Sieste au paradis

The calanques are a natural wonder of the Mediterranean: narrow, sheer-sided inlets framed by dazzling white cliffs hewn from the coastal limestone, dropping straight down to the surface of the water. Some of the best-known are found in southern France, between Cassis and Marseille, forming the Calanques National Park. The climate is arid, but the sea is surprisingly cool, fed by freshwater springs filtering underground. For Aline Honoré, the Calanque d’En-Vau is paradise on earth. Her design portrays a wild, unfrequented natural scene. The twisted forms of Aleppo pines cling to the rugged rocks, while the sea yields treasures untold, placed like offerings at the carré’s edge: shells, sea fans, corals, starfish and anemones.