Vaucluse Dreamer

Today is the Fête Des Mères (Mother’s Day) in France and further afield. It does feel a much nicer time of year to celebrate than in the UK, where it falls mid-Lent, when it’s inevitably a bit chilly and grey. So today, we made the most of sunny weather and popped out early in Fifi, to visit a favourite Vide Grenier up at Saignon.

It was a beautiful morning, so we rolled Fifi’s roof back and headed up the hill, towards the village. It’s quite amazing to see how everything has exploded into life, in the couple of weeks that I’ve been back in Devon. The cherry trees are weighed down with fruit, more than we have ever seen before…

And there was the first shimmer of colour on the stalks of the lavender fields too. A sign that Provence will be turning purple in the very near future, which is always exciting.

We managed to grab a parking space on the edge of the village and wandered in, worried that we may have got the wrong day, as everything felt very quiet. Although it was still just before 9am, so I suppose it’s not really that surprising. But as we turned up past the Boulangerie, we could see the stalls that had been set up around the church, and we were suddenly swept up in the bustle of the event.

We’ve always had some good finds at Saignon, and they do say that the early bird catches the worm, and that was the case today. In fact, we didn’t even get past the first stall, where a large, heavy, round wooden chopping board just had to be popped in my bag, for the bargain price of 3€

We took our time to amble around, almost buying a beautiful heart-shaped lock that we have been tempted by before. But we again convinced ourselves that we should leave it for someone who has a door that needs a lock, as we have found antique fixings for all of ours, so it would have just ended up sitting on a shelf looking pretty.

It was clearly meant to be, as on a nearby stall we spotted a beautiful antique wooden wheelbarrow, with a metal-rimmed wheel, painted a most perfect vintage bottle-green. That was it. It was love at first sight and come hell or high water, if the price was right, it would be coming home with us, to add a bit more interest to our little terrace garden.

To be honest we’ve always looked at these and have long-lusted after having one (for probably the last 20 years), but have never really been able to justify it, or simply haven’t been able to find a way of getting it home. But today, Fifi was on hand, her roof rolled down, so anything was possible.

After a tiny negotiation, the barrow was ours, and Andy started to wheel it around with us, as we looked at the other stalls. You never know, we may need it for carrying some more purchases!

In fact, a few more things were added to it, including a plant (rather apt for a barrow) and another piece that just had to come home with me … A stunning hand-painted design for a mirror, dated 1925.

I love unique pieces like this, and the elegant design with its stunningly painted, integral lights and striking orange and cream glass shades leapt out at me, as we wandered past the stall…

Over the years, I’ve bought hand-painted designs for lights, like this one for a summer chandelier..

As well as exquisite designs for wallpaper from an end of year show, in the early 1900s, at the Beaune College of Les Beaux Arts…

They are utterly beautiful and unique pieces of history, and sit happily on our walls, adding to the eclectic mix of (very inexpensive) bits we have collected over the years.

Finally, a couple of little papier-maché mannequins too, that (once painted) will look great on my jewellery stall, at events we have planned for the summer.

A rather delightful little haul, with just the small matter now of getting it all home.

Surely, Fifi wouldn’t let us down? She has carried big pieces of ironwork, tall roses and even a Christmas tree, but would a wheelbarrow prove to be a step too far?

Andy used the age-old technique of using his arm as a measuring-stick, to gauge whether Fifi would be wide enough, and have enough space between the seats to fit it in. The precise, and of course mathematically-proven, measuring technique suggested that it would be fine.

He carefully removed the sides, which just clip in, making it not just a simple barrow, but one that converts to a flat-bed one too … Could it be any more exciting?

Then he lifted it carefully over Fifi’s doors, sliding it through her open roof, to sit on the back seat, with the handles reaching to the sky.

It was as if it was made to fit. We wouldn’t have to leave me sitting on a wall with the barrow, whilst Andy drove Fifi home, to return with the bigger car.

So with a bit of padding wedged between the barrow and the roof bar, and with me supporting one side, to stop it slipping, we negotiated the sinewy road, back down the hill to home. All arriving in one piece, with the barrow not having moved an inch, on the journey back.

Once home, all that was left to do was to ease it gently out again, pop the sides back in place and wheel it up the road to its new home.

As ever, there’s no time like the present to pop it where we want it, and after a good soaking with wood preservative (I really don’t want it to become lunch for local insect-life), it has found its new place, filled with colour, surrounded by some of our other finds, including our characterful, rusty Ratty.

It’s still hard to think that only 3 years ago, this terrace was just a concrete slab, with open metal fencing and no greenery at all.

After a lot of work you can Watch a video of the transformation here it’s now a perfect, verdant little space, with a rose & jasmine covered pergola…

A boundary fence covered with flowers and greenery….

And a pretty little garden, filled with colour too…

This year, we’ve also planted tubs with lots of succulents, which (so far) are thriving, having at least doubled in size, since we planted them a few weeks ago.

The barrow has proved to be a great new addition to the eclectic mix of bits and pieces too..

It really has been the most perfect Fête Des Mères…