Menton is not known as the City of Lemons for nothing. Citrus - oranges and lemons - are everywhere. Here you see one of the most common varieties of lemon: the Four Seasons, named for good reason as you get blossom and fruit all year round. You can see this even more clearly in the smaller photo - click to enlarge.
These shots were taken outside a small house way up in the Old Town - and just below the cemetery.
You never know what you'll find wandering around the beautiful cemetery above the Old Town.
I wonder how the inhabitants of this grave would feel if they knew a seagull had taken up residence to sit on her eggs?
She kept a very beady eye on me so I didn't stay long.
After the event, this car was featured in Nice-Matin and referred to as a Topolino. After much Googling, the Topolinos I found didn't look like this car. Indeed, Richard from Zurich Daily Photo had featured a Topolino - very different as you see.
Richard suggested I write to Fabrizio from Torino Daily Photo who knows all things to do with cars and Fabrizio assures me that this car is definitely not a Topolino and Nice-Matin had got it wrong! Well, we all know that you can't believe all you read in newspapers.
The Topolinos (Micky Mouse - or more correctly Little Mouse) refer to the
- Fiat 500 A produced from 1936 to 1948.
- Fiat 500 B produced from 1948 to 1949. Type A and B
- Fiat 500 C produced from 1049 to 1955 (Fabrizio's father had a blue one). Type C.
The car you see in this photograph is simply a Fiat 500, a special series model that was first made on the 4th July 1957. In fact, the very newest Fiat 500 was introduced last year on the 4th July.
Thanks very much, Fabrizio for all this information. Big kiss to you!
Remember Célia, the beautiful young girl doing her make-up in the motorbike mirror? And featured a day later in the 1925 Renault Torpedo?
In the small photo, left, you see a sweet young girl but in the main photo we see a sensuality that reminded me of Jeanne Moreau - somehow it demands to be seen in black and white. Amazing to me how photography can change the way we see. And what we see changes a photograph!
There's always great interest at the concours. Little boys, big boys, mothers - everyone wants to look inside and admire.
Another tiny car - this is a 1949 Simca Six Decouvrable.
Simca was founded in France in 1934. Originally associated with Fiat but later independent. In 1970 it became defunct and was taken over by the Chrysler group.
The Spanish parody group, Los Inhumanos, had a popular song called Qué dificil es hacer el amor en Simca 1000! (How difficult it is to make love in a Simca 1000!) One presumes it would be even more difficult in a Simca Six!
Everyone proudly poses in front of their cars. Here you see grandfather, daughter and grandchild in front of their MG - obviously a newer model than the one we saw the other day, but still a minimum of 25 years old - as are all the cars are at this concours.
Not only a British car but a car with British number plates. An MG. I don't know the year but I'm sure someone will tell me.
My first car was an MG. A TA, I think, it was. Anyway it was registered in 1939 - cost me £80. I drove it around Chelsea with bare feet, a mess of hair on my head. We were called hippies in those days! I drove the car till it would go no further and couldn't afford to get it fixed. Should have kept it - be worth a fortune now.
Here you see the car that yesterday's young lady was getting ready to accompany. It's a 1925 Renault NN, Torpedo. The owners bought the car in 1982 and since then they've changed the tyres, the car has been repainted and a small amount of work has been done to the engine. Meanwhile, they buy parts for the car directly from Renault or from enthusiasts.
In the last photo, you see the car ready for judgement. The judges are sitting off to the left, out of shot.
A motorbike mirror. A pretty girl puts the finishing touches to her macquillage. She knows I'm photographing her and can't stop giggling.
What car is she about to adorn? Note the style of headdress, the fur, the glove.
Do come back tomorrow to find out.
As you can see, this gathering of ancient cars is very popular in Menton. I've not heard of a display of cars and flowers before. Have you? These three Hotchkiss cars show different choices in flower arrangements.
Hotchkiss cars were made between 1903 and 1955 by the French company Hotchkiss & Cie in Saint-Denis, Paris - a company started by an American engineer, Benjamin B.Hotchkiss from Connecticut. The badge for the marque showed a pair of crossed cannons, evoking the company's earlier history as an arms manufacturer during the Franco-Prussian war.
