Eric Idle in Provence: From Monty Python to Cotignac
In 1971, just at the moment that the Monty Python phenomenon turned his life upside down, Eric Idle sought a refuge far from the madness of showbusiness. He found his peace in Cotignac, where he bought a house. More than fifty years later, this love affair with Provence has become a book: Idle in Provence. It is here, in his adopted village, that Eric Idle chose to celebrate the book’s release on 4th and 5th September 2026. Lou Calen and Les Toiles du Sud festival are dedicating two days to him, wirh screenings, meet-and-greets, book signings, drinks, and dinner.
Cotignac, 1971
When Eric Idle discovered Cotignac in the early 1970s, his life had just changed radically. Two years earlier, Monty Python’s Flying Circus had burst onto British television screens, catapulting the Monty Python troupe into the briliant limelight.
A comedian, actor, writer, and musician, Eric Idle went on to appear in the troupe’s cult-classic films, including Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Life of Brian, and The Meaning of Life. He is also the creator of the musical Spamalot.
Seeking a simpler, quieter life, Eric Idle set his sights on a house in Cotignac that, in reality, bore little resemblance to an ideal retreat. No bedroom, no kitchen, no bathroom, no windows, no electricity, no running water… In short, it had nothing to offer.
“It wasn’t so much a house to fix up as a house to run away to as fast as possible… We bought it immediately!”
It was the starting point of an adventure that would span more than half a century.
Idle in Provence: 50 Years of Stories
Building a house, learning French – however imperfectly – forging friendships, navigating both disasters and moments of joy… In Idle in Provence, Eric Idle looks back with humour and affection on fifty years spent building his beautiful home and his sparkling life in Provence.
Yet, beyond the house itself, the book reveals a deep bond with the village of Cotignac and the Var region. Over the years, Eric Idle has transformed this place just as much as it has transformed him.
Part memoir, part travelogue, and part chronicle of Provençal life, the book also features previously untold stories and a unique series of personal photographs.
Eric Idle in Cotignac: 4th and 5th September 2026
Eric Idle has chosen the very place where this story began to celebrate the book’s release. Lou Calen and Les Toiles du Sud film festival are teaming up for a special weekend event in Cotignac, also attended by Monty Python producer John Goldstone.
The festivities kick off on Friday, 4th September, at the Théâtre du Rocher. At 8:30 PM, the Lou Calen x Mirabeau refreshment bar opens the evening, followed by an open-air screening of The Meaning of Life at 9:00 PM, attended by Eric Idle and producer John Goldstone. A book-signing session for Idle in Provence will follow the film.
On Saturday, 5th September, Eric Idle will meet the public from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the Lou Calen bookstore for an open-access signing session.
The evening continues on the Lou Calen hotel estate with drinks at La Verrière at 6:00 PM, followed by dinner at Le Bistrot at 7:00 PM. At 9:30 PM, the action moves to La Grange for a final film screening: Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl.
This is two days to rediscover Monty Python-style humour on the big screen, explore Idle in Provence, and meet the man who – more than fifty years after settling in Cotignac – continues to tell his story here.
