Mademoiselle Barbie and Monsieur Richard

Rejected Barbie dolls at the Brocante in Menton last Sunday. Perhaps I should have bought them for Richard who has a fun blog 'Barbie of the Day.' Dressed by Richard who is a real Fashionista, witty words by Richard (often reflecting the politics of the day), his Barbie lives in Villefranche-sur-Mer, which is just along the coast from Menton and believe me Richard's Barbie lives the high life of the French Riviera and Monte Carlo. Do click on the link to take a look.

After the Waves - the Digger

Clean-up time on the beaches. The digger is scooping sand back from the sea and replacing it on the beach.

Compare the last photo to that of yesterday. You don't really expect to see a digger as you look through a restaurant to the sea.

The damage to Menton was minimal though even tho the papers said otherwise. Nice and Cannes suffered far more. One Menton restaurateur I spoke to said he'd lost 30 beach chairs and had a few more damaged. Many restaurants were already open, others will open today. Life is almost back to normal on the Sablettes. Click HERE to see how high the waves were Nice!

Calm before the Storm

A man suns himself on a beach chair. This was taken in mid-April and is as it should be in Menton - a normal, glorious day. Sunny, as it will be today and should be tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow - but two days ago the Côte d'Azur was battered by incredible freak waves from Menton way down the coast, the worst between Nice and Cannes. Strangely, there was little wind, these were simply freak waves, referred to in one of the newspapers as a 'mini tzunami,' which is perhaps an exaggeration but all the same, scary.

Waves as high as 10 metres (33 feet) battered Nice and Cannes. This is unheard of in the Mediterranean and especially in May. In Cannes, where the Film Festival is due to open shortly, some 20 restaurants were damaged and several cars overturned. In Nice, not only the beaches were closed but also part of its famous Promenade des Anglais. Happily no one was swept away although one women sustained a fractured leg. In Monaco, Larvotto Beach was battered with the sea coming right up the beach and into the restaurants, dragging the tables and chairs out to sea. In Menton too, damage to restaurants along the Sablettes.

All bad news at the beginning of the season.

Click HERE to see Larvotto Beach and damage in Monaco.

What is Life?

Menton market. I've photographed this stall and the pig before but not with carrots. Don't you love the way the stallholder displays his veggies.

'You ask What is life? That is the same as asking, What is a carrot; A carrot is a carrot and we know nothing more.'

~ Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860-1904), Russian author, playwright.

Early Learning Centre

Baguettes - French babies learn early. We are at La Pergola, an Italian restaurant on the beach in Garavan, Menton.

Chef's Break

The food is prepared - time for a break before the lunchtime service.

'Les Girls'

Looks like summer isn't far away...

Theme Day - Statues: Venus at Serre de la Madone

First of the month and it's Theme Day in the City Daily Photo community. Subject: statues. Menton has many beautiful statues and here is a favourite of mine: Venus who stands in one of the beautiful pools at the garden of Serre de la Madone.

In 1907, Major Lawrence Johnston, an American born in Paris, started to create an outstanding garden at Hidcote Manor in Gloucestershire, England - incidentally, the first garden to be designated a National Trust garden. In 1924, he bought a large piece of land on the Route de Gorbio in Menton with the intention of creating a garden for sub-tropical plants. The result - Serre de la Madone with its fountains, pools, classical statuary, green garden rooms, a Moorish patio, orangeries for tender exotic plants and so on. Menton is famous for its beautiful gardens and this has to be one of the most beautiful.

Major Johnston travelled the world over a thirty-year period seeking plants he could acclimatise in his seven hectares of terraces at Serre de la Madone. He employed twelve gardeners and planted his prizes amongst the ancient olives. He died in 1958 at Serre de la Madone. After many years of neglect, the gardens have now been restored by the Conservatoire du Littoral who bought the garden in 1999 with the help of the Conseil Generale des Alpes-Martimes and other official organisations.

