I have decided to republish three recent short stories: ‘Villa des Bijoux’, ‘Things Have Changed’ and ‘A Cabin On A River’ will appear online over the next few weeks. The first of the three is already available at my website in pdf format:
VILLA DES BIJOUX
by Matthew Asprey
The story, set in the French winter of 2000-01, is about an obsessive hunt for a location used in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1955 film To Catch A Thief. The villa des bijoux is the home of John Robie (Cary Grant) in the village of St Jeannet on the Côte d’Azur:
Here is the opening of the story:
This is a story of discovery and also a story of loss. I’ll begin in Paris, in the wintertime, in the lobby of the Hotel Bolovens in St-Germain-des-Prés. I was sitting with my fat half-sister Alexis on a sofa. I was wearing a horizontally-striped blue-grey pullover and a red foulard with white polka-dots. I looked fantastic. Alexis, unimaginatively practical, hid her figure in a black woollen overcoat.
“Leon will help us,” I reassured her.
Hello,
I’m French and my Name is Xavier THERY. I’m owner of villa “Les Bolovens” in Saint Jeannet where “to catch a thief” was filmed by Alfred Hitchcock.
I wonder why you chose this theme for your novel and why you gave the name of “Bolovens” to the hotel in Saint Germain des prés. Did you visit Saint Jeannet and villa Les Bolovens ?
Tell me more since I’m very interested.
Xavier THERY
Bonjour,
Si vous ne le connaissez pas déjà, voici un article paru sur le même sujet:
http://www.hitchcockwiki.com/wiki/Location_trip_to_the_French_Riviera,_June_2006
Cordialement,
A.K.
Dear Mr. Thery,
Thankyou for your comment. The story is entirely a work of fiction. I visited St Jeannet years ago – a very pleasant village. I briefly passed the Hitchcock location although I did not realise this fact until I had returned home to Australia.
The use of ‘Bolovens’ for the Paris hotel name is just a joke.
best wishes,
Matthew Asprey
Nitpicking: jewellry instead of jewelry and desert in at least one instance for dessert.
I used ‘jewellery’ throughout which is correct according to both the Shorter Oxford and Fowler (‘jewelry’ is also acceptable). ‘Desert’ is a typo – I will correct. Thanks for your interest.
Xavier,
You have a magnificent villa…I think it is the main reason that draws me back to watch “To Catch a Thief” over and over again.
Enjoy.
Ca fait rever tout ça :-)