Chef

Where's this chef going or where has he been? I don't know the answer except he's got something green, and doubtless edible, in his right hand but what's in his left hand? There are restaurants galore in this area so he could be walking towards one or away. He's entering part of the old town. The sea is behind him.

Time for a chat

Time for a chat? How many of us live in cities and don't even know our neighbours?

An Italian view of Menton

This is a long shot of Menton taken from about a kilometre inside Italy and on the way to Latte and Ventimiglia. I popped across to Latte where I like to shop. In the centre of the photo you can see the Old Town of Menton and beyond that Cap Martin, jutting out to sea - Roquebrune rises above it. Monaco is just before the second 'cap' you see - Cap d'Ail.

Today is my 200th post - both on Menton DP and on Monte Carlo DP. Thanks so much to everyone who has helped me, given me encouragement and left comments.

A Beach at Dusk

This beach is just in front of the market building. The area in the background was reclaimed from the sea, trees added - et voila! The sand on the beach is imported - most beaches around here have pebbles. If you look carefully to the right of the three trees, you'll see the statue of Ulysse, which you can find in close-up HERE.

Restaurant Beau Sejour

There are only two restaurants in Gorbio. There's the Bar les Terrasses which is quite casual and serves Corsican food and opposite, on the other side of the square, is the Beau Sejour. More upmarket and a beautiful restaurant. When you go inside you sit in a glassed-in terrace which is opened up in summer. It looks down the valley with wonderful views. Good food too. Don't you love the pot of basil and the pumpkins or courgettes - not sure what? - in the bucket?

Russian orthodox chapel

One of the delights of a Daily Photo blog is when you hear from people who have enjoyed the photographs, are taken with your town, and then they come and stay. That is what happened with James Arzente, the American artist. He had a trip planned to take photographs of Eze for his work, but chose to stay at Menton and it is who who took this photograph and is therefore Menton DP's second Guest Photographer. James is a well-known American artist who uses photography in his beautiful creations. To read more and see some of his amazing art, please click on the link above.

As you walk around the old cemetery of Menton, you'll find, alongside the tombs of the old Mentonnais families, many of those with British and Russian names on them. The Russian orthodox chapel in this photograph contains the remains of Prince Troubetzkoy (1822-1892). It was built in memory of Alexandrine de Tapliakoff, who died in Menton in 1884. No less than 6 princes of the Russian royal house are buried in Menton.

The Golden Apple

The Blessing of the Animals is over and the villagers, and of course the priests, are making their way through the archway and up into the medieval village for the sung mass in the Church of St. Barthélemy. During the ceremony, members of the comité des fêtes, accompanied by three musicians, made the traditional offering of la pomme d'or (the golden apple). This tradition started in medieval times when the nobles made an offering to the clergy and it's been continued ever since. After the mass, a procession, in which a statue of St. Barthélemy is carried aloft, goes from street to tiny street, throughout the village.

A basket of water?

This beautiful Friesian was one of the horses attending yesterday's Blessing of the Animals in the village of Gorbio. He's a horse trained in dressage but had great difficulty yesterday walking on the cobbles - slipping all the time. He (and a friend below) are taking a drink out of fountain, constructed in 1902 for the use of mules and donkeys. It's made in the form of a packsaddle, with the water containers - one on each side - reminding one of large paniers (baskets). You can see the entire fountain HERE.

The photo below shows the entrance to the Medieval village.

La Bénédiction des Animaux

Today is the Fête patronale de la St. Barthélémy in Gorbio. It will be a long day of festivities which started this morning with the blessing of the animals, followed by an important Mass in the Church. The blessing took place in the Place de la République in the village in front of the elm tree planted in the 1700s. There were three or four beautiful horses present and many dogs. Chatting to a lady from the village (she was there with her labrador, Jules, and her Golden retriever, Jim) she told me that in the old days the blessing used to be given outside the church and people would bring their donkeys and other farm animals. You will find photos of some of the dogs in attendance today, including reading the story of Bébé, the grey dog in the foreground, on my Riviera Dogs blog.

