a lot of time on the utensils.”

Ronan nodded. This was an element he had never thought about before:
"understood."

I still have to come out and take a look when I have nothing to do. I have learned a lot.

Zoe spoke faintly:
"I'll make your tableware for you."

"That's not what I meant!" Ronan looked up suddenly.

Zoe smacked her lips and said unhappily:
“Is my work unworthy of your restaurant?”

"No, no." Ronan explained nervously, "No need to trouble you, I can't use something that advanced."

Zoe's cheapest plates and cups now cost at least 300 francs. How much would that cost if she made them all?
If I had this skill, I would definitely sell it to someone else!
Zoe said without a doubt:

"You have to use what I made. Once I see your decoration style, I can start designing. Don't think that it will waste my time. It's very quick to make cups and plates. My kiln is big, so I can finish them in a few furnaces."

Ronan evaded the question:
"We'll talk about it later. I'm still thinking about what I'm going to wear. If I can't find the artist, I might have to redesign the accessories later."

Zoe and Ronan's utensil 'argument' didn't end until the main course of dinner was served.

"This is too exaggerated." Zoe didn't know how to comment.

She didn't even look at what the food was, her attention was completely drawn to the exaggerated presentation and decorations.

Ronan smiled and said:
“But I guess most people come for the presentation.”

This restaurant is indeed very unique, and Ronan thinks he has learned something again - form and content are equally important, especially for the French.

This gave Ronan a bold idea:

Can those Chinese specialties whose taste cannot be improved be made closer to the locals in terms of 'form'?
(End of this chapter)