GENESIS

1 Lockdown in France

The origins of The Depths of France began when I was at my second home in Provence in February 2020 enjoying my usual spring visit with my wife to open up the house and keep the garden under control before the warmer weather provoked the annual spring eruption of vegetation.

All was progressing enjoyably when, on Sunday 15th March, President Macron announced at 8pm on all TV channels that the whole of France would enter lockdown the next morning! We were fortunate that we lived on the outskirts of the small village of St Cannat where we had had a house for 48 years. We had a large garden with plenty of space. The village of 5,400 people has three bakers, a superb, traditional grocers and a small “Super U” supermarket. Everyone knew everyone else and there was no panic buying.

Although denied any visits or visitors I enjoyed gardening in the mornings, but after lunch would read. Unfortunately, in no time I had exhausted the books I had brought with me when my wife had the bright idea, “Why don’t you write a book. You’ve always wanted to do so.”

So out came the laptop and I began to type. I thought at first of some of the funny events that we had experienced here and there in France, highlighting adventures we had had. I then set them in Burgundy which we knew well and for which we had a particular affection, an area with a delightful sub-culture within France, very different from elsewhere.

Unexpectedly my imagination took over and got the better of me and the story took on a life of its own which I hadn’t anticipated. My imagination and I shared a lovely journey for over three months until other unforseeable events intervened and overtook me.

Greg Levitt
02.09.21.

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