PhotoMenton - Lucien Clergue

The guest of honour at PhotoMenton this year is the celebrated French photographer, Lucien Clergue. His shots of nude women with zebra stripes on their bodies are famous around the world. Click on the link to read more.

Monsieur Clergue was a favourite photographer of Cocteau and Picasso, with whom he remained friends for 30 years. He is also the creator of the famous Arles photographic festival, Rencontres d'Arles. Here you see him signing some of his books before he gave a conference on Saturday afternoon.

In the smaller photo you see Monsieur Clergue alongside one of the 120 photographers exhibiting at the show, Philippe Battesti.

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Cette année, l'invité d'honneur à l'exposition PhotoMenton est le célèbre photographe français, Lucien Clergue. Ses clichés de femmes nues avec des zébrures sur leurs corps sont célèbres dans le monde entier. Cliquez sur le lien pour en savoir plus.

M. Clergue a été le photographe préféré de Cocteau et Picasso, avec qui il est resté ami pendant trente ans. Il est également le créateur du célèbre festival annuel de la photographie, les Rencontres d'Arles. Ici vous pouvez le voir dédicacer certains de ses livres avant de donner une conférence samedi après-midi.

PhotoMenton - the Young Photographer

PhotoMenton is becoming a bigger and bigger event every year.  This year 120 photographers are exhibiting at the Palais de l'Europe in Menton, including me!  My first time and so rather scary but everyone is so friendly and helpful and I'm learning so much.

Meet Barbara Jallais - she not only takes fascinating photographs but as you see is a work of art herself - she's young and beautiful and lives in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.

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L'exposition PhotoMenton devient un évènement de plus en plus important chaque année. Depuis samedi, nous sommes cent vingt photographes qui exposons nos oeuvres au Palais de l'Europe à Menton.Comme c'est la première fois pour moi, je suis très impressionnée. Heureusement tout le monde est amical et  la recontre des autres exposants enrichit mes connaissances.

Ainsi, Barbara Jallais qui ne prend pas seulement des photographies fascinantes mais comme vous pouvez le voir, est elle-même une oeuvre d'art - elle est belle, jeune et vit à Roquebrune Cap Martin.

'Fate is at your Elbow'

'Live not as though there were a thousand years ahead of you. Fate is at your elbow: make yourself good while life and power are still yours.'   

~ Marcus Aurelius.

'Ne vivez pas comme s'il y avait encore mille ans devant vous.   Le destin est à votre portée. Profitez et alors, la vie et la force sont toujours avec vous.' 

~ Marcus Aurelius

Shadows

If it isn't an ancient sculpture in the Old Cemetery, then it's a shadow or a shape. Everything is beautiful up there.  The building on the right is a corner of the Russian Chapel.

Si ce n'est pas une sculpture antique qui charme dans le vieux cimetière, alors c'est une ombre ou une forme. Tout est beau là-haut. Le bâtiment sur la droite est le coin de la chapelle russe. 

Wings

You can't turn a corner in the beautiful cemetery of the Old Chateau without finding a new delight.

Dans le beau cimetière du Vieux Château, vous ne pouvez pas tourner à une intersection sans y découvrir un nouveau plaisir.

Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea tumbles over a gate half way up the steps we saw yesterday.

Cette bougainvillée descend le long d'un portail en fer forgé situé à mi-chemin de l'escalier que nous avons vu hier. 

The Long Walk

If you are staying at the campsite of St. Michel and choose to walk down to the town, then you've got a long walk up again!


Si vous séjournez au camping St Michel et que vous allez visiter la ville, votre promenade sera longue pour le retour!

November Sun and Shadows

The wind blows most of the clouds away leaving a wonderful light and colour.

Well, that was the other day... today it's cold, overcast and raining...

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Le vent chasse la plupart des nuages en laissant apparaitre les couleurs et une belle lumière.


Hélas, c'était l'autre jour ... aujourd'hui il fait froid, le ciel est couvert et il pleut...

The Man with the Bucket of Fish

The bucket is heavy and the fisherman had to sit down to get his breath. I asked if I could take his photo and he agreed but I think he was too exhausted to smile.

From now on - see below - I'm going to try and publish in French as well as English. My friend and neighbour, Agnès has kindly agreed to correct my French. Every foreigner in France should have a neighbour as wonderful as Agnès.

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Le seau est lourd et le pêcheur a dû s'asseoir et reprendre son souffle. J'ai demandé si je pouvais prendre sa photo et il a accepté mais je pense qu'il était trop épuisé pour sourire.

A partir de maintenant je vais essayer de publier en français et en anglais. Mon amie et voisine, Agnès a aimablement accepté de corriger mon français. Tout étranger en France doit avoir une voisine aussi merveilleuse qu' Agnès.

