28 February 2012

The crowds were massive on Sunday.  24,000 filled the circuit taken by the parade but as you can see the weather was glorious and no one seemed to mind the crush. 

This year's theme is the Regions of France and in the main photo you see the float for Normandy: a pot of cream, charcuterie (rillettes and Andouillettes) and apples which are used to make Normandy's fabulous cider and liqueur, Calvados. 

The smaller photo shows a donkey which represents the region of Poitou Charentes.  The 'Baudet de Poitou' is an ancient breed that is now being revived.  There is a shoe on this float (not so easy to see) - it's actually a type of slipper traditionally made in the Charentes. 

27 February 2012

This lady looks as if she might be a performer in the Corso (parade) at the Fête du Citron but in fact she is selling Silly String (look in her sunglasses and you can see the coloured cans on the table)

26 February 2012

Today we are in Brittany, celebrated for its lighthouses and its legends.  The forest of Brocéliande is a mythical forest of Arthurian legend, from which come many stories featuring Merlin, Morgane and Viviane the fairy, and of course the Knights of the Round Table. 

23 February 2012

It looks like an anomaly of nature, doesn't it but in fact this lemon, known as the Hand of Buddha (Citrus medica var.  sarcodactylis), is one of the oldest members of the citrus family.  Although it smells strongly of lemon, it has no juicy pulp hidden beneath its rind.  Instead, the Buddha’s Hand is grown commercially for its powerful zest.  The aromatic rind is used to flavor lemon liqueurs and specialty vodkas, and provides aroma to lemon-scented cosmetics.  Chinese and Japanese households use it to perfume their rooms and personal items, such as clothing.  It even has a place in some religious ceremonies in buddhist temples.  According to tradition, Buddha prefers the "fingers" of the fruit to be in a position where they resemble a closed rather than open hand, as closed hands symbolize to Buddha the act of prayer. 

21 February 2012

The folk group La Capeline de Menton, founded in 1935, was present at the inauguration of the Fête du Citron. 

A capeline is a wide-brimmed hatwitharound crown.  The group was created tomaintain local traditionsandto supportall forms offolk art.  They perform the songs and dances of Menton and as you can see, the participants start young...

20 February 2012

So here we are again!  Menton's famous Fete du Citron has opened and this year - the 79th edition - the theme is 'Regions of France' - so let's start in the Champagne Ardennes region and a Fountain of Champagne.  As you walk past, you hear corks popping and champagne being poured - pity it's only water...

A metal frame is constructed for each exhibit and then it's covered in wire netting and then each lemon or orange is fixed to the wire with a rubber band.  It takes a long time.  This year 182 tons of fruit have been used - that's nearly 1 million lemons and oranges. 

19 February 2012

The 79th Fete du Citron was inaugurated yesterday and along with the great and the good of Menton were two gorgeous girls, Miss Cote d'Azur and Miss Provence - 3rd and 4th runners up to Miss France 2011. 

13 February 2012

Earlier in the day this man had been helpful in pointing out a carpark space.  Later, he recognised me when he was sitting on the pavement, saw the camera, and invited me to take a photo. 

I don't normally photograph an SDF (sans domicile fixe, or homeless person) but he was posing, making funny faces and then offered me this little model of a cow which he displayed on his wrist.  Of course I gave him some money.  Now I wish I'd given him more. The cow sits on my desk and brings me luck.  I also wish I'd asked his story.  Most SDFs put a paper cup on the pavement - this gentle man begs with a beautiful piece of tapestry, perhaps from India or Thailand. 

11 February 2012

This was fashion icon Coco Chanel's summer home, La Pausa, in Roquebrune which was built for her by her lover, the extravagant Duke of Westminster.  She was actively involved in the design of the building which stands in 9 acres and lived here from 1929 to 1953. 

The estate has a long and fascinating history involving artists, musicians, writers and painters, including Stravinsky, Cocteau, Picasso, Bonnard, Luchino Visconti, Somerset Maugham.  It was later bought by author, literary agent and art collector Emery Reves: during that time, Winston Churchill was a frequent guest and it is where he completed his memoirs and enjoyed painting the view.  But the villa was also a social destination for other figures as Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, the Duke of Windsor, Noel Coward, Aristotle Onassis, Greta Garbo, Rose Kennedy, as well as Graham Sutherland, Prince Rainier and Princess Grace, Konrad Adenauer, Anthony Eden, and Paul Reynaud. 

La Pausa is believed to be for sale at an asking price of around $50 million. 

These photos of La Pausa were taken in 2009, (on the old donkey track that leads to Roquebrune village) with the camera before the camera before the camera I currently use!  I kept meaning to go back and photograph the house from the other side, and never did but click on Burger-SothebysRealty.com and you'll see many more photographs. 

09 February 2012

This little alleyway is irresistible to me.  Sometimes it's open, sometimes it's closed but when it's open it leads to the Hôtel particulier Adhémar de Lantagnac, which is not an hotel at all but is now used by the Service du Patrimone.  An 'hôtel particulier' is a beautifulhouse that once belonged toa family ofprominent citizens. 

Here you'll find a small boutigue selling books on Menton and works of the artists of the region.  There are exhibitions throughout the year but really just go in and look around - enjoy the frescoes, many sadly damaged, the beautiful old shutters, the original glass in the windows. 

You'll find it at 24, Rue Saint Michel (the pedestrian street) and not far from Place aux Herbes.