The great part of staying in a maison village–home in the village–is that you are in the thick of things. The downside is that you are in the thick of things. Such is the case for good friend Pamela and me tonight, the first day of summer, June 21. In France–and in over 100 other countries around the world–the summer solstice is celebrated with a Fête de la Musique. We can hear the music from our living room in Lourmarin, as if the band were practicing in the neighboring home. It’s pretty loud and gives no hint that it will be stopping anytime soon. It’s well after midnight. We’ve just finished dinner–everything runs late in the long hot days of summer in Provence–and walk down Rue du Grand Pré from Le Nid des Hirondelles to Place de l’Ormeau where all the action is. Rue Henri de Savornin in anticipation of the Nationale Fête de la Musique performances. Photo by Pam O’Neill. Earlier in the evening, Pam and I were in the village and saw that Rue Henri de Savornin, the main road that traverses the village, was filled with the tables and chairs from each of the four [...]