Escape to Provence

  
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Opio and Chateauneuf de Grasse Villages

'Escape to Provence'
by
Maureen Emerson

The true story of Winifred Fortescue and Elisabeth Starr, two remarkable women and their quest for a new life in an idyllic Provence of the early 1900s.  An evocative description of how the Second World War brought both selfless courage and tragedy and would change their lives for ever.

This exciting new publication, the culmination of 8 years work, is available direct from 'Chapter and Verse Books'.

Price £10.99 (plus £2 p&p U.K.)

Click to see full size pdf version

(The photograph depicts Elisabeth Starr at her home the Castello in 1934)
Picture -  with kind permission of the owner

Paperback - 248pp - approx 40 illustrations & photographs - ISBN 978-0-9558321-0-9

 

Escape to Provence is the true story of two remarkable women who, with style and energy, carved out new lives for themselves in the South of France in the first part of the last century. An American, Elisabeth Parrish Starr, and an Englishwoman, Winifred (Peggy) Fortescue, the author of the best-selling Perfume From Provence, both escaped to Provence for quite different reasons. Elisabeth as the result of a personal tragedy, coupled with a need to live her life without censure, and Peggy because she and her husband felt that in Provence ‘one could be poor with dignity’. 

After dangerous aid work on the Somme during the Great War, Elisabeth bought an ancient house in the hills above Cannes, drew other expatriate friends around her and, with a now widowed Peggy, lived a bucolic existence in their Provençal village until the threat of another conflict changed their lives for ever. Peggy raced to safety in England, while Elisabeth fell under the oppressive Vichy regime that affected everyone in the region during the dark years of war. When the South of France was liberated by American and French forces, Peggy returned to a Provence that would never be the same again.  

Over the years their lives became involved with those of Consuelo, Duchess of Marlborough; the poet John Betjeman, the dashing Spitfire pilot Richard Hillary, the artist Rex Whistler and the families of President Theodore Roosevelt and Charles, 6th Marquess of Anglesey. As well as the story of two unusual women, Escape to Provence is also a portrait of an era.

 

THE AUTHOR

The author of 'Escape to Provence' - Maureen Emerson

Maureen Emerson
Maureen Emerson is a member of
The Society of Authors

Click here to visit The Society of Authors

Maureen Emerson, from an Irish-Austrian background, grew up in London - for which she is eternally grateful. Marrying young, she brought up her family in North Africa, Lebanon, Dallas and Singapore, before settling in Provence for twenty-two years. There she worked as a local co-ordinator for CBS and NBC news during the media festivals at Cannes and Monte Carlo. While still harbouring a strong affection for Provence, Maureen has now settled in Sussex with her husband.

REVIEWS
Mid Sussex Times

The Riviera Reporter

France Today
LMS Sophia Antipolis Magazine
AMB-Cotedazur review & video interview

West Sussex County Times
Destination France
Var Village Voice
The Riviera Woman

 

THE BOOK LAUNCH

Saturday 14 June 2008

The English Book Centre
12 rue Alexis Julien
06560,Valbonne
Tel. 04 93 12 21 42

englishbooks@wanadoo.fr

Escape to Provence by Maureen Emerson was officially launched on Saturday 14th June 2008 at the English Book Centre, Valbonne, France, courtesy of the proprietor Jill Shepperd who had provided an excellent backdrop for the event. Maureen gave a short talk of about 15 minutes covering firstly the writing of the book and then a brief description of the contents. Speaking perfectly, despite claiming she had never done it before, the audience in the packed bookshop were enthralled. Afterwards she happily chatted with the visitors outside and signed numerous copies. Maureen has to be congratulated on a splendid publication. The depth of her research and the ends to which she has gone, (and places), to obtain it is quite staggering. The venue and the weather were  perfect and made for a delightful day.

Photo's from the initial launch of Escape to Provence

 

FUTURE EVENTS

Maureen Emerson has confirmed that she will be at the following venues:

Opio and Chateauneuf de Grasse Villages

Escape to Provence:
The true story of two remarkable women. 

Bath Royal Literary & Scientific Institution
16 - 18 Queens Square, Bath, BA21 2 HN
visit the website at www.brlsi.org

Tuesday 23rd February at 7.30 p.m.
Visitors are welcome £4 admission

Click here to see advert

Click poster to see advert


The France Show 2010
Earls Court, London

Maureen will be on the France Bookshop stand with her book!
1pm to 5pm on the 8th, 9th and 10th January 2010.


Escape to Provence:
From Provence to Wartime Sussex – the story of two remarkable women. 

  Wednesday, 21st October 2009 at 7.45 p.m.
West Hoathly History Society, Sharpthorne Village Hall, Sussex


NEUVIEMES ENTRETIENS DE CABRIS

SAMEDI 26 SEPTEMBRE 2009 0915 hrs
MAIRIE DE CABRIS, SALLE  ROUMANILLE

ces étrangers qui ont fait la cÔte

Anglais, Russes, Italiens et bien d’autres aux XIXème et XXème siècles

Escape to Provence:
From Provence to Wartime Sussex – the story of two remarkable women. 

Friday 17 July 2009 at 7.30 p.m.
   Haywards Heath Library, 34 Boltro Road RH16 1BN

 

 

REVIEW

Escape to Provence:
From Provence to Wartime Sussex – the story of two remarkable women. 

Friday 17 July 2009 at 7.30 p.m.
   Haywards Heath Library 34 Boltro Road RH16 1BN

Author Maureen Emerson gave an illustrated talk on her book Escape to Provence, the true story of Winifred Fortescue (author of the best-selling Perfume from Provence) and the American Elizabeth Starr, two remarkable women whose idyllic life on their hillside in Provence was shattered by the outbreak of the Second World War.  Escaping to a woodman’s cottage in Ardingly, Winifred worked tirelessly for the Free French, befriending the dashing spitfire pilot Richard Hillary and Grace Kimmins, the founder of Chailey Heritage. Maureen also provided tips on “successful self publishing”.

60 people, the maximum permitted in this library, enjoyed  Maureen's illustrated talk. Questions were taken at the end of the evening and copies of Escape to Provence, signed by the author, were available for purchase.

Maureen at Haywards Heath Library July 17th 2009

 

 

ORDER A COPY DIRECT FROM THE AUTHOR
£10.99 (plus £2 p&p in U.K.)

Order On Line - U.K. and International

Email your contact details to the author & publisher at 'Chapter and Verse Books'. You will receive an invoice via PayPal which can be completed on line through their secure payment service. If you have not used PayPal before just follow the simple instructions that are sent with the invoice. PayPal has over 100 million worldwide users and accepts all major credit/debit cards. If you are ordering from outside the U.K. please email the publisher first for details of mailing rates.

chapterandversebooks@tiscali.co.uk

 

Order By Post - U.K.

Complete an order form and post it to the author & publisher together with your payment, full details on the form. Click on the link below and then simply print it. The order form is in Adobe pdf format. Most modern computers have Adobe Reader installed but if necessary it can be downloaded free of charge at the link below.

'ESCAPE TO PROVENCE' ORDER FORM

Download Adobe Reader Free


FROM JULY 2009 ORDER DIRECT FROM AMAZON U.K.

amazon.co.uk

Click here to order your copy.


FRANCE

Signed copies are also available from the English Book Centre,
Valbonne, France at €19.50.

The English Book Centre
12 rue Alexis Julien
06560,Valbonne
Tel. 04 93 12 21 42
englishbooks@wanadoo.fr

Pictures - Vicki Riley  P. Riley P & M Emerson


     Cypress tress at the entrance to The Domaine, by E H Shepard    

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