Taken in Roquebrune village yesterday. Note the oranges on the trees in the foreground. It's 'that' time of year again in Menton - La Fête du Citron. Menton is choc-a-bloc with visitors for the festival, so it was a good moment to stroll through the peace of this medieval hill village.
Even the olive oil in the shop is cold - see how it's thickened at the base. Of course this will disappear when the weather gets warmer.
This is one of the stalls in Menton's beautiful covered market. It's owned by a young Italian and he always has a long queue of customers wanting to buy his charcuterie and cheeses. He's normally cheaper than others and his food is really good and fresh. I sometimes buy his Gorgonzola and also his Buffala Mozzarella. Never buy cow milk mozzarella - compared to buffalo milk mozzarella, it's like rubber and tastes about as good.
I was intrigued to see a young lady hand over a baguette and ask him to fill it with ham and cheese. He duly weighed the filling, after much discussion on which ham and which type of cheese. He then made the sandwich, cut it in two, wrapped it in paper, put it in a bag and handed it over. (see small photo) I didn't know you could do that. Great idea, don't you think? After all, he doesn't run a sandwich counter, as such. Of course, we all waited patiently. You do when you want good food.
This is one of the first courses served at Le Balico, my favourite restaurant in Menton. It's called Flan de Poissons which is confusing for an English speaking person as we think of 'flan' as a sort of pastry tart. Here it means a mousse or cream. The dictionary translates flan - amongst other things - as a mould, and perhaps that's the point - this fish mousse is made in a round mould. None of which matters in the slightest, because I can tell you it's delicious and even better with a glass of white wine.
Note: Since posting this, sadly Le Balico has been sold and is now under new management.
Same windy day but now we are in Rue St. Michel - the pedestrian street of Menton. Catherine, a regular visitor to Menton, commented a couple of days ago - 'Go quickly and take refuge in Rue St. Michel!' - well, here we are, Catherine - the sun is blasting down and very little wind here.
This little bar is just before the walk up towards the entrance of the Old Town. Perhaps that's the proprietor shading his eyes. The man sitting is smoking a cigarette as you see from the puff of smoke.
Taken a moment or two before yesterday's photo, these mothers and their children are determined to get to the water's edge, despite the wind.
The rain has gone, the sun is back and at the moment, it's windy - just the edges of the Mistral that comes down the Rhone valley but still it's blowing like crazy. I'm surprised this photo worked as I was being blown sideways and no way was the camera still - just shows how important a camera's 'image stabilizer' can be.
The olive farm is on the right of the track - we saw it yesterday and you see a shady photo of the track in the pic on the left.
The olive harvest is in and it's been fabulous this year, but of course there are always a few more olives to collect. In the last photo you see the olive lady pulling up the orange netting so the fallen olives arrive in one area. Then she bends over to pile them into her bucket.
This lady is not a spring chicken and this is hard work.
The houses and greenhouses you see in the background of the last photo are below the village. You either live in the village of Gorbio or the commune of Gorbio, which is below.
Two more bends and we are in the village. Had we come on the main road we'd have covered 2.5 to 3 kilometres - it's a very windy road. The donkey track is much more direct, we've walked almost straight up the hillside, a few twists and turns but not many - the problem being we've climbed and climbed and that's tiring. I don't know the exact length of this walk, maybe 1.5 kilometres, maybe less - it just feels like more.
At the top of the part of the track in the main photo is a cross - presumably to commemorate someone who died. Often you see wild flowers fixed to this cross in summer. And in the smaller photograph, we see the village ahead and on the right the orange nets that collect the olives. This is one of the two olive farms in the village - it's also a camp site.
Tomorrow, although the walk is over, there will be someone for you to meet before we enter the village - and she is not a stone's throw from where we are now.
We plod on. The track has narrowed, many fallen rocks, so single file here, as you see in the smaller photo. And we follow the orange arrow - ever upwards, upwards.
Tomorrow, we are nearly there...really.
