We are in 1920. In July, the young Paul Ricard will celebrate his 11th birthday. Every Sunday, he visits wine producers living in Provence with his father, a wine merchant, his mother, and his younger brother. The Sunday walks in the wild countryside leave him delighted and give him the taste for adventures. Louis Ricard is the young Paul’s Grandfather. Before helping his son in the wine trade, he used to be a baker. Paul immensely admires his grandfather from a rural background, which teaches him all his knowledge about farming. One day, Louis Ricard suggests to young Paul to come to the Camargue to pick up some wine and sands. To make it easier for the little boy to enjoy the landscape during the travel, he lets him climb up on the truck’s roof. What a stunning enchanting view he saw ! Paul had expected the Camargue to be a vast area covered in mud and swamps, only to discover the beauty of a movielike surroundings. With the sundown casting its light onto the scenery, there in front of him were wild white horses, black bulls, and flamingos taking-off to the skies. Was he at this very moment already thinking of one day living there ?
After obtaining his end of study certificate, Paul, now a young adult, starts working in the family business. His father will demand that he takes accounting classes on the side. Paul creates an eau de vie, a liquor coming from fermented fruit juice’s distillation, called Cantagas. He then comes up with his Famous patis, an anise-flavored spirit. This brilliant entrepreneur doesn’t forget painting, which is one of his favorites first hobbies. He applies for the Beaux-Arts school in Marseille to take classes there, and all his life, Paul will paint. He’ll mostly create in abundance, magnificent paintings of the Camargue.
In December 1939, Paul Ricard is 30 years old. He acquires the Domaine de Méjanes with the help of his mother. At the time, the land belonged to the Saint-Louis of Marseille sugar refineries. It was left abandoned after they exploited it for the farming of sugar beet. Paul Ricard moves on the land. Fulfilled by this heaven on earth, his inspiration will unleash his passion and creativity. For the rest of his life, he will create as a painter, writer, cinema producer, farmer, architect, humanist. However, the Second World War breaks out a few months later, and despite the odds, the Domaine de Méjanes becomes a haven.
