Ah Provence! Immense expanses of enchanting lilac landscapes that suggest paths of art and taste along with its characteristic fragrance. A trip that Mattia and I have been longing for months, and since we were a little late with our holiday bookings this summer, we decided to get in the car and let the scent of lavender guide us. I put on my fabulous Xacus denim chemisier in perfect Audry Hepburne style and we set off for Aigues Mortes, a medieval village still intact, protected by its walls, around which rise mountains characterised by that pink which intensifies at sunset. Against this backdrop, I couldn't help but immortalise Mattia in his floral shirt with Liberty of London prints. among all those pink flamingos, worthy of a fashion editorial set.

 

 

 

 

 

Lavender fields at the foot of the Sea Alps 

 

The next day, wake up early and head for Nice. The programme includes a passage through the Gorges du Verdon, which takes its name from its turquoise-green, transparent waters, and then on to the village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, nestled under a rocky cliff and surrounded by mountains: this village is known for its long history of handmade pottery. It is here in Sante Croix, at the foot of the Alps, that one can admire endless stretches of lavender fields. This tour worked up an appetite and luckily during our four-hour drive I managed to get a table overlooking the lake at Rhumarin, famous for its fettuccine with truffles sliced fresh by the chef himself. 

 

 

 

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At Chateau Vignelaure among the fine wines of the Camargue

 

 

We continue our tour among Chateaux, relaxing moments in spas, good food and wine tasting, another of the Camargue's top activities. A tour that I managed to organise in three days, given our talent for planning trips in advance, and in this truly magical itinerary, we finally arrived at one of the most interesting places in the area, which I have always wanted to visit because of the passion with which its owners have realised every little detail. Everything here is a testimony to the people who have been there, and I am talking about the likes of César, Buffet, Cartier-Bresson, Arman, Lartigues, Miró.

So I get comfortable but very elegant in my Xacus shirt with a distinctly Provençal air, in Liberty Fabrics cotton. I can't wait to meet the Brunet family, owners of the Chateau Vignelaure, dating back to 1740, a Domaine of about 100 hectares, 50 of which are planted with vines, on the site of a Gallo-Roman villa on which an underground winery was later built. Here Georges Brunet created the new wine cellar in 1972 and a true underground art gallery linking the old cellar with the cisterns dug out of the stone to the new wine warehouse, inviting famous artists to spend time at Château Vignelaure. That is why his art collection has become so exceptional, along with his wine - Cru Classé since 1955. We took a wonderful journey from vine to wine, tasting their finest wines. Discovering their steel tanks and their fascinating wine deposits.

 

 

 

 

 

Grasse, the World Perfume Capital  

 

 

The last obligatory stop to indulge in a little shopping, for fans of organic fragrances and soaps, the Maison Molinard has all the charm of an old-fashioned family-run business. Knowing my total devotion to artisanal perfumes, Mattia got dressed up in his beautiful patterned shirt in lightweight Albini cotton twill, driving to Grasse, the perfume capital of the world, to discover all those perfumery secrets that have been handed down for five generations.