MEETING WITH

Martine Barthélémy

Your passion in life?

What a wonderful gift it is to be passionate! I’ve been creating with fabric for 20 years, and sharing it with the public in a precious setting like the Hôtel de l’Atelier is truly a joy. Creating bags, tablecloths, kits, commissions, including works of art, is always a wonderful adventure. My other passions are music, dance, art, travel, foreign languages, reading and poetry.”

Your favorite in the south of France?

Cap-d’Agde is located 1h30 from Villeneuve-Lès-Avignon, and is a seaside resort that I love because I grew up there. It has beautiful beaches, a festive atmosphere and lots of events. If you like walking, cycling, water sports or tennis, this is the place for you.

3 tourist experiences in the region that you particularly like?

  • Drive through the Luberon to take in the beauty of the
    landscape, stop off at Lacoste and visit the château, then Gordes, and don’t forget Roussillon for its ochre and its village full of art galleries and artists’ studios.
  • Visit the quarries and lights at Les Baux de Provence,
    where you’ll be able to see some very beautiful images in an exceptional setting
    .
  • Depending on the season, go to Jonquières to discover the tulip fields.

Your advice for our guests?

Villeneuve-Lès-Avignon offers plenty of opportunities for cultural visits to the Chartreuse, the Abbey Gardens, Fort Saint-André, the Collegiate Church and the Tour Philippe le Bel. See Avignon from these high points. Its Thursday morning market, a market of flavours that sings of Provence, or the Saturday market with its second-hand goods and antiques. Take a walk on the plain of the Abbey, admire the Fort and walk along the canal. There are several events on offer throughout the year. Enjoy the peace and quiet of the Hôtel de l’Atelier in the garden or the lounge.”

Music found in your travel playlist?

It varies according to the period, and listening to Bob Sinclar, Tommy Guerrero (of things to come, Up from the Dust), Jazz, Andrea Vanzo (spring) or classical music (makes for a pleasant way to spend the journey).

Your little grain of madness?

Organise a dance show based on several works of art, in which the different disciplines would intermingle. Classical dance, contemporary dance, ballroom dance.”

Your favorite local dish?

« Enjoy a good aioli on Fridays. »

If you were a tourist attraction in the region...

But I’m a tourist attraction at the Hôtel de l’Atelier!  (laughs)

The Camargue offers some beautiful landscapes, and the flora and fauna are in perfect harmony.”

MARTINE

Martine Barthélémy - Creation Martine B. - Craftsman