Life Lately - Back to Basics

With the passing of time, I turn more and more towards a peaceful life, focused on nature and simple pleasures. A good homemade meal, a relaxing moment in a health spa, hiking in the mountains, reading a good book...

These moments really fill me with happiness and if I could stop the time so that they lasted longer, I would be an even happier bunny... 

That said when I go out in Geneva, I have a lot of fun, but in my mind, I cannot think of anywhere more exquisite than this secluded village somewhere in the Swiss Alps.

One thing I love about Heidi’s Country is that it is not as crowded and touristy as some major ski resorts; here there are only grocery shops and cafes. Most inhabitants are locals or second home owners who want to run away from the hustle and bustle of busy city life. Here, the watchword is quality of life.

You already know that I’m fan of champagne and I love that there’s always a bottle chilling in the fridge. I can’t think of a better way to start the weekend in style...

Having meals with an amazing view...

I love trying recipes from cookbooks from different cultures. This time I adapted a Moroccan Couscous Salad with a Lebanese Barbecue Chicken...I can tell you it tasted heavenly...

Despite trying to keep my size 36, there is quite frankly always room for little desserts. These were light, fruity and delicious.

The passion fruit mousse

The exotic fruit mousse

Even in the mountains, I never forego my homemade manicure and pedicure...hahaha…

After each meal, long walks in the mountains are our most enjoyable hobby...

Stunning views everywhere...

Improvised Sanctuary

As a girl who loves pretty dresses, each visit I choose one of my old summer dresses that has not had an outing from my wardrobe in a long while... It has been a while since I posted a “reader’s look”. I have been so busy and to be honest the cold winter weather was not much of a help.

...grazing cows and horses are part of the scenery...

The wild cat sometimes comes to say hello

Wild flowers everywhere and many splendid butterflies

Finally, I take this opportunity to let you know that the blog is going back to basics too.

I created this blog with the goal of sharing my passion for beautiful things, with family, friends and acquaintances who mostly live abroad. The other purpose was to record my memories and share my experiences with people who have the same interests. It has been both very exciting and very challenging.

Over time, the time spent on blog activities became something I resented in terms of its impact on my professional and private life. Therefore, I will stop certain blogging activities such as accepting and replying to comments, visiting other blog sites, replying to mails... I will simply update my blog twice a week.

I have really enjoyed being inspired by some bloggers and meeting “real life” readers living in Geneva and London was SO nice...

Lots of Love

Visit to the Fondation Pierre Gianadda in Martigny

Hello dear Readers!

I hope you are enjoying summer to the full.

A couple of weeks ago while spending the weekend in Heidi’s Country, we went to visit the Cézanne temporary exhibition entitled Le chant de la terre at the Fondation Pierre Gianadda.

This museum explores and shares the universe of Impressionist painters. At each exhibition, works from the most prestigious international collections are on view.

Although Cézanne is not our preferred Impressionist artist, we enjoyed discovering his paintings and interesting facts about him. 

Paul Cézanne was a French painter who was born in January 1839 and died in October 1906. He was a member of the Impressionist movement which is considered the precursor of post-impressionism and cubism. He uses geometry in portraits, still lifes and landscapes. He is considered the “father of modern art”. Picasso and Matisse called him “the father of us all.” 

After we went to the permanent exhibition hall where there is the “Musée de l’automobile” (a vintage car exhibition). Sweetheart was like a child in a sweet shop.

Our visit finished with a long stroll around the other permanent exhibition “Le Parc de sculptures de la Fondation”, a park which is full of the most beautiful sculptures from amazing artists…And a few Roman ruins.

As pictures are worth a thousand words, here is a virtual visit, especially for you.

Cézanne temporary exhibition, Le chant de la terre

Paul Cézanne sitting in front of “Les Grandes Baigneuses”, in progress.

Portrait Paintings : Garçon accoudé (1868-70) ; Portrait de l'artiste au chapeau à large bord (1879) ; Le Paysan (1890-92)

Landscape Paintings : La Plaine de Saint-Ouen-l'aumône vue prise des carrières du Chou (1890) ; Paysages des bords de l'Oise (1873-74) ; Les Bords de la Marne (1894)

Les Bords de la Marne (1894)

My favourite of Cezanne’s painting - Dahlias dans un grand vase de Delft (1873)

The Automobile Museum (Musée de l’automobile)

The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, 1923 (United Kingdom)

Bugatti Type 46, 1930 (France) & Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A, 1931 (Italy)

I particularly fell for this yellow vintage car Isotta-Fraschini, I wouldn’t mind having one of those…

Pic-Pic Type D2, 1911 (Switzerland)

Lagonda LG45 SB 1, 1936 (United Kingdom)

Sculpture Garden (Le Parc de sculptures de la Fondation)

Cafétaria du Parc for lunch or drinks. The charming terrace is the perfect location for people taking a closer look at the sculptures…

Marie by Aristide Maillol (1931)

Reclining Figure by Henry Moore (1982)

Les Baigneurs (English: The Bathers) by Niki de Saint-Phalle (1984)

Triangular Surface in Space by Max Bill (1966)

LOVE by Robert Indiana

Le Baiser (English: The Kiss) Auguste Rodin (1886)

Sheep by François-Xavier Lalanne

I hope that you enjoyed the virtual tour as much as we did. In September, I will post an article about Martigny, the Roman site...this small town in the Valais is full of picturesque places.

Have a great weekend to come.

Fondation Pierre Gianadda

Rue du Forum 59

1920 Martigny

Daily from 9 am to 7 pm

Temporary exhibition

Cezanne’s “Le chant de la terre”

June 16 to November 19, 2017

Permanent exhibitions

Automobile Museum

Gallo-Roman Museum 

Sculpture Garden