"I was commissioned to illustrate "Hill of Destiny" as the same time as "Break of Day". After Saint-Tropez, I then decided to visit the Provence of Giono. I was invited to his house in Manosque. When he first saw some of my preparatory drawings, he got very enthusiastic and decided to join me on my trip of exploration. The cycling expedition was very comical. Giono had on his rear carrier 2 bottles of wine and a leg of ham. When we reached the plateau of Contadour, my work was punctuated with the poet's exquisite stories.

15 days later, I caught a train back to Avignon with boxes of drawings. I was filled with wonder..."