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A photographic exhibition designed by Paris Match in collaboration with the Région Sud will be on display at Place Garibaldi until November 1, 2023.
With the exhibition “Le soleil se lève au Sud” (The Sun Rises in the South), Paris Match in partnership with the Région Sud offers a true ode to the South. “The South is an anthem to life in itself. Here, everything moves fast, and that characterizes us. Our impertinence, our authenticity, our vitality, our desire to break the rules are the foundation of our values,” writes Renaud Muselier, president of the region.
The magazine has released more than fifty photographs from its archives. Meticulously chosen, they are exhibited at Place Garibaldi, between the monument dedicated to the Niçois hero and the Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher. Each tells a story, some even narrate the history of France, cinema, or sports. However, they all say something about our territory. And the setting could not have highlighted them better. The iconic yellow facades of the square recall that the South is nothing without its sun.
All these moments of life captured by Paris Match photographers tell the story of the South, its unique heritage, its art of living, its tourists, its stars, its athletes, its history. The exhibition is organized into four sections, each showcasing the territory from a different perspective: land of encounters, land of contrasts, land of play, land of culture.
When Celebrities and Politicians Visit the South
On the side of encounters, it’s an opportunity to come face to face with the Queen Mother of England in April 1965 in Provence, and her grandson King Charles III when he was still Prince of Wales in 2018 in Nice. The presence of another Charles on our territory is highlighted, that of General de Gaulle in September 1963. Beyond politics, the South is mainly a welcoming land for holidaymakers, celebrities, or strangers, the easy living under the azure sun attracts.
Paris Match then displays photos of Yves Montand and Lambert Wilson in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, the Delon and Belmondo families, or even Johnny Hallyday in 1962, at his friend Charles Aznavour’s place in Mougins. The ‘swan dive’ of Lady Diana off Saint-Tropez during what would become her last holidays is told by Jean-Gabriel Barthélémy.
A Land Linked to the 7th Art
The steps of the Cannes Film Festival have drawn cinema stars since 1939. An event that always goes hand in hand with beautiful moments of photography. Thus, the exhibition highlights Sophie Marceau, Sophia Loren, Jean-Pierre Cassel, and even the cast of Cent Mille Dollars au soleil (Hundred Thousand Dollars in the Sun).
Paris Match showcases shots of actors on set, such as the Funès-Galabru duo in the Old Port of Saint-Tropez. As a cinema land, the South is also a land of artists. Precious photographs of Picasso, Jacques Prévert, Gérard Philippe, and Marcel Pagnol are on display.
Land of Contrasts and Legends
The Southern region would shine even without the stars visiting it. The territory can boast of a privileged geographical situation between sea and mountains. The magazine reveals shots of the most beautiful jewels of the region: the splendor of Lake Allos, the Valensole plateau with its lavender, and the striking cliffs of the Marseille Calanques. The selection does not forget the culinary heritage.
Sport knows how to make a region shine and offers unique moments in life to capture by photojournalists. Freediving with world champion Guillaume Néry, swimming with the Manaudou siblings, Formula 1 at the Paul-Ricard circuit, cycling with the Mont-Ventoux challenge, Paris Match has selected a beautiful collection of shots to tell the story of the South and its sports.
This is not the first time Paris Match has exhibited its photographs in the City of Angels. Last summer, Place Garibaldi hosted “Nissa la bella, trésor de la Riviera” (Nice the Beautiful, Treasure of the Riviera). More recently, for the 110th anniversary of the Negresco, the palace commissioned the magazine for an exhibition retracing its history notably through the personalities who have stayed there.
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