To see statues featured by other CDP bloggers from around the world please click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

Apricale - the Enterprising Flautist

Meet Victor who installed himself in this little corner of the square, set up his music stand and started to play. Note, in the last photo, a small box to collect money from happy listeners. He's also selling some toys displayed on the table.

Apricale - Old and New

Old and new: the ancient stones of Apricale and a bright plastic windmill.

Apricale - the Three Old Ladies

It's always a delight to see old people who live in medieval hill villages get together for a chat like this. A remote village is an environment where neighbours look out for each other. The lady on the right is blind which is pretty amazing considering these narrow, steep streets and alleyways. I watched her walk away later with her white stick tapping the walls.

The photos were taken from the far side of the square - see the other two shots which show the ladies sitting on the slope in front of the church.

Apricale - the Spider's Web

'Will you walk into my parlor?' said the spider to the fly;
'Tis the prettiest little parlor that ever you may spy.
The way into my parlor is up a winding stair,
And I have many curious things to show when you are there.'
'Oh no, no,' said the little fly; 'to ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again.'

~ Mary Howitt (1799 - 1888)

Apricale -the Conversation

There was a small market taking place in the main square of Apricale. I noticed the man on the left earlier - he was in charge of one of the stalls (see last photo) - and then later, there he was chatting to a friend as they leaned against the ancient walls of the village.

Apricale - Love, Amour, Amore

What is it with these Italians? Especially in spring.

This photo of lovers in the main square of Apricale reminds me of a favourite photo I took in Turin a couple of years ago - you see it on the left.

I have such happy memories of my time in Turin when Fabrizio of Torino Daily Photo so kindly showed me around his wonderful city. This is for you, dear Fabrizio.

Apricale - Art on the Walls

So often in the medieval villages of France and Italy you'll find artists in residence - their ateliers open for business as you wander the narrow streets. Apricale goes one further and features art on some of the exterior walls. The man featured in the main photograph was a well-known villager and looks quite a character, doesn't he?

Apricale - the Old Dog

We're in the medieval hill village of Apricale. See yesterday's post for a long shot of the village showing the houses as they seems to tumble down the hillside.

I wonder many dogs have walked these same cobblestones over the centuries?

(Click on the link to see more of this dog on Riviera Dogs today.)

Apricale - the Village

We're going on a little trip across the Italian border to the medieval village of Apricale.

It's only 38 ks from Monaco and about 28 ks from Menton. We simply drive through Ventimiglia, past the Roman ruins on our left and at the roundabout turn left up the Nervia valley. Apricale is 13 ks from the sea and stands at around 1000 feet above sea level.

The name Apricale comes from the Latin 'apricus' which means exposed to the sun. The first photo was taken in sunshine at the beginning of March when Peter from Paris was here. The smaller shot was taken last Sunday with Nathalie from Avignon when the sun had almost gone. It perhaps shows more detail as the sinuous cascade of houses tumbles down the hillside. (click to enlarge)

You drive a little way into the base of the village and park - and then you walk. That's it. No cars can get up the narrow medieval streets. Tomorrow we'll explore the village.

Prelude to Summer

It was hot enough on the Sablettes to get sunburnt but the sea is still pretty chilly.

Living the dream...

That azure blue Mediterranean, a beach, a palm, a glass or two of wine - this man would seem to be living the dream, wouldn't you say?

The Caged Bird that Sings for Nathalie

Guess who came to stay for the weekend? Yes, it's the divine Nathalie from Avignon in Photos and here she is doing what she does so beautifully - taking photographs. We went to the hill villages of Dolceacqua and Apricale in Italy on Saturday and yesterday spent the day in Menton and later, a quick trip to Gorbio.

We lunched by the beach at La Pergola, where I had the best risotto I've ever eaten - Nathalie had a plate of assorted fried fishes, which she declared to be excellent and all this washed down with a delicious pale rosé called Out of the Blue. Of course all this meant we had to walk it off and so, after lunch, we wandered along the Promenade de la Mer (Les Sablettes) where Nathalie noticed the caged birds at the Teranga Plage. Her photo is below.

Come back soon, dear Nathalie! Life is always the best fun when you are around.