Sometimes, a photograph from my travels in France captures greater than only a scene. It captures a reminiscence, a sense, or a connection to my journey. This picture of a Citroën 2CV in Gordes throughout a rally is a kind of.
Gordes has a particular place in my coronary heart: it was the primary village I stayed in after Paris again in 1978, and it’s been a favorite of mine ever since. The 2CV, too, has turn out to be an emblem for me—it’s even my emblem—so after I noticed the 2 collectively, I knew I had captured one thing that spoke to my love of France in a single body.
1. Citroën 2CV in Gordes: A Timeless Provence Scene
The corporate, 4 Roues Sous 1 Parapluie, provides vacationers rides within the 2CV all through Paris and likewise holds rallies. My go to to Provence a number of years in the past coincided with their third annual “La Route des Villages” rally. A bunch of traditional Citroën 2CV automobiles travelled from Paris to Cannes, visiting a few of the most lovely villages in France—Gordes being certainly one of them.
The Citroën 2CV is the brand for my web site, so seeing certainly one of these traditional automobiles in my favorite village felt particularly significant. Gordes first captured my coronary heart when my household and I took the practice to Avignon, rented a automotive, and stayed with mates in a hillside dwelling that also had its French attraction (together with child scorpions on the wall!). Throughout these first summer time nights, we sat on the terrace ingesting Châteauneuf-du-Pape as if it had been water. Even with right now’s vacationer crowds, I deal with Gordes’ magnificence and the recollections it holds.
So when one of many rally automobiles drove previous Gordes that day, it felt like a miracle: my favorite automotive and my favorite village collectively in a single excellent scene.
2. Theme: Basic Vehicles and Stunning Villages
The “La Route des Villages” rally started in Paris and led to Cannes, passing by villages together with:
- Vaux-Le-Vicomte
- Vézelay
- Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert
- Conques
- Lourmarin
- Les Baux-de-Provence
- Tourtour
- Gordes
What made this rally so particular was how the traditional Citroën 2CV, a automotive filled with French character, handed by villages which can be equally timeless.
3. Why I Selected This Photograph
I knew the rally could be passing by Gordes that day, and positioned myself at the most effective spots to {photograph} the village. When the Citroën 2CV got here into view, all the things lined up for the right shot.
4. Capturing A Citroën 2CV Rally in Gordes
Via social media and messaging, I made up my mind the day and roughly the time the rally would cross by. I didn’t have to attend lengthy—quickly after I positioned myself on the aspect of the street, the automobiles began developing the hill and zipping across the nook. I adjusted my angle shortly to get the village within the background and fired a number of photographs because the Citroën 2CV rolled by. The colourful pink of the automotive actually stood out towards the beige and gray stone buildings, and the cloudy afternoon created delicate, subtle mild that made the scene much more particular.
5. Why You Ought to Go to Gordes
Gordes is filled with corners and viewpoints that make it a photographer’s dream. The stone buildings, slim cobblestone streets, and hillside views are endlessly photogenic. Even a brief second, like a traditional Citroën 2CV passing by, could make a stroll within the village unforgettable. This photograph will all the time be particular to me—partly due to the automotive, partly due to the village, and largely due to the recollections it brings again.
Should you’d prefer to be taught extra about Gordes, you’ll be able to learn my publish on why it’s thought of one of the crucial lovely hilltop villages in Provence. You’ll additionally see a map indicating the Level de Vue—the situation the place you’ll be able to take attractive photographs of this village. [Check out the post here:
The Most Beautiful Hilltop Village In Provence: Gordes ]
You may also learn a brief excerpt from my fortieth journey to France the place I had the chance not solely to trip in a Citroën 2CV, but additionally drive one! [Check out the post here: Trip #40]
This publish can also be a part of my France Via My Lens sequence, the place I share one chosen photograph at a time from my travels. You’ll be able to discover the total assortment right here: France Via My Lens.
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