Olivier Mak-Bouchard's first novel published last year (2020) treads heavily in the footsteps of Jean Giono and Henri Bosco authors of a previous generation who works were centred on the flora fauna and people of the Provence region of South East France. Mak-Bouchard adds something else to the mix; apart from bringing his story up to date there is also a fascination with legends associated with the area; particularly those surrounding the Mistral wind and the desert like scenario atop of Mount Ventoux.

He tells his story in the first person, but it starts with a legend; a legend of how the four elements shaped the land of Provence, particularly around the Valley of the River Calavon; a dry parched area surrounded by the vegetation of the garrigue: low shrub-lands famous for its herbs that cling to the limestone soils. The area suffers cold winters and hot summers and now increasingly from the bush fires that rage during the driest summer months. The story-teller is an administrator in one of the local schools living in a hamlet outside of town and after a particularly strong Mistral goes outside to inspect the damage. His older neighbour M. Sécaillat is doing the same thing and they notice a drystone wall partially destroyed, the speaker notices some shards of pottery and the two neighbours decide to explore further. They may have uncovered an archeological find, but it is on M Sécaillat's land and he does not want to inform the authorities and have his orchard turned into an archeological dig. The speaker proposes that they do a clandestine dig; he will take a two month sabbatical from work and they will do it properly. The first part of the book describes the excitement of the two neighbours as they uncover a mystery. They do not find any treasure but something perhaps even more valuable: a spring, which seems to be dated from Roman times it has a large limestone base and a relief of a female face from whose open mouth the water trickles.

The speakers sabbatical comes to an end and his wife returns from a business trip to Japan. M. Sécaillat continues with the work and constructs a series of steps down into the cistern which has now filled with tepid water. His wife suffers from Alzheimers, but drinking the iron inflected water from the cistern is improving her condition. The speaker becomes fascinated by the relief of the femme-calcaire in the base of the cistern and bathing in the water starts a series of visions that he cannot shake from his head. Time is running out for the clandestine dig and the authorities have arranged to inspect what they believe to be a small pool (which would attract higher local taxes). The second part of the book tells the story of a falling out between the neighbours M. Sécaillat is frightened of being fined or sent to prison and plans to fill in the cistern, while the speaker cannot resist the pull of the femme-calcaire. The visions are personal to him and he discovers that what he is seeing relates to the landscape and the people around him and he takes himself off on missions, that seem to be at the behest of the femme-calcaire. The missions become associated with legends and stories from the Roman era particularly Hannibal crossing the Alps and lead to the speaker exploring the desolate summit of Mount Ventoux on a desperate search for the source of the Mistral wind.

Mak-Bouchard skilfully weaves elements of magic realism into his story of a contemporary man battling against the sometimes hostile environment in which he lives. The author has a feel for the landscape and an intimate relationship with the characters that inhabit his story. Nothing seems out of place, rural modern french life is well captured and being french the story is interrupted for a detailed description of the Christmas eve revillion where the two neighbour's households sit down to eat their way through the eve to Christmas day. There is also Hussard the cat who prances regally through the two houses calling the neighbours attention to his wants and needs. There is so much to enjoy in this story of Provençal life and the occasional lapse into Provençal argot, is translated into modern french.

I bought my paperback book in my new local bookstore which managed to open for business just in time for the 2020 rentrée. I am not usually attracted by the book cover by this was an exception with its striking design and fold out back and front covers with sketch maps of the area by the author. The design and feel of the book shows some love from the publishing house of Le Tripode. A four star reading experience. ( )