February 2026

Auvergne, Vietnam, Australia...

Just a few snowflakes…
Winter had just arrived in the Auvergne region at the beginning of January, when I was recording new versions of some of my 1966 songs in a studio in Clermont-Ferrand. Leaving the studio, the roads were all white, and the path through the forest leading to our farm was quite spectacular.

A few days later, we flew to Saigon, with a short layover in China. You might remember that on my first visit to Vietnam, I broke my leg getting from a fishing boat to a basket boat. No problems this time, and we were delighted to return to the Phantiet region with its beaches, fishing boats, and pagodas…

An always positive Delta (math fans will understand)
…and especially to discover the Mekong Delta, rowing through narrow channels lined with Nipa palms, experiencing touching local attractions , , and tasting jackfruit (one of the best fruits in the world)…

Kitch in Ho-Chi-Minh
… …visiting the impressive Buddhas of My Tho, and spending a night in the kitschiest hotel in Vietnam, the brand new and outrageous "Hotel Lachateau" (no, that's not a typo, it really is "Lachateau"). And a short visit to the Cathedral Quarter of Saigon, which is slowly emerging from years of renovation.

Back Down South!

Finally, we flew to Brisbane to see my son Manea and his family, and this truly magnificent city with its parks and impressive skyscrapers.

We'll be sailing this week on Lake Macquarie, just north of Sydney… on a houseboat, I'll tell you all about it!


Happy February everyone!

Antoine