Chapter 11 Chapter Eleven

As far as I know, the so-called "fashion life" refers to transforming a rural community into a high-end resort, equipped with as many urban facilities as possible, and if there is more open space, build a golf course. What Vogue Says (1) Maybe it's because Zaizai always remembers that he was a homeless and often hungry stray dog, so he always tries his best to seize every opportunity to please us.From time to time, it will bring home gifts—a bird’s nest that fell from a tree, vine roots, canvas shoes that it has cherished for a long time and has been chewed up, a lot of weeds under the woods, etc., and then give these treasures generously. I kept it neatly under the table, thinking it would please us.It also helps with housework, and as a result, leaves and its muddy footprints are all over the floor - when it is helping in the kitchen, it is like a living container, waiting to catch the food crumbs that fall from above; It also makes all sorts of noises at close range of a few feet, trying, but clumsily, to get our attention.

Not only does it try to please us, but it has invented its own welcome ritual, which, while well-intentioned, is just too weird.As long as someone enters the door, it will put aside the tennis ball that it often bites in its big mouth, and bury its equally huge head under the crotch of any guest.This is how it wants a man to shake hands, and it seems that our guests are also looking forward to this. They continued to chat, and Zizai stepped aside after performing his social etiquette, and nestled at his feet closest to him. Strictly speaking, the different reactions of the guests to this welcome ceremony just explain the change of seasons.In winter, visitors are generally people who live in Luberon all year round like us. They either ignore the dog’s head in their crotch, or pat it casually, and then sweep away the branches and leaves left on the old corduroy pants , continue to drink undisturbed.But we know summer is coming when guests walk in freaked out, spilling drinks all over the floor, and panicking to push away dog ​​noses that have been sniffing away on clean white shirts.Those who come with Xia Tian are the tourists.

Every year, many tourists come here to enjoy the sunshine and the unchanging beauty of Provence. Recently, Provence has two more places to attract tourists. The first item is more practical - the transportation in Provence is becoming more and more convenient year by year.It is said that high-speed trains will be opened from Paris to Avillon, shortening the already fast four hours by half an hour.The small airport outside the city is being expanded and will soon be upgraded to Avillon International Airport.A huge new Statue of Liberty has been erected in front of Marseille airport, marking the arrival of two non-stop flights to New York every week.

At the same time, Provence is facing a rediscovery in a new sense. This discovery has penetrated into the towns and villages where we buy things and go shopping. Fashion has suddenly come to us. "Womens Wear Daily" (Women's Wear Daily) is regarded as the bible of handsome men and women. It specializes in reporting on skirt lengths, bust sizes, earring weights and so on in New York. It officially launched in Saint-Rémy and Luberon last year.There are large photos on it, all of which show how the homeowners who come back from vacation in summer squeeze eggplants together, drink Kiel wine, admire the carefully manicured cypress trees, and how to indulge in country life with the accompanying photographer in the simple pleasures of

The American version of Vogue, one of the most satirical magazines in the world, is full of perfume ads and once slipped an Athena horoscope between an Athena horoscope and another Paris hotel update. Reports on Luberon.In the preface to the article, Luberon is described as "the secret of the south of France", and just two lines later, it becomes "the most fashionable area in all of France".How do these two contradictory things come together?Only the deputy editor-in-chief who can speak well can justify himself. The editor of the French edition of "Vogue" magazine also participated in the creation of this "secret".In fact, they already knew quite a bit about this situation before writing it in the preface of the article.In a subtly misanthropic tone, they first declare that Luberon is finished, then lose a word or two, add some comments such as snobby, expensive, and in short, outdated.

Do they really think so?Of course not, Luberon is not only not finished, but in fact attracts a large number of Parisians and foreigners whom Vogue often refers to as celebrities. (How often are these people called celebrities? Once a week? Twice a week? They don't say.) And then we have the chance to meet celebrities, says Vogue, come with us Let's take a look at the private lives of these people. Goodbye, privacy!For the next 12 pages, we see pictures of these so-called "celebrities", their children, puppies, gardens, friends, and swimming pools.The magazine also included a "Who's Who" map, showing how the Luberon faves tried, but apparently failed, to hide themselves.Hiding is a near impossible task, the wretches can't even swim back properly, or have a drink undisturbed, and there are journalists hiding in the bushes desperately taking pictures to satisfy their readers.

