As many of you know, I have an addiction to photographing doors and windows in France. Today I’ve been writing about a door in a story I’m working on. I spent quite a bit of time sifting through door photos, so I thought I would share a few of my favourites here.

I walked past this door (below) several times a week on my way to the daily marché in Antibes last summer. I fell in love with it and it’s going to be on the cover of my 2018 calendar.

The fancy iron grills at the top of many doors were part of the early method of “air-conditioning”. Fresh air would be drawn in through those openings and flow through to an inner courtyard where it would rise up and out an opening at roof level, helping to cool the interior. Look for them when you are walking through the vieille villes (old towns). These grills alone make pleasing photo collections.

 

 

 

 

These intricately-carved doors of the 16thC parish church (that served as a cathedral from 1624 to 1790) in the intriguing medieval village Entrevaux, depict the history of the time. Katherine was here in Promises To Keep. (I’m certain she took this same shot.)

The door in this wall leads to the restaurant terrace of the famed La Colombe d’Or in Saint Paul de Vence. Click that link to read the entertaining history of this inn. It’s quite the story! If you visit in the summer, be sure to make a reservation.

Now we’re strolling in the charming village of Tourrettes sur Loup. Stop here for violet ice cream and visit Le Bois d’Olivier, IMHO, the shop with the best handcrafted olive wood products in the region. Click on that link and look at the photos on their website. I think you will agree.

Visiting Saint Tropez above. This pretty portal below may look familiar … I keep it on the home page of my website.

Imagine the size of the keys they carried around!

When one door opens, who knows what lies beyond?

Something old, something new (note the repair at the bottom). What else do you do when your centuries-old door starts rotting away?

The lower door was once for the donkey.

See the date on the left side? 1581 … After the villagers and farmers of the area survived a deadly plague, they had these doors carved for la chapelle Saint Bernardin in Antibes to give thanks to God for sparing their lives. When we lived in Antibes while I wrote The Promise of Provence, I would walk past these doors every day and often stopped just to press my hands on them. There was an aura and sense of history about them that inspired me.

Do you like to take photos of doors when you travel? Where have you found your favourite portals? Bon weekend tout le monde!

All photos on this site are the copyright of Patricia Sands.