GM: Which of the islands inspires you the most?

JLJ: I don't know all of Polynesia, but I have a particular attraction for the Tuamotus, or more particularly for the atolls - preferably the ones that do not have an airstrip and are only accessible by boat. I remember the first time I arrived in Tetiaroa (an atoll of great beauty and which has been magnificently preserved by its former owner) when I moved there, the atolls have kept something magical for me that I cannot explain to myself.

GM: What are the addresses (shops/artisans/artists, etc.) that you love to visit across the Polynesian islands?

JLJ: I love local crafts which for me is one of the great riches of this country. I find that Polynesians have an innate artistic sense. Local craftsmen have an incredible sense of creation and I am fascinated by the great diversity that exists in craftsmanship depending on the archipelagos. I greatly appreciate the Marquesan sculptures on wood, on stone, the engravings on bone...

Their tapa (The tapa is barkcloth, a vegetable fabric obtained by the technique of the bark of certain beaten trees covered with tribal patterns) are splendid, the braiding of the southern islands are also pure wonders. The best way to discover Polynesian crafts is to go to the Pape'ete market, there is a wide variety of choices.

My go-to address in the Pape’ete market is the Fauura Créations shop, whose owner and main designer: Grandma Fauura is a key figure of Polynesian craftsmanship. In the city center, I really like the Ganesha boutique at Vaima, and Manua Exquisite Tahitian Art located on the seafront.

For those passing through Bora Bora, the Bora Bora Original shop is worth a visit and offers unique pieces of craftsmanship.

Finally, when you explore the islands by car, do not hesitate to stop if you see small craft stands, it is also in these places that you discover real gems!

GM: What are the objects that are particularly close to your heart, unearthed during your travels in Polynesia, and why?

JLJ: A tapa from the Marquesas, a peue (braided carpet in Pandanus) from the Australs bought at an exhibition, a tiki in Tau (precious local wood) made by a great Marquesan artist, Mr. Temarii from a long line of sculptors and to finish a tifaifai offered by grandma Virginie, a Polynesian friend who still sews her tifaifai by hand.

GM: Remembering a memorable meal on the islands?

JLJ: A tamara'a organized for the wedding of friends in Tetiaroa. It is a large traditional meal organized for special occasions with traditional specialties such as raw fish, uru, taro, all cooked in an ahi ma'a (a traditional oven which is a hole dug in the ground and in which is laid a wooden mat covered with volcanic stones - these are covered with banana leaves), the food is placed on it wrapped in leaves and everything is covered with earth so that it all cooks slowly... a kind of “pot au feu”! The difficulty is to control the heat, but a truly unforgettable experience.

GM: A song or a smell that reminds you of the islands?

JLJ: The smell of kahaia flowers! Kahaia (guettarda speciosa), is a native tree in French Polynesia found in the Tuamotu atolls. Its flower smells divinely good mainly in the evening and its leaves are used in the traditional pharmacopeia and its wood is used in crafts.

I have several songs and artists that remind me of the islands... the song from the movie Mutiny on the Bounty (the 1962 version), the old songs of the artist Marie Mariterangie from the 60s, or more recently those of Bobby Holcomb.

GM: One thing not to miss?

JLJ: The July celebrations with dance competitions, IT'S MAGIC!

GM: When we visit Ginette Moorea, it can have an effect on us, what do you think of the magic that this place exudes?

JLJ: The tranquility and the beauty of the place make it so magical. We are like in a cocoon in which we feel protected from all the madness in the world...