Two hundred and seventy-one festivals!
That’s the number taking place in local town centres, villages, parks and open-spaces this summer as colourful programmes of music, dance, historical enactment, stand-up, tribute bands burst into life. Here is an excellent website which lists them all – a total of 1869 separate events: http://www.terredefestivals.fr/
Photographers will be flocking to Arles from tomorrow for the annual Rencontres d’Arles Festival which this year has 60 expos celebrating 30 years of the Arles-based ENSP – Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Photographie. 90-minuted guided tours of the exhibition sites can be organised through the ticket outlets. Until 23rd Sept. www.rencontres-arles.com
Réné Seyssaud – L’Ivresse de la Couleur is a retrospective of this Marseillais painter (1867-1952). He worked in many of the seaside towns in 
the Var and from his final home and studio on the Etang de Berre. He painted landscapes, sea-scapes and still-lifes with bright colours using paints he made himself. 14th July – 18th November. At the Fondation Regards de Provence, palais des Arts, Cours Julien, Marseille. Open daily 10-18:00hrs, exc Aug 15th. Admission 5€. www.museeregardsdeprovence.com
Across town, the Fondation Monticelli has an exhibition of work by another Marseille-born artist Charles Camoin. A colleague of Matisse and Manguin, he was a very successful painter, his colourful works influence by the Fauves and by his acquaintance Cézanne. For more info, click here: http://www.fondationmonticelli.com/expositions
Doesn’t this still-life by Camoin look like the perfect Provençal table?
The summer evening markets – Les Calades – in the cours Mirabeau will be starting later this month and will run throughout August – the TO should soon have dates.
‘Les Instants d’Ete 2012’ is a programme bringing big-screen films to parks throughout Aix for the next 2 months of warm evenings – you just have to bring a blanket and picnic! Click for details: http://www.mairie-aixenprovence.fr/Instants-d-ete-2012
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