Among the photographs of artists, writers, designers, politicians and tycoons is a large photo of another man who, the accompanying text says, knows all the houses in the area and is able to accept invitations to three dinner parties at the same time . Readers may think that this is probably because this guy lacked food and clothing in childhood or had an insatiable addiction to food, but it is not.This man has a legitimate job. He is a real estate agent and needs to know who is looking for a house, who wants to sell a house, and who wants to buy a house. Therefore, the normal three meals a day cannot meet his needs for collecting relevant information.

Real estate agency is a very popular industry in Luberon, especially since this area is entering its golden period, real estate prices have risen like a stomach that has eaten three dinners, and even we have witnessed the price drop here for short-term stays. Unreasonable skyrocketing. A few friends took a fancy to a beautiful ruin with only half a roof and a few acres of land, and offered 3 million francs.Some friends didn't want to renovate but wanted to rebuild, but when they heard the estimate, they were frightened for a whole week-5 million francs!So in the more popular villages, how to sell some houses with potential? One million francs!

Generally speaking, although the commission rate is floating, the agency fee still rises behind these house prices with many zeros.As far as we have heard, the commission varies from 3% to 8%, sometimes it is borne by the seller, sometimes it is borne by the buyer. For laymen, this way of earning a living is very comfortable, and small life can be lived quite comfortably.It's always fun to look at houses, and it's interesting to meet sellers and buyers who, while sometimes unreliable, are by no means stupid. As a profession, being a real estate agent in a popular location theoretically allows you to find some excitement and earn some money to pass the time.

But this industry is not without problems, the biggest problem is market competition.In the Vaucluse telephone directory, real estate agents and real estate advertisements occupy nearly six pages - trendy properties, character properties, special properties, quality properties, select properties, charming properties - and people who want to buy a house in There are so many options to choose from, these terms are enough to confuse people.What is the difference between "fashion" and "personality"?Should people who buy a house choose a "special" one or a "selected" one?The only solution is to take your dreams and your budget, find a real estate agent and spend a morning, a full day or a week scouring the castles, farmhouses, magic houses and white houses currently on the market. Between expensive and useless houses.

