You're Invited...

I received a very nice email the other day from my friend Stephane Guiran, an extremely talented sculptor in Eygalieres. We met last year when other friends commissioned a piece from him and I wrote about him here. Then all of a sudden we started seeing each other at all the same parties…isn't it funny how that happens? Anyway, the email was an invitation to Stephane’s studio, for a new ‘’happening’’ called L’Atelier. I thought that this might interest some of you and Stephane said I could share the info. The general idea is this: Stephane’s studio will be open all day and evening on Fridays: for conversation, for connecting friends and strangers, for reading, for looking at art…and for a meal. Anyone who pays 5€ to join the association Les Amis de l'Atelier is welcome.

The goal, Stephane says, is to welcome anyone who enjoys art and feels like spending a few hours in cool surroundings, with terrific food, top regional wines and interesting chat. While the conversation is bound to be primarily in French, Stephane and his wife Ghislaine speak English and so do many of their friends. I love the idea and I’m sure it will be a huge hit.

Meals will be prepared by Céline Villard, who sold her company a few years back to focus on yoga and cooking. Stephane describes Céline’s food as very natural, often organic, made with fresh local produce and lots of veggies. ‘’But here in the village,’’ he says, ‘’we also love when she cooks the traditional dishes: pistou, bourride, pot au feu, pieds et paquets...’’

Lunch is 15€ and dinner is 25€. Timing is loose: lunch starts around 12:30 and dinner around 8 pm.

The lunch menu for Friday June 21 will be spinach and ricotta canelloni with fresh salads and a fresh red-fruit croustade with lime cream and a fresh-berry pavlova, The dinner menu for June 21 is the same except the main course will be slow-cooked lamb with fresh vegetables. Both meals start with grignotage (best translation: hors d’oeuvres or nibbles).

Fresh organic juices and wine will be available for purchase. “I’ve made a selection of wines from the South of France,” Stephane says, “from Ampuis (Condrieu) to Perpignan (Cotes du Roussillon). The idea is to propose good wines at affordable prices. I’ve got Yves Cuilleron's wines from Condrieu and St Joseph, Alain Voge from Cornas, Vieux Telegraphe, Rayas, Roc d'Anglade, Mas Jullien, Peyre Rose... and of course some great local wines (Eole, Trevallon...)’’

“People can come have tea/coffee and read art and poetry books,” Stephane continues, ‘’visit the exhibitions, and then have lunch or dinner if they book ahead. I will be here every Friday, working on the first floor. This is not a restaurant, it's an association mixing art and food. It’s quite confidential, open one day a week, for 25/30 people max. There are no signs outside, no publicity, only word of mouth. The venue is intimate and seating is limited.’’

So there it is. Pop in on a Friday, pay your 5€ membership, then hang out and enjoy. If you plan to have lunch or dinner, be sure to reserve; the first L’Atelier, on June 14, filled up quickly. The studio is one block off the main street in lovely Eygalieres, on Avenue Leon Blum, and will be open from 9:30 am to 11 pm. To reserve: stephane@guiran.com or 06 85 98 26 24.

To see more of Stephane’s beautiful work, his website is here.

Finally, I wanted to quickly mention Les Nuits des Patios, a annual festival of art and music in Eygalieres next month. This increasingly popular program features art, installations and most notably, three terrific concerts on ‘’patios’’ around town . Concerts are scheduled for July 19, July 22 and July 24; the one on the 24th is in the garden of Stephane and Ghislaine’s home. For all the info on Les Nuits des Patios: lesnuitsdespatios.com. 

Photos: One of Stephane's sculptures in the garden of his studio in Eygalieres. Stephane photographed by Bruno Suet. The studio from the street; there is no sign or number address. It's 100 meters from the Cafe de la Place and if you can't find it, ask at the Cafe.