Bent double and walking slowly, this old man enters the medieval village of Gorbio, a sack on his back. Scenes like this make our world of computers and iPhones seem remote yet Gorbio is only
a few kilometres from Monaco, where we can find as much consumerism as we want. One of the joys of living here is being able to experience both - the simple life and the more glamorous one.
Look at the path that's been here for centuries - walked on by countless donkeys - the lifeline to the village. Don't you love the patina, the weathered shapes, the rounded edges, the moss, the feeling of great age. The walls are falling, rocks have tumbled, but these will eventually be restored by the Mairie.
We're about half way and the photo on the left gives an idea. Look back and see how far we've come (actually we've come much further than you see). Now look up - the track gets steeper.
This series continues on Sunday - so we have time for a rest - tomorrow we'll have a small celebration - do come back...
We continue our walk - a glance to our right and we see this small ruin - perhaps once a shepherd's dwelling.
In the smaller photo you can see we are looking down on the main road that runs from Menton to Gorbio - the tumbledown building on the other side.
It always astounds me that we are in the depths of the countryside here yet only 11 or so kilometres from the buzz of Monte Carlo.
We're on our way. The donkey track rises steadily - later it gets steeper. Notice the red and white tape, warning us that part of the track has fallen down the hillside. Don't go too near the edge! The Mairie intends restoring this ancient track which is great news.
You can see the individual steps going up the track, although some have sunk a little over the centuries. In the old days, this track was the only way in and out of the village of Gorbio, with absolutely everything carried on the backs of the donkeys.
In the last photo, you see one of the many wooden signs you'll find throughout the Alpes-Maritimes. These signs for walkers are very helpful.
Update on Mama Mia and Mistral on Postcards today.
We've turned left at the top of my track and we are walking along the main road towards the beginning of the donkey track. (See smaller photo.)
High up on the left you see Gorbio village - that's where we are going. We're looking at the back of the Château des Comptes de Malaussene, not the normal view we see of the village. Please click on the link to see Gorbio village from the other side.
In the main photo we see the gated entrance to a judge's house (this was restored a few years ago) and to the right, just by the pale green structure is the entrance to the donkey track.
Tomorrow - we are on our way.
Today, we start the walk to the village of Gorbio via the old donkey path - at one time the only access to this perched medieval village. And no, we are not yet on it, we are simply on the track leading from my house. We've had an encouraging cup of coffee, we've got our walking shoes on - and off we go. We've already walked up one part of my track (much steeper than the part you see here) and very good for those thigh muscles, ladies! When we get to the top we'll turn left, walk past the mail box and be on our way.
Tomorrow - we take a look at the village from below.
The Old Town of Menton, every perched village near to Menton - all are crammed with little pathways, covered walkways, passages - here is a covered passageway in the medieval hill village of Roquebrune. I posted a closer shot of this a while back. The sign on the right shows where the writer and diplomat, Romain Gary, lived. (Please click on the link to see that photograph and read more.)
By the way, in case you wonder why there is a bottle of water on the street. It's to stop dogs peeing against doorways - the idea being that the reflection puts them off. You see plastic water bottles in every hill village.
Today, being the 1st of the month, it's Theme Day on City Daily Photo (Paths & Passages) and as always there will be a myriad of wonders to see on blogs throughout the world. Please click here to view thumbnails for all participants
Tomorrow: - we walk the old Donkey Track to Gorbio village.
If you want to learn to skate, you'll surely fall.
I doubt any of these children will grow up to be Olympic skaters as Menton has an ice-rink over the Christmas/New Year period only - but one thing is sure, the ice rink has to be in one of the most beautiful positions imaginable - right by the Mediterranean, with the hills of Italy in the distance.
Le foot - as football is called in France. Every little boy's dream and more fun than any of the rides on offer at the fair.
In the background of the main photograph you see some of the pots on sale from Tunisia.
(These photographs were taken on the 4th January at the Christmas & New Year Fair)
We're down from the Big Wheel and walking around the Fair. This adventurous little girl wears a harness and so is supported by the taut wire.