Finding a real estate agent in the Luberon is as easy as finding a butcher.Before, information like Bertrand's mother trying to sell her old farm, or someone dying unexpectedly and leaving the house vacant, was known only to the town's notary.The inquisitive role of the notary has been largely replaced by real estate brokers, and almost every town has one.There are two in Mena Village, three in Benniu Village, and four in the more fashionable Geshi Village according to the latest statistics. We saw the late-style competition among real estate agents in Geshi Village.A broker was distributing leaflets in the parking lot on Castle Square, followed by another at a distance, replacing the leaflets pasted on the windshield of the man in front with his own.It's a pity that because of the rush of time, we didn't have time to see if there was a third or fourth intermediary in ambush behind the pillars waiting for an opportunity to act. In the beginning, these intermediaries were all very enthusiastic and very helpful.They have prepared a lot of attractive photo materials, some of which are priced below seven figures, but they are always just sold when asked, but there are others, such as mills, nunneries, shepherds' stone houses, Great houses, towers, farmhouses, of all shapes and sizes.So many options!And this is only provided by an intermediary! But if you then look at the second or third place, most of the real estate must have a sense of deja vu.Actually, the photos are taken from different angles.So yes, these are the same mills, abbeys, farmhouses you saw at the previous agent.Thus, the second problem faced by the Luberon intermediaries emerged-insufficient housing resources. Vogue says so (2) House building is strictly prohibited in most of the Luberon, and everyone supervises each other, except for the farmers.They can build houses as they like.Therefore, what intermediaries claim to be "a wide range of styles and sufficient quantities" is actually very limited.And this kind of situation just stimulates their house hunting instinct. Many intermediaries will drive around all day during the off-season in winter, keeping their eyes open and ears pricked up to pay attention to the treasures that are about to appear but have not yet been discovered.If the news is correct, the intermediary is fast enough, and with a solid tongue, there is a chance to monopolize this big business and earn a full commission.However, the result is usually that the seller will entrust two to three intermediaries and let them solve sensitive issues such as how to share the cost. Then there are more questions, such as who is responsible for introducing the house to the guests?Who takes the guests to see the house first?These intermediaries may have to be forced to cooperate, but the atmosphere of competition is hard to hide after all, as long as there is a little misunderstanding about "dividing the spoils", it will be exposed immediately.Accusations and counter-accusations, phone quarrels, accusations of immoral behavior on the other side—such as calling out the client as a mediation trump card—a series of vitriolic words came out.This unpleasant factor will greatly affect the high expectations of both parties for joint cooperation, which is why yesterday's close comrades-in-arms will become today's liars. "It's bad, but..." In addition, intermediaries have to bear a heavier cross, that is, customers and their perverse and suspicious behavior.What turned a seemingly trustworthy and respectable little fish into a ferocious great white shark?Of course, money is an important reason, and at the same time, there is also the determination to make a deal only when the lowest price is reached.In fact, the final price is no longer a matter of a few dollars or a few cents, but the desire to "win" and to overwhelm the other party's desire. This often results in intermediaries being caught in the middle and in a dilemma. In any transaction there will be endless competition for price, all over the world.But the complexity of Luberon itself made the muddy waters of this negotiation even more muddy.Typically, the potential buyer is a Parisian or a foreigner, while the prospective seller is a farmer from the countryside.There is a huge difference in the attitude of the two sides to the deal, and the result is that everyone involved in the deal gets pissed off over and over again for weeks or months. In the concept of farmers, "promise" and "promise" are two different things.If a farmer were to sell his grandmother's old farmhouse, and an offer was made, and the other side agreed without any haggling, he would immediately wonder if he had underpaid.This doubt will add endless misery to his later life, and his wife will never stop nagging in his ear that the neighbor sold it for a better price.As a result, when the buyer thought the deal was done, the seller was still thinking about it.Adjustments are inevitable.The farmer arranges a time to meet with the broker again to clarify some details. He said he might have forgotten to mention that the land next door to the house—unfortunately, the same land, with a corner well and plenty of water—was not included in the sale price.It's not a big deal, but he thinks it's better to bring it up. Naturally, the buyer was taken aback. The land, which undoubtedly should have been included in the sale price, was, in fact, the only flat land available for a tennis court.Their frustration is obvious to the shrugging nonchalant farmer.Who cares what tennis court you have!But he was a reasonable man, and although he was unwilling to give up this fertile land, he was willing to listen to their bids. Buyers are often impatient and don’t have the time; people who work in Paris, Zurich or London have no time to fly to the Luberon every five minutes to look at houses.Where is the farmer?Just the opposite, never in a hurry, he's not going anywhere, and if the house doesn't sell this year, he can raise the price and sell it next year. Just like this, you come and go, discussing repeatedly.Agents and buyers are getting more and more angry, but the deal is always done in the end, and the new owner tries to put all the unpleasantness behind him. After all, the house is good, just like the dream.To celebrate the deal, they decided to have a picnic and spend the day taking a good look at the house and planning for future changes. It's just that things often backfire, and the beautiful old-fashioned four-legged iron bathtub in the bathroom is gone.The buyer calls the intermediary.The broker calls the farmer, "Where's the bathtub?" "Bathtub? That precious old grandmother's bathtub? That one we inherited from our family?" Of course, no one would be willing to sell something so rare, so precious, and so commemorative with the house.But he was a reasonable man, and perhaps a good price would convince him. Several accidents