Giono’s Provence

Ghylaine and I went to Paris in October 1982 to meet Aline Giono at Gallimard, and Sylvie Giono-Durbet in Manosque. Nothing was decided at those first meetings. We could make the film, but with authorization for three screenings only. Fortunately, Provence was beautiful, despite the cold and rain. On the Montagne de Lure, we saw mules carrying tree trunks on their backs. At Giono’s farm, a solitary old shepherd was playing the accordion in his house in the rain. Down a winding road, we came upon magnificent rams with twisted horns leading a herd of sheep. The mountain peaks were spectacular and the sheepfolds, like works of art. But it was unmistakable—the barren region described in Giono’s story was now covered with trees and forests. All the shepherds Giono had condensed into the character of Elzéard Bouffier had accomplished something on the scale of his story! There were few shepherds left and it was only when we went back through the causses—the high limestone plateaus around Larzac—that we found the images of Provence we recognized from Giono.