Roquebrune village at night - the Château

This is the Place des Deux Frères in the medieval village of Roquebrune. We've just had dinner at this restaurant, La Grotte, which is cut deep into the rock itself. Above, you see the brightly lit crenelations of the donjon, built in 970.

Yesterday's photograph of Monaco - published on Monte Carlo Daily Photo - was taken from here.

Theme Day: Lines

An easy Theme Day this month. 'Lines' can be interpreted in so many ways - here you see lines of beads in a curtain at the foot of the Old Town of Menton. The lines of the building, the tiles, the spiky plants - even more lines.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how 164 other City Daily Photo bloggers have interpreted today's Theme and know all will be fascinating. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Summer's End - Attitude!

This photograph shows a clash of cultures. Menton often holds several events at once and in this case, the Plant Fair was held at the same time as a gathering of car enthusiasts - in particular cars sporting custom bodywork. I believe there was also a motorbike event on too.

These three are visiting Menton to display their cars or bikes - taking time out at the Plant Fair to smell the flowers.

Summer's End - Flirtation

A bench near to the sea in Menton. Don't you love the energy, the body language, the rapport of these three people.

Summer's End - the Hand - 2

This old house is diagonal to the Church of Saint Barthelemy in Gorbio. Peer closely at the centre of the door (or enlarge the photo) and you'll see yesterday's brass hand.

Summer's End - the Hand

A door knocker in Gorbio. Brass and woodworm.

Summer's End - Father Christmas

Oh no! Father Christmas already! It's still September, the sun in shining but a shop in the pedestrian street prepares...

Summer's End - Shelter

A few days ago I went up to the village with the intention of photographing the making of a film. The film is to be called Amer (bitter) and is being made by a Belgian film crew - the director lives, I believe, in Menton. As I walked towards the church, the rain started and in the smaller photograph you can see some of the crew running to get out of the rain. One of these guys slipped on the cobblestones but happily wasn't hurt and neither was the equipment he was carrying.

And where do you shelter in Gorbio village? That's easy, as you can see in the main photograph.

Summer's End - the Ivy

Dark creeping Ivy,
...bloom of ruins, tho art dear to me,
When, far from danger's way, they gloomy price
Wreathes picturesque around some ancient tree
That bows his branches by some fountain-side
Then sweet it is from summer suns to be,
Wish thy green darkness overshadowing me.

John Clare (1793-1864), 'To the Ivy'

A corner in Gorbio village.

Summer's End - Le Beausejour

We've seen Le Beausejour restaurant before but this photograph shows you a little of the interior. If you go through these doors to the back, there is an enormous terrace over-looking the valley. It's such a pretty, welcoming restaurant and the food is so good too.

Summer's End - the Priest

A charming gentleman on a visit to Gorbio village. He's sitting here outside a house on the main square. A priest with the Turkish Orthodox Church, he'd just walked down following a visit to the Church of St. Barthelemy.

Summer's End - the Spider

The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship - William Blake

Shutters on an old house in the medieval village of Gorbio. A metal spider with one leg missing.

Summer's End - Rain

Gorbio village yesterday and it's raining. We're looking down over Menton to the sea - not that you'd not know it in the gloom. I went up to the village to photograph a Belgian film crew and as I got there, the heaven's opened. Goodness knows, we desperately need rain. Pity for them tho.

And someone's washing is getting wetter by the minute.

P.S. That was yesterday. Today the sun is shining as per usual. I'd hate for anyone to worry...

Summer's End - the Jasmine

In need of some renovation and a coat of paint, but a building with charm, don't you think. And a jasmine determined to survive.

An old house at the foot of the Old Town of Menton.

Summer's End - the Kite

One of the stalls at the plant fair last weekend sold kites.

This little boy isn't actually flying the kite he's looking at. (see small photo) It's fixed to one of the rocks behind him - probably put there by the kite sellers as the stall was very near.

I think he wishes it was his kite though, don't you?

Summer's End - the Walls that Grow

Just in case you think you've landed in Jules' Rabaul or somewhere equally exotic - not so. This is Menton.

We are at the plant fair and this little cabanon has walls that are alive - it's planted with all sorts of vegetation. You can see the product used in the smaller photograph - also used for yesterday's squirrel.

Take a look at THE WEBSITE for other ways of using this product.

Summer's End - the Squirrel

Last weekend, Menton held the 18th Journées Méditerranéennes du Jardin on the Esplanade Francis Palmero, which is by the sea and at the foot of the Old Town - a beautiful setting. 50 exhibitors - plants, decoration, garden furniture - all fabulous and all asking to be bought. And packed with visitors and dogs and kids.

How about a squirrel that sprouts greenery? Not quite up to Abraham's amazing standard, I know you'll agree, but this one's for you, Abe.

Summer's End - Wind

As you can see it's windy in Menton at the moment - probably the edges of a Mistral from the Bouches-du-Rhône. I snapped this from my car yesterday when I got stuck in traffic driving along the seafront.

The wind is blowing this lady's hair - the sea is dancing.

The night before we had rain - the first since May - unfortunately it came with hailstones - not the best idea when the ground is so parched - still I'm not complaining.

Summer's End - Dusk on Les Sablettes

Time to go home.

Summer's End - la Farandole 2

As served at le Beausejour in Gorbio - voila! - la Farandole. You see a small barbajuan on the lower left of the plate (yes, the plate isn't a true square). Barbajuan is a speciality of this area, especially Menton, Roquebrune and Monaco. Click on the link to read more but basically it's a tart or small pie, filled with leeks, Swiss chard, spinach and ricotta cheese. Then you have beignets of courgette flowers and also of aubergines - sometimes there is a large shrimp or two, deep fried in the lightest batter. Because I don't eat meat, there is none on this plate but the Benauts' plates included slices of proscuitto. There's also salad, fruit and a wonderfully piquant dipping sauce.

All of which went down very well with a good bottle of Bandol rosé.

The Benauts have just left for Sestri Levante on the Ligurian coast of Italy. The dogs and I miss them already.