Léa Bouzit's love for Cavalaire

Originally from Haute-Savoie, Léa Bouzit was born in 1995 in Thonon-les-Bains. She moved to Paris and embraced the profession of editor in a famous publishing house, "Glénat Mangas". But she terribly missed the Mediterranean landscapes of her childhood.

She temporarily settled from January to June 2023 in the hills of Cavalaire-sur-Mer. She is returning there this month. She answers questions from La Gazette du Var.

Have reading and writing always been part of your life? LÉA BOUZIT. Indeed, since my childhood, I have read a great deal.

I grew up with the "Harry Potter" literary series. I remember the release of volume 5, I must have been 8 or 9 years old. The ending is terrible.

At the time, I had run into my brother's bedroom to tell him that I absolutely needed volume 6... With the release planned two years later... I did not know how I was going to be able to wait.

My brother's response was that if I wanted the sequel, I had to write it.

Based on your summers spent in Cavalaire? LB. My brother had challenged me. So during my summer holidays in Cavalaire, I dedicated myself to writing my own "Harry Potter 6". My brother encouraged me tremendously and since then I have never stopped writing.

Did this love for Cavalaire start very early? LB. My cousins' grandparents built a house in Cavalaire in the 70s.

The Parc hill was very sparsely populated back then. So I spent all my summers, since childhood, in that house. Every stage of the journey to the South was magical.

It was the time of the year I looked forward to the most. I loved the 7-hour car ride, sometimes without air conditioning. I loved seeing the landscape change and watching, little by little, the vegetation and buildings of the South appear...

For you, is it a preserved natural environment? LB. Cavalaire is nestled in an exceptional natural environment.

The Conservatoire du Littoral has saved many places, the Maures hill, Cap Lardier. What I love is swimming in the sea, being able to turn around to admire the bay of Cavalaire with the Maures massif opposite. Every time, I get this feeling of being cut off from the world, of being in a cocoon.

Did you miss Cavalaire? LB. When I was a child, I felt at home in Cavalaire.

Sadness would wash over me at the end of the summer holidays when I had to go back to Haute-Savoie. Since social media did not exist, Cavalaire remained very mysterious to me, I had no idea what the town did when I wasn't there.

What was Cavalaire like in winter? What happened there? So, I would imagine Cavalaire, I could smell the stone pines, feel the warm sand. I would immerse myself in this magical place whenever I needed comfort.

And this longing for the South? LB. In Paris, the profession of editor made me happy, but as the years went by, the more I realized that I had never wanted to live in Paris, I had never wanted that life. I felt like I was missing out on my life.

At one point, I made the decision to settle in Cavalaire to try to make a living from my writing.

Discovering the history of Cavalaire! LB. I arrived in Cavalaire in January 2023.

I thought I knew this place, but I discovered other fascinating facets of the town. I was renting the ground floor of a villa located in the hills, the view was magnificent. The atmosphere of Cavalaire in winter is truly special, unlike in summer.

I discovered the movie screenings in the small cinema at the port. I was fascinated by all the hikes to do and especially the historical side of Cavalaire, which I tried to integrate into my novel: the tunnel du petit train des Pignes, the famous Domaine Foncin with this palm tree pierced by German submachine gun fire.

Not knowing this historical side of Cavalaire, I was prompted to find out about its history, the landings, the role of the Var in World War II, and also the cultural side.

Did a trip to Saint-Tropez inspire you? LB. I used to go to Saint-Tropez on Sundays.

During a visit to the cinema museum, I was filled with admiration for this huge photograph of Brigitte Bardot walking down the steps, looking at us as if she were coming to meet us. Facing this woman who appeared so free, I felt the complete opposite.

I had been able to realize my dream of settling in Cavalaire and starting my web writing business, writing articles. But I was in a period of intense doubt, I had lost confidence in myself.

I felt lost, I had no one to tell me, "Welcome to Cavalaire, we were waiting for you".

These visits inspired the writing of "près la noyade?" LB.

Indeed, the trigger happened when I learned about the life of this woman, Brigitte Bardot. I then started reading her biographies and watching her films. It is thanks to her that I entered this world of cinema.

Later, I discovered Romy Schneider. The character in my novel is called Romy because this actress truly fascinated me.

Cavalaire in winter brought me so much, gave me back my self-confidence. I was able to rediscover this life impulse, which allowed me to move to Tokyo in October 2023 for a year. So it was in Tokyo that I wrote this story, because I missed Cavalaire and wanted to immerse myself in it again.

Why this departure for Japan? LB. Japan has been a great passion for a long time. Even though I was writing articles about Saint-Tropez, about Cavalaire, I was also writing articles about Japan; it is a very deep-rooted passion. I was able to obtain a one-year visa to move there. So I can write my articles directly from there.

I then gained confidence. I am currently writing my second novel, which takes place in Japan.

Tell us a bit about the book? LB. All the characters are invented; it's a fiction mixed with a very precise historical and cultural context.

I wanted to write a mirrored story, where on one hand there is the descent into hell of this actor in Saint-Tropez of the 50s and 60s, and on the other hand, his daughter in the present who is trying to find a path to healing. My reading and viewing about Brigitte Bardot nourished my writing. Every time I write a novel, I need my main character to start from the absolute bottom to then learn to know themselves, heal, and achieve their desires.

At the beginning, my characters have many secrets. It is the time I spend with them that reveals them to me. I built this family in which trauma is passed down from generation to generation.

Romy, my character, will break this cycle of misfortune.

When are you returning to Cavalaire? LB. I am moving back there in October. I have decided to integrate more and create genuine social connections.