A week on the road through France and into northern Italy — from the quiet river banks of Burgundy through the sun-soaked coast of Provence, a stop in glittering Monaco, and a final stretch into the mountains of Trentino. All shot on the Leica M EV1 with the Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH.
Ranchot, Jura — Morning on the Doubs
The trip started in Burgundy-Franche-Comté at Camping de l’Île in Ranchot — a small campsite on an island in the Doubs river, between Dole and Besançon. We arrived in the evening and woke to mist rising off the water. The campsite sits between the Doubs and the old Rhine-Rhône Canal, and in the early morning both were perfectly still — the canal reflecting a stone tunnel entrance and houses perched on the cliff above. Cherry trees were blooming on the towpath. It was the kind of place where you stay longer than planned.
Le Brusc, Var — Pétanque and Mediterranean Life
Two days and 700 kilometres south, the landscape had changed completely. Le Brusc is a small fishing village near Six-Fours-les-Plages in the Var — the kind of place where afternoons are measured in games of pétanque and the pace of conversation. Kitesurf gear was spread out on the beach, kayaks stacked by the harbour wall, and down by the water someone was always watching. Long shadows, a player mid-throw, a man on a bench — it felt like stepping into a scene that nobody directed.
Saint-Tropez — Shutters, Sailboats, and Superyachts
Saint-Tropez is a study in contrasts. The old town still has the narrow lanes and ochre facades of a Provençal fishing village — weathered shutters, arched doorways, sun-warmed stone. Walk five minutes to the harbour and you’re standing next to superyachts that cost more than the buildings behind them. But the best moments were in between — a boy sitting with our dog at the waterfront watching sailboats, the sun pouring down a narrow lane, the church tower catching a flare of light. Both sides of Saint-Tropez are real, and both are worth photographing.
Monaco — Skyline, Supercars, and the Sky Mirror
Monaco is always a bit surreal. The skyline climbs the hillside like a vertical city, clouds wrap the mountaintop, and Port Hercule is packed hull-to-hull with superyachts. In the parking garages, Lamborghinis sit next to Ferraris like it’s Tuesday. But the real highlight was standing in front of the Casino de Monte-Carlo facing Anish Kapoor’s Sky Mirror — a concave disc of polished stainless steel installed in 2007 on Place du Casino. The sculpture flips the world upside down: the ornate facade, the palm trees, the tourists — everything reflected and inverted in a single gleaming surface. It’s part of Monaco’s Rainier III Sculpture Trail, an open-air collection of over 150 works scattered across the principality.
Baitoni, Trentino — Lake Idro and Alpine Stillness
The final stretch of the trip took us across the Italian border into Trentino, to the shores of Lake Idro near the hamlet of Baitoni. After a week of Mediterranean warmth, the cool alpine air was a welcome change. Wingfoilers were riding the afternoon wind on the lake, mountains disappearing into haze on all sides. A weathered jetty reached into the water, windsock fluttering. Further along the shore, a solitary bare tree stood at the water’s edge with a picnic bench — one of those scenes that stops you in your tracks. The Chiese river rushed under a pedestrian bridge nearby, fast and ice-cold from the mountains. Spring was just arriving — cherry blossoms backlit by the sun, poplars turning gold. A quiet, perfect end to the trip.
Photo Gallery
All photos from this trip — click any image to open in full size.
Gear & Settings
All photos shot on the Leica M EV1 with the Summilux-M 1:1.4/35 ASPH. — a lens that handles everything from f/1.4 bokeh to f/16 architectural detail. A few iPhone shots from the campsite mornings made it into the gallery too. ISO stayed at 64 for most of the trip, with the occasional bump to 125–1000 in shade and narrow streets. No filters, no flash, just available light.
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