Chateau staircase

Inside the chateau at Cabriès.

Watcher in the courtyard

When we visited the chateau in Cabriès last year, there were a number of statues made from welded metal scrap. This is one of them.

Red door

A red door in Cabriès. Looks like they have fierce mice.

Colonnaded walkway at La Vieille Charité

One of the colonnaded walkways at the hospital and almhouses of La Vieille Charité in Marseille. From our trip to Provence in the summer of 2014.

Open window

The courtyard of the hospital and almhouses of La Vieille Charité in Marseille. From our trip to Provence in the summer of 2014.

The chapel at La Vieille Charité in Marseille

The chapel in the centre of the courtyard of the hospital and almhouses of La Vieille Charité in Marseille. From our trip to Provence in the summer of 2014.

Chapel at La Vieille Charité

The chapel in the centre of the courtyard of the hospital and almhouses of La Vieille Charité in Marseille. From our trip to Provence in the summer of 2014.

Olive trees in La Vieille Charité

In the courtyard of the impressive former hospital and almshouses in Marseille. From our trip in summer 2014.

Votive models at Notre Dame de la Garde

There is a long tradition of people surviving peril on the sea giving thanks to the not-goddess Mary in the cathedral of Notre Dame de la Garde in Marseille. The largest number of physical memorials are plaques, as seen on the wall behind, but there are also many models of boats and ships suspended in the space within the cathedral, which emphasises the place of the sea in the history and life of Marseille and the danger which is always attendant upon setting out upon it. The tradition naturally transferred to air travel in the last century, as models of aircraft are also found.

Not that people are superstitious or making offerings in some sort of pagan way, you understand, it’s just that you wouldn’t want not to, would you? Gods and goddesses can be remarkably fickle and might just forget to be looking your way when next you need them.

Light and shadow at MuCEM

The perforated concrete cladding of the MuCEM building in Marseille gives you the experience of being underwater as the shadows on these cast concrete columns show. From our trip in summer 2014.