CARTE
POSTALE
CHENEL
After almost a decade in Paris, Lucillia Chenel returned to Nice, drawn back by its light, landscape and gentler rhythm. In conversation with Éteanne, she reflects on home, a childhood surrounded by art and antiques, and the value of living more simply.
Diary
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LUCILLIA CHENEL
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LUCILLIA CHENEL
Postcard from Lucillia Chenel
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After almost nine years in Paris, what eventually drew you back to Nice?
L.C.
I realised how much I missed the light, the sea, and the Mediterranean way of life. Coming back eventually felt inevitable.
Nice has a much gentler rhythm than a capital city. There’s less competition and less pressure, and you feel less concerned with other people’s expectations. It creates the mental space to slow down, observe, and create more intuitively.
Has returning also changed the way you approach your creative work?
L.C.
I work across art direction, visual identities and events. Travel has always been a major source of inspiration, but living in the South of France now inspires me every day.
There’s something about having nature so close that gives you space to think differently. It feels like a very natural environment for sensitive and creative people.
You grew up in a family of antique dealers. Do you think your visual instinct began at home?
L.C.
Definitely. I was surrounded by beautiful objects from a very young age.
After almost a decade in Paris, Lucillia returned to her native Nice, exchanging the pace of the capital for a life shaped by sea, mountains and Mediterranean light. Today, the South of France is both home and an everyday source of inspiration.
Diary
POSTCARD FROM LUCILLIA CHENEL
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Morning light along the Mediterranean coast in Nice.
The Anne Beach Towel in tuscan sun, photographed inside Lucillia’s home on the Italian Riviera.
LUCILLIA CHENEL
Postcard from Lucillia Chenel
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L.C.
We spent countless weekends visiting museums, and my father was always bringing home unique pieces that my mother would carefully style throughout the house. Our interiors were constantly evolving, and I think being surrounded by that naturally shaped my aesthetic.
There’s still a strong dialogue between past and present in the things you’re drawn to. What interests you about combining the two?
L.C.
It reflects my personality in many ways. I’m deeply nostalgic, yet always curious about what’s next.
Vintage pieces have a timeless character and soul that contemporary objects often can’t replicate. I love interiors that tell stories and have the power to transport you to another era while still feeling modern.
Living somewhere with a slower rhythm sounds increasingly rare. What does slowing down actually mean to you?
L.C.
To me, slowing down simply means living.It’s not always easy, but making space for quiet moments is essential. I’m naturally quite good at slowing down, and I’ve always had a slightly lazy side, but I don’t necessarily see that as a flaw.
Sea in one direction, mountains in another, and Italy just along the coast: living in Nice has given Lucillia a different relationship with time and distance. The Mediterranean remains a constant, shaping both the landscape and the rhythm of everyday life.
Diary
POSTCARD FROM LUCILLIA CHENEL
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LUCILLIA CHENEL
For Lucillia, slowing down is less a retreat from everyday life than a way of paying closer attention to it. In Nice, that means allowing time for the sea, food, objects, nature and the small rituals that sit somewhere between doing and simply being.
Diary
POSTCARD FROM LUCILLIA CHENEL
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Blue hour from Lucillia's summer at Côte d’Azur, where the days unfold at their own pace.
