the memory of Janet Jackson’s

ample white mammary is still
etched in my mind. lt’s time to
think pleasanter thoughts.
Thoughts of pleasanter places —
and places with people with
browner skin — like the gay
Southwest of France.

Whenever gay folks in
the U.S. think of gay France, we
naturally think of Paris — the cen-
ter of the French gay universe.
Why, Paris even comes complete
with a gay mayor. So why would
you ever want to go, as the
French would say, “into the
provinces?” Ever the contrarian, I
had to answer that question by
going myself.

I took a high-speed train
from Paris into the center of the
city of Montpellier. Montpellier is
not so much a city as an excuse
for large numbers of gorgeous
people to stroll around in limited
clothing. Literally. Montpellier is
a__big university town,‘ so there is a
highconcentration of young peo-.

It’s cold outside.’ lt’s gray. And

$

 

called Rue des Tessiers. And the
city has been named as the second
favorite city of gays in a national
survey. After my sixth Perrier as I

watch the pretty people go by, I’m

not surprised.

Not far from Montpellier
are the beaches of L’Espiguette.
The sand is brown, and so are
many of the bottoms and breasts
exposed. There is a regular beach
section (where even so, many
French women go topless), then a
nude straight section, and finally a
nude gay section of the beach.
Warning: MostAFrench men are

Why would youever want to go,
as the French would say,
“into the provinces?”

Ever the contrarian,

I had to answer that question

by going myself.

ple. They all seem to have a sun,-’
kissed brown skin, and their pref?
erence seems to be to show as ‘ ’
much" of it as possible, all the .
while being as chic as Frenchness
demands. They even smile a lot,
which is very unusual for the
French. (I’m KIDDING. That was
a play on a cultural stereotype.) '
Sitting in a café in front

. of the grand and lovely

Montpellier Opera House, you

' could observe for hours, as you

downed sparkling water after
sparkling water, just to keep from
overheating. (This can easily push
those thoughts of Janet Jackson
right out of your mind.)
Montpellier has a num-
ber of gay and lesbian barsand
restaurants, many of which are
tucked away in a charming street

uncircumcised. This can come as

. .a shock to an American. It ‘is also
, a useful introductory line:"’I’eve

never seen-one of thosebefore.

‘May I touch it?” (I’m_ KIDDING.

That was a play on another kind
of cultural stereotype.) There is
even another section of the beach

. where you can rent horses to ride

through the spray. This is sort of
an every-fantasy-you’ve-ever-had-
it’s—time-to-live-itarea." ‘

the smaller historical cities _of '.
Avignon, Arles, and St. Remy _de
Provence. Avignon is known, of _

’ course, for the Papal Palace, a_

medieval fortress from the time
when the Popes relocated from
Rome to France. Avignon holds ’
an annual festival of theater and is
surrounded by vineyards. Arts and

Trolling  «sun the Gay
Southwest of France  

wine are a heady combination.

Not far from Avignon is
the charming medieval-walled
city of Arles, home to Roman
ruins, including the famed
amphitheater, the arena (where
bull fights still entertain the mass-
es), the forum, and the fabulous
mosaics contained in the museum
of antiquities. Arles was also
home, for a time, to Vincent Van‘
Gogh, who painted many scenes
in Arles, and many of those -
scenes are conveniently noted for
you by the city with special
markers.

Near Arles is theeven
smaller town of St. Remy de
Provence, home to Nostradamus
and, for a somewhat shorter time,
to Van Gogh, who stayed at the
sanitarium just outside of St.
Remy. The sanitarium is now a
museum dedicated to Van Gogh,
and it’s just next door to the ruins
of the Roman city of Glanum.
Mountains, ruins, all the vistas

that Van Gogh saw and painted — v _

who could ask for more? How
about the fabulous and gay-wel-
coming hotel Les Ateliers de
l’Iiiiage, a lovely villa-esque hotel
with a view over the glass-smooth
pool toward the mountains that
makes youfeel like Madonna
would envy you for staying there.
You can walk through the town of
St. Remy and gorge on candied
fruit, then have a glass of wine by
the pool under the stars. A

Visiting the Southwest
of France is like visiting another
world, where the worries of
Americanfday-jtoeday life fade
into oblivion. ‘

At the very least, I made
you forget all about Janet’s breast,
didn’t I? V

Kevin Isom is the author of It
Only Hurts When I Polka and
Tongue in Cheek and Other
Places, available at bookstores
and online. He may be reached at

_, _isomonline@aol.com‘ or

Edging further east are » T 4, WW‘W~K9Vi"1S0m-C0”!-V . '

 
    

charitable foundation __w ose mission is to
support and strengthen Vermont’; gay, lesbian;
bisexual, and transgendered communities
‘today and build an endowment for tomorrow.

To Id Lawrence

J sS9les 8 Leasing Consultant

Please‘ call 8'02-865~8226
(1 "800-833-60 1 '7 x-8226}
for 111£'or1nation or appointment
1 620 Shelburne Road.
South Burlington, Vamnont 05403

  Heritage Toyota 8 Scion

’ .35 "Buying or selling a home?
Because our team is dedicated to provid~
ing the best possible service to all people

   

community.

Specializing in
Addison County
w w w. langteam. com
(802) 388-1000

7

George Brewer
REALTOR,

CRS, cm, CR5, ABR

langmiddéfisavennet