MURDER IN MARSEILLES
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| Marseilles victims Mauranne and Laura |
On October 1st two young women were killed at the Gare St.
Charles train station in Marseilles by a knife-wielding man who, according to
witnesses, yelled
Allahu Akbar as he
slit the throat of his first victim and stabbed the second one to death. The
victims were two young cousins, both students, 17 and 21 years old, respectively. The assailant was shot dead by
police and later identified as a Tunisian illegal immigrant with a long police
record for minor crimes and no less than 17 different identity papers. The day
before the killings he had been arrested in Lyons for shoplifting a jacket from
a clothing store, but was released for lack of evidence and, as it turned out,
for lack of a place to hold him until he could be extradited. The case prompted
Interior Minister Gérard Collomb to call for an investigation of the procedures
followed and culminated in the firing of the Police Prefect of the Rhône-Alpes
Region for "a serious administrative dysfunction" of his office. In a
television interview on October 15th President Emmanuel Macron announced that
henceforth any illegal alien who commits a crime on French soil will
automatically be expelled to his country of origin. He also announced that a
new law will be introduced in Parliament this month to correct the weaknesses
of the existing system.
MACRON INTERVIEW
Contrary to his earlier decision to avoid television
interviews and let the Prime Minister and the official spokesman speak for him,
Macron nevertheless came to feel it was necessary to respond to his growing
reputation as the "president of the rich" and the perception that he is
arrogant. "I am not arrogant," he said, "but I am
determined." On the subject of reducing the wealth tax which would favor
the rich, he said: "I don't believe in the French jealousy that seeks to
tax success. What has been the result? Wealthy people left the country and we
lost a lot of money and talent. It's a huge hypocrisy. I want to encourage
success."
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| President Macron interviewed in his new, modern office |
He also rejected criticism over his choice of words when
faced with striking workers, and said that in heated exchanges he sometimes
uses "popular" words, such as "slackers" and
"troublemakers" but never meant to humiliate anyone. "I tend to
say it as I see it, unlike the sterilized public discourse of past
elites."
Confident that his new labor policies will benefit not only
employers but workers as well, he extended unemployment payments to those who leave
their jobs voluntarily in search of a better position, with free training
programs and reschooling as part of the deal, and promises palpable results
within two years. For now, the most palpable thing is his self confidence and
determination which, I suspect, will be rewarded.
To those who accuse him of a monarchical style he says: "France
is a 'regicidal monarchy' that wants to have a king as long as it
can overthrow him." Spoken like a true crownless monarch who is not loosing
sleep over dropping popularity ratings.
CHATEAU LA COSTE
For lack of time this month due to travel, I would like to
end this blog with an article I wrote recently about one of my favorite
places: Chateau La Coste.
One of Aix-en-Provence's greatest attractions lies exactly ten miles out of town. It's a winery. Yes,
but... It's an art centre. Yes, but...
It's both, and more than that. It's CHATEAU LA COSTE, a vineyard set in a
beautiful hilly landscape that is dotted with world-class architecture and
works of art. This is where in 2002 Irish businessman Patrick (Paddy) Mc Killen
bought the existing La Coste winery near the village of Le Puy Ste Réparade to
indulge his two passions: wine-making and creating a center for contemporary
art. Today, fifteen years later, the gradual conversion to organic vines is
complete, and the latest building by a renowned architect (Renzo Piano's
exhibition hall) has just been opened to the public, following buildings by
such star architects as Tadao Ando, Jean Nouvel, Jean-Michel Wilmotte, and
Frank Gehry's music pavilion. Two more buildings are planned: one by the firm
of legendary Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer and another by British
architect Richard Rogers (who together with Renzo Piano designed the
revolutionary Centre Pompidou in Paris). This year also saw the opening of a
5-star hotel-spa on the grounds, with a restaurant run by chef Gérald Passedat
of three-Michelin-star fame in Marseilles.
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| Louise Bourgeois: Crouching Spider |
There are two other
restaurants on the premises: one in the Tadao Ando art center and an Argentine
restaurant that opened this spring, with a menu that leans more to French than
to Argentine cuisine. In addition, there is La Terrasse, a pleasant outdoor
cafe for simple fare at lunch and dinner times. These will take care of your
basic needs so that your more spiritual needs can wander off into the gentle hills
and feed on the works of art along the four kilometers of trails of the domain.
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| Renzo Piano exposition hall |
As Paddy McKillen
began to create the winery of his dreams, he called on famous architects to
design a number of buildings, and invited sculptors to spend some time in
residence at Chateau La Coste in order to familiarize themselves with the
landscape and choose a spot for their work. This has resulted in some two dozen
works (so far) dispersed throughout the 200-hectare estate by an international
roster of artists as diverse as their countries of origin. Among them: Louise
Bourgeois (France), whose giant Crouching Spider greets you as you arrive at
the Reception building, Ai Wei-Wei (China), Paul Matisse (US), Tunga (Brazil),
Richard Serra (US), Tracey Emin (UK), Alexander Calder (US), Lee Ufan (Korea), and
everybody's favorite, Tom Shannon (US), whose shiny "Drop" hovers among
the trees like a UFO just about to touch down. On the highest point of the
domain stands the little 17th-century chapel, beautifully restored and
"modernized" with a glass surround by Japanese architect Tadao Ando,
who also created the wooden "Four Cubes" environment pavilion and
several origami benches along the way. Next to the chapel stands a large red cross,
fashioned from glass balls by Jean-Michel Othoniel.
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| Tom Shannon's Drop |
From this vantage
point (and others along your path), take a minute to admire the surroundings,
let your eyes glide over the vines, take in the deconstructed music pavilion of
Frank Gehry down below, the Vietnamese teahouse and two Jean Prouvé houses that
border the vegetable garden designed by famous landscaper Louis Benech, and
move toward the Luberon mountains in the distance and the ruins of a castle
above the village of Cadenet. Then proceed on your way down, past other works
of art toward the final one, the interactive Meditation Bell by Paul Matisse. Set
among the trees, this understated but ingenious metal structure allows you to
pull a cord that moves two rubber-clad hammers to hit a hollow cross bar,
emitting a deep, sonorous sound that like a Buddhist Ommm mantra hangs in the
air, almost forcing you to close your eyes, sit down on the low stone wall
surrounding the Bell and let the sound envelop you like a final blessing: "You
have visited a place of beauty and peace. Now go, respect nature and act
responsibly." Some visitors may hear a different message, but the
important thing is to listen to the sound, feel its vibrations in your body if
you put your ear to one of the metal tubes, and let it talk to you.
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Paul Matisse's Meditation Bell
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As you follow the
narrow tree-lined path back, past the music pavilion towards the underground
parking, the Bell may whisper in your ear: "Stop at the Terrasse for a
refreshing glass of rosé. You deserve it."
My advice: Don't fight the
Bell's wisdom.
