“When in Rome…” is the oft-used call to immerse yourself in the customs of the locale; however, for Sarah Bell, the better choice would begin “when in France.” And when in Corsica, France, Sarah feels a true connectedness like nothing else. “From the moment the plane landed, the door opened, and the smell of Corsican herbs emerged, I felt like I had never left,” reminisced Sarah after returning to Corsica this past month following a 10-year absence. Corsica, L’lle de Beaute or Isle of Beauty, is a mountainous Mediterranean island with a delightful mix of stylish coastal towns, dense forests and miles-long beaches.
As a photographer, Sarah loves capturing Corsica’s pure and distinct natural beauty. The herbs Sarah smelled upon her arrival were a mix of rosemary, sage, mint and thyme. The scrubland, or Le Maquis, is vast and has rich and concentrated vegetation. Walking in the small village of Corbara, Sarah came upon some arbutus trees with curving trunks and beautiful berries. “As kids, we would pick the arbutus berries from the trees and enjoy eating them raw while playing. They look like small strawberries with soft flesh and many small seeds.”
On a recent walk with her husband and niece, Sarah stumbled upon an old home with a dog looking out at them from a second-story window. “I wanted to capture the essence of the village and showcase the small traditional houses, which are often in pastel hues from ochre to pale pink. The village was empty because it was just after Christmas; the dog in the window saluted us as we walked by. It felt almost like a person looking right at you. Along one of the many alleys leading to the village’s center, I photographed a small olive tree next to the Church of the Annunciation, which is Baroque style. The only person we saw in the village that day was a post officer on his bike.”
When Sarah was young, she lived in the Corsican countryside. “From one window in our home, you could see dramatic mountains, and from the other part of the house, you would see the swaying blue of the sea.” Sarah lived in Corsica until she was 18 and would return each summer after that. It was not until later, after being far away for many years and surrounded by large cities, that she really started to miss it.
“Corsica is charming, mesmerizing, and inspirational for so many reasons – a wish to slow down, to go on a seaside walk in the morning, to eat seasonal and fresh produce, to cook with mom, the colors in the sky, the colors of the mountains, the shape that the wind gives to the trees, the memories. I feel more connected when I am here and more humble. Time seems suspended.”
"I feel more connected when I am here and more humble. Time seems suspended.” - Sarah Bell