Peter Mayle
All had began extremely well as we drove along our stretch of the Alpes-Maritimes A8 motorway, slipping easily into the départment du Bouches-du-Rhone as we headed towards Aix-en-Provence.
While we had indeed been given precise instructions on how to find the village, suddenly the maze of motorways and heavy morning traffic threw the usual spanner in the works. Finding that we’d missed the turn-off sign and that I’d forgotten to bring along a map simply added to our panic. A mad dash to a local supermarket to buy the right map proved our next goal and, upon consultation, discovered we were heading south towards Marseille instead of north towards Lourmarin.
However, our journey brightened up as we left the Bouches-du-Rhône firmly behind us and entered the départment de Vaucluse. After first crossing the river Durance we found ourselves in the National Park of the Luberon. My word, now that is beautiful countryside and enhanced by the autumn colours its charm was further accentuated.
My interview with Peter Mayle was scheduled for 10am and to be held at his favourite café’s: Le Gaby. I’m not sure what I expected of Lourmarin but suffice to say that I’d googled about it beforehand and discovered that it was listed as “one of the most beautiful villages in France”. Having visited a number of stunning villages here on the French Riviera such as St Paul de Vence, Mougins, Gourdon, Eze and Tourrettes-sur-Loup which carried the same label, I was somewhat curious as to what I might find. And of course, I was equally intrigued to meet Peter Mayle.
I found him sitting outside Le Gaby sipping a large coffee. He looked well; his silver hair serving to emphasize the golden Mediterranean sun-tan that most of us acquire naturally when living here in the South of France. He also looked very relaxed, dressed in a white T-shirt, blue and white chequered shirt and sporty trousers. A beaming smile welcomed me and I returned the smile relieved to know that he was willing to answer questions from a somewhat novice interviewer.
After ordering a further round of delicious French coffee I began by saying how much I’d enjoyed A Good Year and how very different it was from A Year in Provence. I said that I found A Good Year very upbeat, positive and fun along with the accompanying film directed by Ridley Scott. I enjoyed A Year in Provence too but the TV series that developed out of it with John Thaw playing Peter was heavy going to the point of even being somewhat depressing.
Peter chuckled and said that indeed both books were quite radically different and that while he enjoyed writing A Year in Provence he was, and still is, quite bemused by the quite phenomenal success that it generated and the BBC’s 12-part adaptation that spawned from it. After all, the story line was a simple one and just depicted a bunch of local characters that he’d hired to repair the 200-year-old farmhouse he and his first wife had bought in Menerbes. After an initial printing of only 3,000 copies a further 1,500 copies were reprinted six weeks later. Gradually it snowballed and, when the paperback came out, over one million copies were sold in England. Around the world the book sold between 5 and 6 million and was translated into 27 languages. Other best sellers followed in its wake.
Yet for Peter, A Good Year was by far the easiest to write and flowed pleasantly off his pen. A pen? Yes, even in this day and age of computers, Peter is somewhat averse to using computers and has written all his books by notebook and pen. Until recently Peter even answered all his own letters and handled all his own calls but thankfully now has an assistant, the very efficient Aillie, to help him and who does have a computer.
{niftybox width=180px,background=ivory,textcolor=maroon,float=right,textalign=left,border=gold,font=Arial,fontsize=12px}It was during this lunch that Scott pulled out a newspaper clipping and showed it to Peter. It was a report about new wines in Bordeaux that had been nick named "garage wines". Their interest lay in the fact that though without a pedigree, or history, or even a Chateau to their name, they commanded huge prices and within a couple of years were sold for astronomical prices. Both men thought it could make a good story; A Good Year was borne out of that one conversation.{/niftybox}Peter was somewhat taken aback to learn that John Thaw had been offered, and had accepted, the part. While liking the man very much and knowing how good an actor he was, he did wonder if he was the right choice and if the chemistry with Lindsay Duncan would work. With John Thaw still under contract to play Inspector Morse, filming had to revolve around his availability. This meant filming Inspector Morse during the week in Oxford and A Year in Provence at the weekends as John flew backwards and forwards to meet his engagements. Bad weather further hampered their deadlines and filming episodes became an uphill struggle and stressful for everyone concerned. Who would Peter prefer to have been portrayed by? He thought for a moment, “Michael Palin, Charles Dance or perhaps Nigel Havers” he mused.
After watching from the wings during some of the film shoots, Peter decided to keep away; this was no longer his baby.
“Did you watch some of the filming of A Good Year too?” I asked him. “Yes” he said “but I wasn’t there all the time as the script was different to my book although it was my good friend Ridley Scott directing and we go back many years, at least thirty”.
And it seems that the idea to write the novel, A Good Year and the film was all Ridley Scott’s idea too. Peter knew him from when he worked in advertising and Ridley directed commercials. Scott had bought a house in the same region as Peter. This enabled them to keep in contact and see each other over the years, even though Scott more or less lived permanently in Los Angeles. Like Peter Mayle, Ridley Scott had fallen in love with Provence and, during the course of a lunch with Peter, had remarked how much he’d like to shoot down there again because it was such a beautiful region and that the last film he produced in France was actually his directorial debut, “The Duellists”, in 1976, almost thirty years ago.
