Tuesday, February 22nd., Hotel Ruhl, Nice.
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| H.G.Wells at "Lou Pidou" |
We were due at H.G.Well's, Quartier St. Mathieu, Grasse, for lunch. It soon began to rain. Nevertheless the continuously mounting drive to Grasse was very beautiful. Little seems to have changed in that region in the last five years. Nor at Grasse either. The rendezvous with H.G. was for noon in the cours at Grasse. We arrived precisely at twelve, and he was there, signalling, in a big doggy overcoat with the collar turned up, in the rain. Plenty of mud. we left our car and got into his Citroen. Drive of about ten minutes, narrow, curving, up and down, thoroughly bad little road. He has the dependence of a larger house, but is building a house of his own on the opposite side of a little valley.
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Odette Keun, Wells, Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard
on the terrace at "Lou Pidou" |
Odette Keun came rapidly downstairs to greet us. She enveloped us in welcome. The 'feminine touch' all over the place. Excellent lunch, Provencale, with appreciable garlic in it. An original lunch. We went over to the new house in process of construction. Well, H.G. designed it himself and got an architect to 're-draw the plans'. What he would call a jolly little house. But it wouldn't suit me. Rooms too small, and windows too large, and no tradition behind the design. Still the open-air rooms will be very 'jolly' for eating and sitting about in. Much charm in the situation. We greatly enjoyed this visit. It was very invigorating in every way.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI'm working for a editor who prepare a book about H.G.Wells. The picture with Odette Keun, Goddard and Chaplin is very interesting. Do you know where is she from ?
Thank you very much
Paul
Sorry, I can't remember how I came by it. AB's visit to Lou Pidou was on February 22nd. 1927 as recorded in his journal.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your answer, have a good day and a very good continuation with this beautiful blog
ReplyDeleteIf you are referring to Odette Keun; she was daughter of a Dutch diplomat and Greek-Italian mother, born in Istanbul. My grandmother went to school with her at a convent of nuns in the Netherlands. She was a colourful figure, adventerer and writer who sometimes sent my grandmother gifts for her children and herself.
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