Ulysse

This sculpture of Ulysse is by Anna Chromy, the Czech artist, known for her 'sculptures in movement.' It stands on a promontory near to the Bastion.

Looking down on the living - 2

Let's get out of the heat of Menton today and up to Gorbio village. We are in the cemetery - the village of Gorbio is below us and to our left (the dead always look down on the living!) - way, way below is the autoroute and beyond, the sea - although you really can't see the Mediterranean today because of the haze. THIS LINK is also looking down on the autoroute but from a different angle.

Night market

During the months of July and August there is a night market located between the old market building at the base of the Old Town and the sea. More stalls can be found in front of the market building itself. Lights are hung between the palm trees and here you'll find jewellry, paintings, pottery, belts and bags, gifts to take home and much more. The stall holders begin to set up around 8 p.m. and stay open till late. All part of summer time in Menton.

McDonald's in Menton

Yes, we have a McDonald's in Menton - right next to the beautiful Moorish market building which you can see in this photograph, taken at dusk. I suppose this McDonald's is not as 'obvious' as some, with its small logo and installed in a rather nice building.

Can there be a city in the world without a McDonald's? Do you have one in your city?

Dinner time

Early evening and this street vendor is getting ready to eat his meal. He's set up by the beach, opposite the Old Town, where he hopes to sell his sunglasses, bags, hats, ornaments from north Africa. The strip of land you see in the distance is Cap Martin.

Love before food!

This scene made me laugh out loud! The two guys are waiters at a bar/restaurant located at the foot of the Old Town and each are carrying two plates of food. The restaurant is out of shot and to the left as you look at this photo. The tables are down steps to the right. The archway leading into the Old Town is up the slope. See HERE to get an idea of where we are.

Alors! They meet a girl they know and of course this involves much kissing, regardless of the food and whether it gets cold. This is one of the many, many reasons I just love France!

A gift for Aunt Mary?

Visiting Menton and want to take a gift home with you? No problem. In the pedestrian street you'll find soaps, candles in the form of fruit, Herbes de Provence, lavender - in bunches or wrapped in fabric sachets ready to hang in your wardrobe, tablescloths in a provençal pattern, olive oil containers, weird looking dolls made to cover a toilet roll (!) and much much more.

Boats at dusk

August.
Dusk.
Boats in the harbour below the Old Town.
Italy in the distance.
Wish you were here...

The Cool-down

This ice-cream parlour is in the middle of the walking street of Menton. Good ice-cream too! What's your favourite parfum (flavour)?

Pétanque or Boules? - 3

It's 8.30 in the evening and today we are in the Boules Club of Menton, which is directly opposite the market building (behind me) - the sea is beyond the palm trees. We are watching a lesson in throwing the boule. Are these two father and son? What do you think?

Pétanque or Boules? - 2

As promised, here's a photo of a man just after throwing the boule. It looks like some strange dance, doesn't it?

In the photo below, you see players discussing which boule is nearest to the small boule - look closely and you'll see a tiny orange ball, which, by the way, is called the 'pig.' The idea of the game is to get as close to the pig as possible. It sounds simple but there's great skill to it and a lot of money can be made in top level competition.

Many thanks to Fabrizio from Torino DP who kindly wrote this explanation as to the difference between pétanque and boules, in yesterday's comments:

"It was only in 1907 that pétanque as we know it was born. Its name comes from the provençal "pèd tanco", which means "feet together'. It is played on a shorter terrain and players throw their boule from a rough circle scratched in the dirt, taking no run-up at all." Fabrizio gave the following link too - click HERE. I had also found a good website on the subject, so anyone wanting even more information, try this link - HERE.

Do come back tomorrow and you'll see a photograph of a father teaching his son how to throw.