It was during this lunch that Scott pulled out a newspaper clipping and showed it to Peter. It was a report about new wines in Bordeaux that had been nick-named “garage-wines”. Their interest lay in the fact that though without a pedigree, or history, or even a Chateau to their name, they commanded huge prices and within a couple of years were sold for astronomical prices. Both men thought it could make a good story; A Good Year was borne out of that one conversation.
Peter, who admits to becoming terrible itchy if he hasn’t a project to work on, took up the challenge and sat down to think about a storyline. The combination of wine and money seemed like an interesting basis for a little light crime and would add a good twist to the story making it more fun to research and an engrossing read.
Soon notes were flying between Peter and Ridley as their ideas unfolded and until both men eventually ended up with something they were both quite pleased with. It was decided that Peter would write the book and Ridley would make the film with Marc Klein writing the screenplay; like good Englishmen, they merely shook hands over the deal.
The difference between the book and the film is that, Max, the lead character in the book is a reasonably nice guy who just happens to have a bit of bad luck whereas in the film, Max is a hard nosed business man and Albert Finney, who plays Max’s Uncle Henry appears in flashback.
It seemed that the whole experience was charmed. Peter began writing in 2003, researching his material in both his adopted Provence and in Bordeaux where he spent time with a friend who owns one of the great Chateaux, though special attention was given to Le Pin, located in the appellation called Pomerol. A month after Peter had handed in his manuscript, a deal was finalized for the film rights. Amazingly, early in 2004, Peter received a call from Ridley saying that they were going to start shooting in August that year. Apparently the average movie project takes ten years to come to fruition. All in all, filming in Provence took just nine weeks before moving on to London and leaving Peter to dream up other projects.
“The whole film went like clock-work” Peter said “In fact; it finished four days ahead of schedule. Everyone had a great time; the cast, the crew and even the locals. Russell Crowe was seen drinking in the bar after filming on several occasions, although always with his body guards, and in fact, there’s talk that he must have had a really good time as his wife conceived their second child here!” he laughed.
Peter continued “When all the filming was done, the local mayor asked Ridley Scott if he could leave all the decorations, lights and fixtures the crew had put up during the film as it made their village square look so magical!”
“I know you left Menerbes and went to live in the States for a few years” I told him “but why did you return to France and why here?” I asked him.
He smiled, remembering, “We actually fled to the Hamptons, in upstate New York as it had become impossible to live in Menerbes. We were invaded nearly every day with bus loads of tourists, people in the garden taking photographs – once we even found people in our swimming pool. It was madness. So we thought we best get away. Four of my children live in the US and it was a good time to go over and see them all again. But Jennie and I kept thinking about this region, the lifestyle, the food, the wine and in the end we were unable to resist and returned. To be honest, I felt deprived of oxygen. I think this region has a lot going for it. Not only is it very beautiful but there are so many lovely villages and it’s very convenient. You’ve got Avignon on one side, Aix-en-Provence on the other and Marseille is only an hour away. I like the people, I like the weather, there’s nothing not to like.”
As he said this the local postman came past on his scooter and, grinning from ear to ear, gave a big wave to Peter. After eight years of living in Lourmarin the locals know him well and seem content to have this English celebrity amongst their midst’s. Mind you, it must be said that in 2002, after being nominated by his friend and mayor of Menerbes, Yves Rousset-Rouard, he was awarded the rank of Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur for his services to France and the French-speaking world, which is no mean feat. (Note: The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres was created in 1957 to recognize eminent artists and writers, as well as individuals who have contributed significantly to furthering the arts in France and throughout the world).
Peter went on to describe his typical day as while I was delighted he accepted to be interviewed I was intrigued why only in the mornings. “I have three dogs and like to walk them early in the morning in the hills before breakfast. Afterwards I’ll have a cup of coffee and then try to be at my desk before 9 o’clock. I’ll then work until around 1pm although I’m not like Graham Greene who would set a target of writing 500 words and only 500 words a day whether it took one hour or six hours; I’ll fit in interviews, meetings and the like and continue as best I can until lunch time. After a light lunch I’ll either spend the afternoon outside, working in the garden or walking the dogs or go to see some friends who have a vineyard. The evenings are often spent with friends in one of the local restaurants or having friends round for dinner.”
By now the Provençal sun was warm on our faces and our interview drawing to a close. How quickly the time had gone with such a congenial person, so I put to him my last question.
“If you were on a desert island, what would be the most important things you’d want to have with you?” I asked.
“Books certainly as I don’t seem to find much time to read, chilled rosé wine as I presume it would be a hot island and most likely Domaine St André de la Figiére from the Var which I particularly like. I’d probably bring one of my favourite dishes with me which is cassoulet, and of course some local cheeses too and perhaps some lovely English marmalade.
Peter Mayle’s enthusiasm about his Provence is infectious. Before we left he pointed out his favourite little shops and enthused about Lourmarin’s Friday morning market which he and Jennie love to visit and where they know the fish people, the cheese people, and the flower people. Invariably they bump into friends and then go down to the café for a few drinks and a chat.
As we shook hands and waved goodbye after thanking him for the interview, I thought that perhaps the title of his next book might well be called A Good Life, for surely he is living it.
