Acrylic on canvas – 8 x 8 inch – Unique work

The whole family has gathered for the occasion. The occasion? Grandma Marcelle’s 99th birthday.

From the four corners of France—and even from lands much further afield—they came to join her by the water. Her beloved “salt water,” the kind that laps against the shores of the Côtes-d’Armor. The coastal path, the pink granite, Perros-Guirec—it was her whole life. She was born there, grew up there, worked there; she found happiness there, and sorrow too. She had children—far, far too many! And the husbands that went with them, as well.

When retirement arrived, she cut ties with everyone—or rather, the toxic ones, mostly. There are always some around; you just have to look closely, without kidding yourself, and—presto—they appear as if by magic. And that’s when you have to act fast. She moved into a small house facing the sea. It was a bit isolated, probably, but Grandma Marcelle isn’t afraid of anything. She has friends who drop by every day. And her morning walks give her the chance to meet the locals and chat about life, the passing of time, seagulls, seaweed, jellyfish, and who knows what else…

Today, there’s a giant picnic on the beach. The sun is high in the sky but isn’t scorching; scattered clouds offer a bit of shade for those who need it. Grandma Marcelle takes shelter under the parasol; she is keen to protect her fair, delicate skin—after all, she still has many long years ahead of her. On the menu are nothing but her favorites: gougères to go with her glass of champagne, a mixed salad with a bit of everything from the fridge, some cheese—goat cheese paired with a glass of red wine—and a trifle, that divine British dessert!

And because she loves to sing and dance, her entire family joins in, improvising choreography worthy of a Philippe Découflé ballet. Others belt out songs by Jean-Jacques Goldman and Etienne Daho—not to mention Imagine Dragons! It is quite a performance, captured on everyone’s mobile phones. Grandma Marcelle weaves her way among them all, offering a smile, a glance, a cuddle.

A truly special moment for looking back on rainy days, melancholy evenings, days when things didn’t go quite as planned, and that day when…