willy& REENACTING HISTORY
In 1978, for the first time I read the briljant book "The Cyclist" by Tim Krabbé*. I then seriously resolved to imitate his ride around Meyrueis in the Lozére –Cevennes on my Peugeot PY 10 - equipped with a 5-speed Shimano. The Cevennes, with its Causse Méjean being the favorite part of France of my love Willy: the Grands Causses in the southern part of the Massif Central. It borders on the rivers that have carved out veritable canyons: the Tarn to the north and west, the Tarnon to the east and the Jonte to the south.
Now, July/August 2023, after fourty plus years, we finally leave home for this journey. As non-cyclists . . .
*De renner, Tim Krabbé, Promeuteus 1978: Meyrueis, Lozère, June 26, 1977. Warm, cloudy weather. I grab my gear from my car and assemble my bike. From terraces, tourists and locals look on. Non-cyclists. The emptiness of those lives shocks me.
annotations from France
Front: Cover photograph of the book The Cyclist, Tim Krabbé, 1978
Back: Josef Koudelka, Still Life (Newspaper), France, 1976
Reenacting Koudelka: Willy&Hans | France, Beaune 2023
annotations from France photos context the cevennes are of incredible beauty with its gorges and causses. we enjoyed the landscapes & nature intensely. at the same time every inch of soil breathes the hard labor of people over the centuries to build and acquire an existence here. also traces of religious wars still resonate in the present in some towns in this sense it is, apart from its ultimate beauty, also one of the most ambiguous regions of france . . .
annotations from France collages / assemblages
annotations from France places
Places
All works ©2023 by willy van houtum & hans overvliet
01 | Beaune | July 22, 2023
Place Carnot, Hotel Anathor
Beaune | July 23, 2023
Vignobles Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils
02|
Beaune – Meyrueis | July 24, 2023
Autoroute, Les Douzes - views from our room in Hotel de la Jonte
03|
Gorges de la Jonte & Tarn | July 25, 2023
Meyrueis old Town | Les Douzes | Malène | D907
04| Meyrueis | July 25, 2023
Gorges de la Jonte | Gorges du Tarn | Causse Méjean
05 | Gorges du Tarn | July 26, 2023
Causse Méjean | Le Buffre | D16 - D63
06 | road to Mont Aigoual | July 27, 2023
road junction, border Gard and Lozère | D253 - D986
panorama Haut Valée de l’Herault | D986
Gorges du Tapoul | Massevaques | D18
07 | Mont Aigoual | July 27, 2023
top at 1,567 meter
08 | road from Mont Aigoual | July 27, 2023
Bend in river LeTarnon near Rousses | D907
09 | Gorges de Dourbie | July 28, 2023
royal swallowtail / Papilio machaon
bridge La Roque de St. Margeurite | Causse Noir | Meyrueis
Gardier et Roquelongue | D159
10 | Meyrueis | July 29, 2023
Old Town| former protestant temple (16th century) / Rue de la Ville
La Source du Moulin de Caneret / St. Chèly-du-Tarn | roof of a cabane
Causse Méjean | Le Buffre | lichens and mosses
11 | Gorges de la Jonte – Causse Noir | July 29, 2023
sedem on a roof and shared oven (four communal) in Vessac | D584
farewell to the old city of Meyrueis
12 | Les Douzes – Lamarch sur Saône | 31/07/’23
Causse de Sauveterre | D32
Shaudeyrac | N88
View from restaurant Le Nymphéa / Lamarch sur Saône
13 | Dole – Auxonne | 01/08/’23
Old city of Dole | Avenue de John Rockefeller | herbs in the street
Roof tops in Dole and Auxonne
14 | Auxonne | 01/08/’23
Beautiful non-places
15 | Metz | 02/08/’23
Centre Pompidou | Marché couvert à 15 Rue d'Estrées
Centre Pompidou
Collages / assemblages
A Beaune | Anathor | 22/07/’23
Paper Le Bien Public | book The Cyclist | food parafernalia
Inspired by Josef Koudelka, Still Life (Newspaper), France, 1976
B Beaune | vignobles de la Bourgogne | 23/07’23
ready made Vignobles Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils
C Beaune | 23/07/’23
ready made Beaune | Rue des Tonneliers
D Les Douzes | Gorges de la Jonte | 25/07/’23
pebbles
E Gatuzières | Route D996 | 26/07/’23 stones
F Massife de L’Aigoual | D986 | Saint-Sauveur-des-Pourcils | 27/07/’23 stones and wood
G Les Douzes | 28/07/’23
finds from the Gorges de Dourbie inspired by the book about mosses from J.
H. Causse Noir | 30/07/’23
its grasses and some plants on the enormously helpful map from the tourist office in Meyrueis
I. Les Douzes | 31/07/’23
ready made last supper at the balcony of Hotel de la Jonte
J. Metz | 01/08/’23
Centre Pompidou | Marché couvert à 15 Rue d'Estrées talisman by Jorieke Rotier
Back: Josef Koudelka, Still Life (Newspaper), France, 1976
Reenacting Koudelka: Willy&Hans | France, Beaune 2023
