Summer Vacation - The Years of Mountain Dwelling
The core of the quiet village of Champvalon - the church
Text and photos by Chen Chi-Hsiang. With the arrival of summer vacation, the weather gradually clears up; blue skies and white clouds shine with brilliant sunlight as temperatures rise sharply and the heat intensifies. Putting down work, I spent a few days vacationing in the quiet countryside of Champvalon in France’s Champagne region. Last time I visited, I was intoxicated by spring light, lyrically soothing my heart to the verdant green pastoral song; now the wheat fields are ripening, farm machinery is harvesting in the distance, leaving behind patches of straw fields that compose the scene of a summer farmhouse.
During the summer vacation, the villages hold their annual clearance sales. With nothing else to do, friends often invite each other to go treasure hunting, frequently yielding surprising discoveries. Every night under the starry sky, a few good friends sit in the courtyard, drinking tea and chatting, enjoying the cool summer nights. We observe constellations, gaze at the horizon, and meditate on the profound mysteries of the universe, fully enjoying life and spending the beautiful days of summer vacation.