A Surf Gal Stab Adores: Anaïs Pierquet

There’s little in this world as beautiful to behold, as downright elegant to witness, as a stylish lady navigating a longboard with grace.

When young Frenchwoman Anaïs Pierquet first came across Stab‘s radar, we stopped in our tracks to take in her generous smattering of gorgeous tats and her penchant for toeing the tip of her Thomas Bexton-shaped single-fin logs, in and around her new home of Bali.

We caught up with Ana enjoying an afternoon in Bali, between fresh coconuts and sessions at the area’s log-friendly sand points, to get to know a little more about the sun-kissed sweetheart living far from the Swiss Alps from which she came.

“I try to paint and write as much as I can,” Ana tells Stab. I really like to write poems, just thoughts about life. I’m a deeply Melancholic dreamer.

But those are ways to express myself, to let go of all things—happy and sad.”

Photography

Simon Fitz.

Stab: From where did you arrive, love?

Anaïs: I’m from France, originally. Next to Switzerland, there are some tiny French villages surrounded by the Alps. I grew up there, in the cold winters snowboarding every weekend with my parents.

But weirdly, I think my soul belongs to the ocean. I don’t know what went wrong there—probably, in my past life, I was Hawaiian, or who knows…

How did you start your day in Bali today?

Breaky? Pain au chocolat, with a fresh coconut, and a cappuccino!

Yes, I live in Bali, but I still eat from a good old French bakery. I miss French food a lot, here in Bali. I haven’t been back to France for so long now!

I’m in need of some good bread and tasty cheese.

“I think we don’t do enough for ourselves in our everyday routine, that’s a shame for sure,” Ana tells Stab. “Our soul needs to find that space to let go. All artists are simply emotional people that found a space to express themselves.”

Photography

Simon Fitz

You’ve got a vagabond vibe going that leads us to believe you ain’t easy to tie down. Describe the ideal travel companion.

The perfect man is probably really cute, tiny, with long, soft and fluffy hair, with nice little whiskers.

His hair would be super smooth, with a mix of brownish and blondish colors. He’d always be asking for love — and this man would be a cat!

“Recently, one guy messaged me, like, ‘Hey, I’m 44. I don’t have any drug addiction. So, if you are interested check my profile, and we can meet up,'” Ana tells Stab. “Not sure what people are thinking, they are probably just sinking…”

Photography

Simon Fitz

When you aren’t surfing, what mischief consumes your free Island Time?

Well, I have so many things I like to do, that there is not enough time in a day to do everything I love, so many passions I would love to get better at.

I try to paint and write as much as I can. I really like to write poems, just thoughts about life. I’m a deeply Melancholic dreamer.

But those are ways to express myself, to let go of all things—happy and sad—going through my soul. We all have our own ways to communicate feelings. Some write, some do photography, another goes hiking and another one meditates.

I think we don’t do enough for ourselves in our everyday routine. And that’s a shame, for sure. Our soul needs to find that space to let go. All artists are simply emotional people that found a space to express themselves.

But exploring the wild island here in Bali, taking photos of plants and animals and whatnot, is definitely something I would like to do more.

“We should never forget that we are made of love!” Ana tells Stab. “We’re taught these days that relationships are so easy to create, that it makes them seem almost disposable.”

Photography

Simon Fitz

Three best things you’ve seen recently?

Lately, I’ve been discovering so many amazing photographers and artists, mainly on Instagram. I am always so impressed on how people can create such amazing photos and still be so humble about it.

My crush for sure is the photographer Amy Pearl (@amypearlphoto). The girl is killing it—smooth pastel colors, with a sharp artistic and poetic eye. She creates some magic. I can’t wait to meet her to shoot in Byron Bay in February !

A few days ago I also watched a new short movie from Yannis Mouhon, called “Together.”

It’s a poetic and beautifully filmed love story, about a couple adventuring along the French coast. It is very emotional and beautiful to see that there are still amazing souls believing in strong love.

We should never forget that we are made of love! We’re taught these days that relationships are so easy to create, that it makes them seem almost disposable. But when you experience true, strong love, and if you are able to stay strong together through the storms, then you realise how beautiful it can become. I think that is what Yannis Mouhon tried with the film, and it’s really well done!

But the most stunning and interesting thing I have seen lately, is a documentary about how being grounded to the earth, and connected to it, is the most important thing in our lives.

Worst part is, 90% of the humans on this planet has forgotten that! The filmmaker, Clint Over, first started to study about it while he was living with Native American, in teepees, and one day he was going to enter a teepee and a Mother said, “take your shoes off, they make you sick.” From then on he took the time to walk barefoot. He even found that the connection to energy of nature is able to reduce illness and inflammation in the body! How obvious: people spend hours wearing shoes and never take time to go outside and feel the earth under their feet.

“Romance is completely chaotic, yet beautiful, deep, passionate, enlightened—its endless, even though it never last forever.

And that’s maybe the most beautiful part of it, that it’s always the the beginning of an end.”

Photography

Simon Fitz

Ever been on a blind date? Dating apps?

I have never been on a blind date. Am I missing out on something? To be honest, I’m not sure about the concept! I think blind dates or Tinder or all those new apps, they create a bug in the system!

Humans are supposed to meet up in a natural way, at the beach, on a wave, around a coffee, on the moon. Not behind a phone’s screen.

You know, like in real life. where you can feel the energy of one another straight away.

We already spend way too much time on our phones, missing out on the present in front of us. I think we should just be brave, even if it’s scary, and get out there and say: Hi.

Smile to each other! For me, there is no better way of meeting someone and creating stories that last. We are alive together to create poetry, not nonsense one night stands!

What makes that hopeless romantic heart of yours flutter?

Probably hands, first. Though strong eyes and long hair definitely make me melt!

Since the French are the authority on the subject, is surfing the world’s sexiest sport?

Well, sexy is not really the first thing I would think about when I think about surfing, but when I started surfing a couple years ago, it seemed one of the most stylish.

It actually becomes sexy when someone knows how to cruise a wave with tons of style, drawing high lines, or doing turns like I’ve never seen. Having style is an art. It’s poetic. It’s like dancing.

If the boy has long hair and can dance, then I might use the word sexy.

As sweet as fresh coconut.

Photography

Simon Fitz

If someone wanted to buy you a ticket and whisk you away for an adventure, where would you go?

Hawaii!

What are you trying to better in 2018, Miss?

Give love, more love, and only love. Create hundreds of moments of happiness. Let’s see what this year has to give, but I hope it includes a lot of slides and joy!

I told myself that, no matter what, I was going to try and do the Mexi Log Fest. And it is already happening! I’ll go there in April!

I’m just stoked and grateful for everything, and this next year’s going to be an amazing adventure.

“Humans are supposed to meet up in a natural way, at the beach, on a wave, around a coffee, on the moon. Not behind a phone’s screen.”

Photography

Simon Fitz