Buoux - original work 140 x 100 cm

In my series "Long Journey," I paint my travel experiences and the places I have visited or lived in. One of these places is the ancient village of Buoux in Provence. Though my memories of it are somewhat hazy, they hold a special place in my heart.

As a young boy, I was lucky to spend many idyllic vacations in Buoux with my family. This tiny village, home to only 77 inhabitants, always offered us children little adventures. The gray-beige cliffs and the ruins of the old Buoux fortress surrounded us, inviting endless exploration. No matter where we hiked, we always had at least one lavender field in sight, filling the air with the sweet fragrance of Provence.

But the most extraordinary moment happened one day when, out of nowhere, a unicorn appeared! For us children, it was nothing short of a miracle. A horse owner had painted one of their horses in rainbow colors and adorned it with a unicorn horn. This surreal scene, set against the backdrop of untouched nature, remains one of my most cherished childhood memories.

At the end of an eventful day, we loved cooling off in the natural stone pool right in front of our house. The crystal-clear water refreshed us, while the warm Provençal sun tingled on our skin—marking the perfect end to yet another magical day in Buoux.