like this make the buyer extra cautious on the road of no return when buying a house. Before the house is officially in hand, they sometimes have to act cautiously like a lawyer and issue a detailed property list, including shutters, door knockers, kitchen sinks, and storage rooms. The wood in the house, the tiles in the floor, a few trees in the garden, etc.But as long as there is an incredible little accident, no amount of lists will be enough to resist the farmer's last-minute sophistry. To prevent the worst from happening, the buyer may even hire a local magistrate or authorized attorney.His task was to prove that the toilet paper holder in the bathroom was undoubtedly left by the seller, so the seller no longer had any right to interfere.Think about it, the judge and the seller are squeezed into the small bathroom to perform formal procedures, "raise your right hand and read to me: I solemnly swear to give up the following complete and fully functional accessories..." It is really unimaginable. Despite all this activity, homes here continue to fetch prices that would have seemed unthinkable a decade ago.I recently heard that Provence is being marketed by a middleman as the "California of Europe", not only because of the similar climate, but also because of something indefinable but irresistible - "fashion life" originated in California. As far as I know, the so-called "fashion life" refers to transforming a rural community into a high-end resort, equipped with as many urban facilities as possible, and if there is more open space, build a golf course.I might have missed it if the process was going on in Provence.So, I asked the agent where he could find all this stuff he was bragging about, and where was the closest "lifestyle center" to here? He looked at me as if I'd been hiding in a time warp, "Haven't you been to Ger's Village lately?" he said. Our first visit to Guernsey Village was 16 years ago and it was the best of all the beautiful towns nearby.The honey-colored village is located on a hill, with a very wide view, and you can see the Luberon mountains on the opposite side.It is a "jewel" in the eyes of real estate developers, a living postcard.The village has a Renaissance castle, narrow streets paved with long stone slabs, and like all unspoiled villages and towns, its public facilities are as simple as possible-a butcher's shop, two bakeries, a simple hotel , a dilapidated cafe, a post office.From the clerk's unchanging arrogance, we were sure that he was the only one in the post office. The countryside behind the village, covered with oak and pine trees, is extremely green all year round, and the paths surrounded by stone walls form interesting patterns.Aside from the old rubble roofs glimpsed among the foliage, the house might not even be noticeable on foot for hours.I heard that building houses is restricted in this area, but in fact it should be said to be prohibited. That was 16 years ago. Today's Geshi Village looks beautiful from a distance, but when you arrive at the small road at the entrance of the village, you are greeted by a row of vertical road signs, all of which are advertisements for hotels, restaurants, and tea houses—— All the road signs that mean comfort and attractiveness to tourists are here, but there are no public toilets. A street lamp imitating the 19th century is erected at intervals along the road. The pointed shape is extremely inconsistent with the surrounding weathered stone walls and houses.Turning a corner, the whole village comes into view, and at least one of the cars driving into the village will stop continuously, allowing the driver and passengers to get out of the car and take pictures.At the last turn before entering the village, a large open space was paved with asphalt and built as a parking lot.If you decide to ignore it and keep driving in, you'll probably come back again.Because the castle square, which is also paved with asphalt, is often full of cars from all over Europe. The old hotel was still there, it just had a neighbor—a new hotel opened next door.A few meters in front, there is a sign of "Sidney Fast Food"; then there is the Suleido specialty store; the old dilapidated cafe is now neatly dressed.In fact, everything is new, the geek at the post office has been retired, the public toilets have been widened, the village is no longer a village for local residents, but more like a village for tourists, and you can buy Gurdjib everywhere to prove your visit Village T-shirt. Continuing forward for about one kilometer, there is another hotel. The high wall blocks the sight of passers-by, and there is a helicopter landing pad next to it.The ban on building houses in the undergrowth has been loosened, and there is only a huge billboard in English, which says that luxury villas equipped with electronic security gates and full bathroom equipment are priced from 2.5 million francs. Until now, there are no signs indicating the villas of the celebrities featured in Vogue.So tourists traveling in a large tour bus to the 12th-century abbey of Senanque had to guess along the way as to which houses they saw belonged to half-covered houses.Maybe someday some far-sighted company will create a map similar to the Hollywood Guide, with the houses of the stars marked.In this way, we are really getting closer to California.By then, the jacuzzis and joggers will no longer attract any attention, and the hills will come to life with the echo of the clink of tennis balls and the boom of cement mixers. Vogue says so (3) This situation has often happened in other countries and regions before.A place that draws people to it because of its beauty and seclusion turns it into an expensive suburb, complete with cocktail parties, anti-theft systems, four-wheel-drive recreational vehicles and other vital signs of so-called country life. I think the locals don't care, why should they care?Wasteland that could not even feed sheep could suddenly fetch millions of francs; shops, restaurants and hotels were thriving; plasterers, carpenters, gardeners and construction workers for tennis courts had a steady stream of orders on hand.Everyone profited from it, and it was more profitable to cultivate tourists than to grow grapes. Mena Village has not been greatly affected, at least on the surface.The cafe called "Avantgarde" is still not up to date, the small restaurant that opened two years ago has closed down, and except for the offices of the intermediaries, the village center is as we saw it a few years ago. My wife once happened to meet three old ladies sitting on a stone wall, and their three dogs sat in a row in front of them, making a beautiful picture.My wife came up and asked, can I take a picture of them? The oldest old lady looked at her and thought for a while, "What magazine are you shooting for?" Obviously, "Vogue" magazine had already taken the lead.