April 2025
Hello everyone,
Brr!
This morning, there was snow on the summits of the Puy de Dôme, which we returned to at the end of a three-and-a-half-month journey.
After Australia aboard Banana Split, we had chosen to take a short overland trip to one of our favourite countries, New Zealand, from the Christchurch region (South Island) to Auckland (North Island), to meet up with some friends we had met while making our film about this country....
Mountains and vineyards : After the Akaroa peninsula, where New Zealand almost became French, we headed up the east coast, to the foot of the beautiful mountains (also covered in snow) rising to almost 3,000 m: in Marlborough, we met up with our friend Damien, winegrower in charge of the Clos Henry estate.
Volcanoes and fumaroles : Crossing Cook Strait, we paid another visit to the fabulous Te Papa Museum, where we saw the giant reconstructions of the Battle of Gallipoli. In Whanganui, the only river in the country considered by the state to be a person in its own right. We photographed the volcanoes Ruapehu (the largest) and Ngauruhoe (Mount Doom from Lord of the Rings),in perfect conditions, and returned to the spectacular volcanic valley of Waimangu.
And then a beautiful stopover in our favorite city in the world, with the superb Viaduct Harbour district, and the remarkable cuisine of the Oyster & Chop restaurant.
Tahiti, Paris, Auvergne : Finally, after another brief stopover in Tahiti - where we stayed for the last time with our friends the Pitcairns, who are leaving this corner of paradise with the most beautiful view of their sister island, Moorea - the Air Tahiti Nui plane took us back to France, and to the sumptuous spectacle of the arrival (albeit rather cool - Brrr!) - of spring on our farm, which we have happily returned to.
On Sunday 6th I'll be on the legendary Italian RAI programme Domenica In, and on 24th April we'll be inaugurating the exhibition of photos of the world's most beautiful islands, taken mainly by Francette, which for a whole year will adorn the walls of the pretty little Breton town of Daoulas - built on the banks of a coastal river called La Mignonne... a lovely coincidence, don't you think!
Happy April !
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