Vignettes from Megève
Posted: June 25, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized 20 CommentsThe dictionary app on my laptop gives me these definitions for a vignette:
vignette | vinˈyet |
Noun
1: a brief evocative description, account, or episode
2: a small illustration or portrait photograph which fades into its background without a definite border.
3: a small ornamental design filling a space in a book or carving, typically based on foliage.
I hope that the vignette pages in my sketchbook (in this case of Megève) are a combination of definitions 1 and 2. Yes, they are small illustrations (in some instances with definite borders) that cover the page, but, seen all together, my aim is for them to create a brief evocative description of a place.
Recently I spent two days with my students in the cobblestone medieval centre of this beautiful town in the French Alps. In winter this is a posh ski resort with an interesting history. But in the middle of June, it’s a sleepy village with lots of interesting details and corners to sketch. We set up in the shade in front of Saint Jean Baptiste Church, facing La Chapelle Sainte Anne and just a stone’s throw from the main square and all the narrow pedestrian lanes.
The chapel made its way into most of our sketchbooks in some form or another, either in full or in vignettes of its wonderful details, both inside and out.
A highlight for me was when one of my students spotted a hummingbird moth on the red Valerian. If you have never seen these before, look them up. Of course they move too fast to draw them, so I found a photo later and added it to my sketchbook, to mark the first time I had seen one of these.
If you look down the narrow streets of Megève you’ll often see a lush green backdrop of alpine meadows and hills. I also loved little details of chimneys, shutters, doorways, window boxes and signs that make this a real Savoyarde village.
As always, when I teach I rarely get to finish the vignette pages but I took lots of photos and hope to add a bit more lettering from signage soon.
What a charming set of drawings. Megeve sounds like a great visit any time of the year.
Thanks Ashley. Yes, I bet Megève is stunning in the winter. There are horse drawn carriages and lots of charming restaurants too. No doubt an amazing place if you are a skier.
These are lovely, Shari. I think of them as little slices of life. Put together, you get a feel for the entire town. And Megeve looks like a pretty wonderful town.
Lois, it was indeed a wonderful town!! Nice restaurants too but I never draw my food.
These sketches are wonderful! I enjoy the different perspectives and always give me hope that my sketches will compare–as long as I keep trying! Thank you for sharing! Kathy O’Leary
Kathy, thank you so much!! And just keep at it!!
what a charming setting
It sure was!
Nice to see & – as always – lovely pages! The see-through of the houses and mountains behind is indeed very characteristic of the town & great subject to paint
Thanks Bunny. There were so many of those views in Megève. I could have filled a page just with these. Do you see yourself on one of the pages??
Gorgeous glimpses – looks like a beautiful place to be 🙂
As always, I love your colour decisions – so true!
Cheers, Ch
You always find the most interesting places to paint ( or do your paintings make everything so interesting 🤔?) These are lovely!
Thanks Denise. My great organizers at French Escapade find the best places. I just tag along!!
It is a priceless boost to morale to receive your news along with your sketches and paintings when the world is coming undone.
Beste, thank you!
excellent vignettes and good to know the definition you shared
I’m glad I looked up that definition too. And thanks for having a look at the vignettes.
;0)
These were wildly successful in being evocative for me, finished or not…They have such a strong “sense of place” that they made me fantasise about dropping everything and go and spend the summer in the French Alps. Thanks for a great post.
Clare, thank you. What a wonderful comment to read.