Pipi Chien

No beautiful Menton today but the back of the railway lines and a sign telling the dogs where they can pee. And seemingly they can read but you'll be glad to know I cropped out the piles of dried up dog poop!

From a Fisherman's Point of View

This guy is fishing near the point of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin with a view across to Menton and beyond to Italy. If you look carefully you can see the Old Town of Menton (see the church spires) just above the corner of the structure in the foreground.

The Thief

This naughty pigeon has found something good to eat in these pots of herbs, on sale outside Menton's market.

Feathers

What's all this about then? Feathers in a drainpipe on Rue Longue.

Are these home-made Christmas decorations (note the gold ribbon)...or is this a pigeon deterrent?

The Joys of Menton

Yesterday was a joyously glorious day. It was windy and the colours were fabulous and look how the breaking waves echo the low clouds.

Is it any surprise that I LOVE Menton so much!

Christmas Decorations

Rue Longue in the Old Town where the Christmas decorations have been hung.

The Coffee Machine

What I want to know is ... where did she brew the coffee in that espresso machine? No hotplates on the rocks at Cap Martin!

Sign for Australians?

Translation: noitaiveD nairtsedeP

A Swan in the Sea

Swans live on rivers and lakes, don't they? I didn't know they swam on the sea.

This one was quietly swimming just off the Sablettes Beach.

You can see it just left of the base of the palm in the lower photo.

The Umbrella Pine

The Umbrella or Stone Pine is such a typically Mediterranean tree. You see a lot of them on Promenade Le Corbusier which is the beach walk between Cap Martin and Monaco. The tree's Latin name is Pinus Pinea and it produces the pine nut which of course is a major element in that wonderful sauce we eat on pasta called Pesto Alla Genovese. I usually buy my pesto sauce at Menton's market or across the border in Latte or Ventimiglia.

The Fisherman

Fishing off Cap Martin yesterday.

Place du Cap

We've had three days of very heavy rain in the south of France. A deluge.

This shot though was taken a couple of weeks ago after a mere shower in comparison. We are in the centre of Place du Cap. Note the young man in an alcove on the left, sheltering from the rain that has just stopped.

Youth

Summer has gone and we've had two days and two nights of heavy rain - so obviously this is an archive photo. I love taking 'people' photos - they fascinate me - but why do so many young people look miserable?

'Youth is wasted on the young' ~ George Bernard Shaw

Homeless at Menton Railway Station

Menton railway station, a homeless person asleep at the entrance and two ladies who didn't notice.

To see how other bloggers in the City Daily Photo community have interpreted today's theme of 'Public Transportation' please click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Des Res - in need of TLC

In need of a little work, don't you think? This old house is in one of the main streets of Castellar, an old village above Menton.

Christophe - the Potato, Onion and Garlic Man!

Christophe is a fixture at Menton's indoor market. You want a specific variety of potato, he'll have it. You want to know the best potato or onion for a specific dish, he knows the answer.

And more than that, Christophe has a cheery word for everyone and never stops smiling. And it doesn't hurt that he's good looking too!

Moving the Beach

This digger is pushing the beach back into the sea. It's exactly where Menton meets Roquebrune-Cap-Martin and is where the river that comes down the Gorbio valley meets the sea.

Behind Bars

'What do you fear my lady?'

'A cage. To stay behind bars until use and old age accept them and all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire.'

~ J.R.R.Tolkien - Lord of the Rings

The Pharmacy Restaurant

Of course it's not a pharmacy restaurant - simply that when the pharmacy closes for the day the restaurant alongside has somewhere to place extra tables for the evening. We're in the pedestrian street near to the Place du Cap.

Too Big for the Church

The cross that is too big to go into the church. Inside are all 250 Penitents and their banners but this brotherhood, from Vallecrosia in Italy, have already been blessed by the Bishop and now view the service from outside. As it was they had difficulty getting the cross through the medieval archway leading up to the village and the mind boggles as to how they transported it from their village in Italy to Gorbio. It was quite a sight though and enjoyed by everyone.

The Cross that is Too Big

We're back in the medieval village of Gorbio today because I want to tell you the story of the cross that may be too big to get into the church.

This is a gathering of 250 Penitents from all around the region. Each order holds a banner except one from Vallecrosia in Italy which has an enormous ornate and heavy cross - but will it go into the church? We'll find out tomorrow.

False Pepper

We're in a pretty corner of Roquebrune village today. This is a faux poivrier or False Pepper tree - Schinus Molle if you speak Latin. It produces pink peppercorns which can be used in cooking.