"The image he gave of Provence shone throughout the South": when the village in the sky celebrates Marcel Pagnol
Marcel Pagnol, this is the figure, and not the least, honored for the second edition of Tourtour under the stars. A carefully considered choice by the president of the Ciel mon Tourtour association, Annick Ronzier. "Pagnol lived in small villages and drew inspiration from what he found there. These are stories in which humanity, deception, desire, and jealousy are intertwined," she says.
After the painter Bernard Buffet in 2024, it is the turn of the Provençal artist with many hats - playwright, filmmaker, writer - to be "the star in the spotlight!", explains Annick Ronzier. This recognition is hardly surprising, given the number of tributes paid across the region to celebrate the author, 50 years after her death.
"Tourtour is Pagnol, we find there what he likes, the little stories with the chronicle of daily life, the simple people in their rich lives" , summarizes the volunteer . Famous for his authentic texts and his light pen sublimating the Provençal hinterland and its inhabitants, Marcel Pagnol could quite have been inspired by this hilltop village in the Haut Var assures Annick Ronzier. "Purists will say that he is not from here. But the image he gave of Provence shone throughout the South". And consequently, the points of concordance between the Var village and Pagnol's inspirations are numerous. "There are two castles, which are reminiscent of My Mother's Castle , we have springs, fountains, mills. If we don't have the card players, we have the bowlers", she adds up .
Tourtour, an open-air theater, retains its original star-themed theme, as it did last year. Only the "star of the moment" has changed in the vast constellation of Provençal artists.
To organize the full program, the association, supported by the town hall, obtained permission from the Marcel Pagnol Foundation. "We rented them 14 billboards as well as a loop of 50 photos from the artist's life, which was projected after dark, starting at 9:30 p.m." Information on how to discover Marcel Pagnol or simply to immerse yourself in the author's classics.
Annick Ronzier and the association's volunteers have redoubled their ingenuity. Running from July 2 to August 9, the program combines oral readings at the municipal library, musical sunsets, astronomical observations, cabaret, and storytelling walks.
A storytelling stroll at nightfallFrom 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., storyteller Martine Jaegly takes curious visitors into the depths of the medieval city. With her black dress, piercing blue eyes, and theatrical attitude, she captivates her audience with her touch, "her color," through a range of international tales. The Cowherd and the Weaver, The Magic Barrel , and The Night Washerwoman are tales revolving around the stars, the sky, and the night that immerse us in youthful wonder.
A fitting tribute to the author of the famous tetralogy Childhood Memories. "I like stories because people try to make up stories to make their lives less miserable," explains the storyteller. "Pagnol always loved stories, little stories," adds Annick Ronzier. The audience is won over, if not spellbound.
Several people even returned to follow in the storyteller's footsteps. " I like her way of telling stories," says Joaquim Pires, a resident of Dracé who returned with friends and family. "I regret not coming more often because there's a hell of a program."
The tour is peppered with anecdotes about the town's history, with stops at strategic points: the washhouse, the town hall, and the "tiniest house in France." A final storytelling tour is planned for July 27.
Var-Matin
