Ancient Stones
A zoomed shot of the medieval village of Gorbio taken from the cemetery.
27 June 2009
26 June 2009
Now
You don't get to choose how you're going to die. Or when. You can only decide how you're going to live. Now.
~Joan BaezFête de la Musique - near the Sablettes Beach, Menton
25 June 2009
La Ronde des Plages - the Running Shoes
We're almost at the end of our 10 kilometre run around the beaches. Today, a tribute to the running shoes and those tired feet inside them.
And the rose? All the lady runners were given a rose at the end of the run. 
24 June 2009
La Ronde des Plages - the Black Tennis Shoes
Notice the girl in the lower photograph - she's late on the podium and she's wearing black tennis shoes. You see her in yesterday's post too.
23 June 2009
La Ronde des Plages - the Pom Pom Girls
The Pom Pom Girls cheer the runners as they depart and later, they dance on a podium to welcome them home.
In the background, you see the Hotel Napoleon and alongside, a beautiful Russian chapel, which one day we'll visit.
The Napoleon Hotel has a beach webcam - it's almost in real time too - take a look - Hotel Napoleon Webcam.
22 June 2009
La Ronde des Plages - the Team Mascot
Woolite, the sheep, is Team Mascot of Les Foulées Roquebrunoises - a great group of runners from Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.
She is never on a lead so long as her owner, Philippe, is around - she is never less than a few inches from him.
We met Woolite before - remember when she was swimming in the sea?
Woolite, by the way, now has her very own website - Le Blog de Woolite.
21 June 2009
La Ronde des Plages - the Osteopaths
After the race some of the runners needed an osteopath. The team, working in a tent, were kept busy for hours.
20 June 2009
19 June 2009
La Ronde des Plages - Agony!
Agony! The last of the runners stagger home. Paper cups litter the road but somehow they avoid them.
18 June 2009
La Ronde des Plages - the Dancer
Watch the girl on the left. She's brilliant at handing out bottles of water to the needy runners as they approach the finish line - she's almost a dancer.
She is one of 140 volunteers at La Ronde des Plages, all of whom did a brilliant job.
17 June 2009
La Ronde des Plages - Hot!
The runners are on their way back to the finish line. In the smaller photograph, you see the winner. He led from the start.
I wonder if the runners notice the beautiful Old Town as they run past. The man in the main photograph would have nothing on his mind but that blissful cup of water.
16 June 2009
La Ronde des Plages - They're Off!
The road is clear of cars - 1000 runners take off on the 25th annual 10 kilometre run.
The course runs alongside the beaches from the Port of Garavan (near the Italian border) to the swimming pool at Roquebrune-Cap-Martin - and then back again.
The best runners do this in half an hour - others take around fifty minutes.
15 June 2009
La Ronde des Plages - Getting Ready
Tie those laces, stretch those feet...
1000 runners will be taking part in La Ronde des Plages - a 10 kilometres circuit of the beaches.
14 June 2009
La Ronde des Plages - the Children
The Menton Marathon Club recently organised a 10 kilometre run - La Ronde des Plages.
Before we get on to the big boys' run, first: the children's races. There was a 1.5 kilometre run for the 6 - 10 year olds and then a 3 km run for the 11 to 15 year olds.
In the main photo, they've finished the run and are queuing to get their medals. Not all are happy with their efforts though, as you see by the expression on the boy in the black tee-shirt.
In the smaller photo, a father rubs oil into his daughter's legs and in the last photo, they are off!
13 June 2009
Rotten
Menton is famous for the Fête du Citron which takes place in February and many of Menton's streets are lined with orange trees.
Now the oranges are rotting on the trees, a few have fallen, but it always surprises me how long they hold on. These trees, which will be trimmed soon, line each side of the Jardins Biovès - alongside the plane tree we saw the other day.
I presume they are not harvested for consumption because they are such a bitter variety - also they'd be polluted by the cars that drive past them. And of course, they are such a beautiful symbol for Menton that the authorities probably like them to be visible for as long as possible.
Tomorrow, get your running shoes on, we've a 10 kilometres run along the beaches.
12 June 2009
Old Wall, Old Man
He's old and uses a stick but it wouldn't surprise me if this gentleman is pretty healthy. Why? Because he lives in the Old Town of Menton and so has to walk up and down steps and slopes each day. It's the same for those who live in the surrounding hill villages. They have no choice but to walk.
He's sitting opposite the Chapelle des Pénitents Blancs in the Place de l'Eglise, which adjoins the Parvis Saint-Michel - hence the beautiful mosaic beneath his feet.
Later...my buddy in Ohio wrote and asked if I'd tried this in Black and White. I had but decided to leave it in colour - to me Menton is all about the wonderful colours. Having said that, I do like it in B and W. What do YOU think? Which do you prefer?
11 June 2009
Watering Cans for the Departed
Watering cans and a cloth - essential care for the graves in Gorbio's cemetery. The sign talks about abandoned or expired concessions.
10 June 2009
The Plane Trees of France
The plane trees of France. Apart from Paris, one of my first memories of la France was as a teenager, driving down to the French Riviera. It took two or three days as we drove through tiny villages, stopping for long lazy lunches in the sun. There were no autoroutes in those days.
Narrow country roads, lined with plane trees - I've never forgotten - the beginning of my love affair with France.
Here's one of those wonders in the Jardin Biovès in Menton.
09 June 2009
The Bay of Garavan
Taken from the Old Cemetery, we are looking down on the Sablettes beach. Further along, we see the Port of Garavan and just beyond, Italy. The large square area, just before the port, is called the Stade and will soon be used when Menton welcomes the beautiful pure-blood Arabian horses for their annual Championship Show. Out of shot, and to our right, is the Old Port.
08 June 2009
Parking Place
The back wall of a private parking place just below the Monastery of l'Annonciade in Menton.
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