Villefranche - the Welcome Hotel

The Welcome Hotel is famous in Villefranche. Many artists have stayed here including Jean Cocteau who wrote that he'd spent the best days of his life here...and they have their own boat.

Villefranche - Fortifications

We've left the boat and are en route to the railway station passing by the fortifications.

Villefranche is 10 kilometres from Monaco and 8 from Nice. The beautiful bay is notable for reaching a significant depth only a short distance from shore. As a result it's become an important port over the years. Since World War I, the United States Navy has called on a regular basis, making Villefranche the home port of the U.S. 6th Fleet from 1948 to 1966. Since the 1980’s Villefranche has been used by cruise ships and is the most visited cruise ship port of call in France.

Boat Trip to Villfranche - Safely Moored

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We made it past the cruise ship and, as directed via Ship to Shore radio, to the little harbour on the right of the photo.

Now we must hurry to the railway station and get home to Menton but tomorrow we'll take a brief look at Villefranche-sur-Mer as we run for the train.

Many thanks to John and Piera for a great day out on the water - bet you didn't realise how many people you had on board that day!

Boat Trip to Villefranche - the Cruise Ship

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The bay of Villefranche is massive with deep waters - ideal for these big cruise ships, as it was for warships in the past.

You've seen this cruise liner before - on Theme Day - and actually it was a better photograph but this one shows better the length of the ship.

I'm wondered what that strange 'thing' is on the top deck - see smaller photograph. Perhaps it's a climbing frame for children?

Meanwhile, we are having to go to the left of this ship to get into our berth in the harbour. We feel pretty small...

Boat Trip to Villefranche - the Italian Lady

We're in the Bay of Villefranche. This is my friend, Piera - she's John's lady - John owns the boat - and she's beautifully tanned but then she's got that wonderful Italian skin that tans easily. Well that's my excuse for looking like a ghost next to her!

Boat Trip to Cap Ferrat - Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat

Just along from the lighthouse is the magnificent Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat. Five star luxury. You can just see the hotel at top left of the main photo. Click on the link and you'll see what this luxury hotel is all about - go on, it's fabulous!

Scattered down the hillside are private cabins for guests to sunbathe and alongside it a restaurant - this area is called Club Dauphin.

Boat Trip to Cap Ferrat - the Look Outs

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We've now rounded the Point of Cap Ferrat and we are in the Bay of Villefranche. We can take a closer look at the look-outs below the celebrated lighthouse. (see last photo)

This lighthouse, one of the oldest on the Côte d'Azur, was built by Napoleon III in 1862 and was blown up by German troups in 1944 - rebuilt in 1951. You can see a closer shot of it, taken on land HERE.

There is a there is an enchanting walk all around Cap Ferrat from Beaulieu (called the Sentier Littoral) and if you feel like it, you simply swim off the rocks.

Boat Trip to Cap Ferrat - the Lighthouse

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We're sailing towards Villefranche, leaving the pretty Cove of Lilong and are about to round the Point of Cap Ferrat with its famous lighthouse.

This semaphore, originally built in 1862 (rebuilt 1951) on the orders of Napoleon III, who wanted to equip the French littoral with a chain of semaphores. The goal was to monitor navigation, to transmit messages to ships, to organize help in the event of a maritime disaster and to take part in the first maritime meteorological observations.

It looks like evening but it's only 17.45h - simply that I'm shooting into the sun. As soon as we round the point, we'll see the lighthouse from the other side and the fortified lookouts. And after that, we'll be in the beautiful Rade de Villefranche.

Boat Trip to Cap Ferrat - the Ice-Cream Boat

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So there you are, lying on the hot deck, getting browner by the minute and and thinking how nice it would be to have a luscious really cold ice cream. Easy. Along comes the ice-cream boat.

Boat Trip to Cap Ferrat - the Nap

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"I just put my feet in the air and move them around."
~ Fred Astaire

Boat Trip to Cap Ferrat - Messing about...

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The fun of a day on the water is just sitting and watching other people mess about in boats. And on Cap Ferrat it's fun looking at the houses on the hillside and wondering who lives there.

There's something about a boat - probably the movement of the water - that makes you immediately relax. Got a problem? Stressed? - if you get the chance, go out on a boat.

Boat Trip to Cap Ferrat - Girls' Day Out

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It's a Girls' Day Out on the water. Several of these Italian ladies sunbathed nude - completely nude, not even a bikini bottom half - so perhaps it's not surprising that within a short while of their arrival, their dingy was surrounded by other boats - see lower photo.

Boat Trip to Cap Ferrat - the Houses

The houses on Cap Ferrat are as interesting to look at as the boats - incredible expensive Real Estate to be found here.

The top photo was taking in the morning before the bad weather cleared. In the smaller one, it's getting better, as you see. By lunch time it was glorious.

Boat Trip to Cap Ferrat - Lady on a Dinghy

We've dropped anchor not far from the shore. Around us are big boats and little boats and tiny dinghys like one. You don't need a big boat to enjoy the sea.

Boat Trip to Cap Ferrat - Arrival

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Pack your swimming gear and suntan lotion, we're on a boat trip. Cap Ferrat is a short trip from Monaco - we pass Cap d'Ail, Eze-sur-Mer, Beaulieu=sur-Mer and we arrive - here, in a small bay - at Cap Ferrat.

In fact we started in Menton - the idea had been to photograph Monaco as we we sailed along but this morning the sea was rough, the sky menacing so no hope of a decent photo. Try photographing the shore from a boat that is bouncing up and down!

The weather forecast for the afternoon, though, is good and here we are. Relax. We are going to have a lovely day...do come back tomorrow.

The Seagull's Perch

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An old gun tower on le rocher is a perching place for a seagull and somewhere for visitors to dream.

Rosie

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Rosie is one of le rocher's characters. She runs a tourist shop called Rosie's Memories and the love of her life is a little Miniature Pinscher called Zita - a dog who'd had far too many litters in her life and ended up in a refuge.

Zita has two beds - one inside the shop and one outside - and when she chooses to nap, then Rosie displays the sign you see below.

Rosie's Bar (the Chatham Bar to give it its real name) was near to the Port of Monaco and was THE place to visit for over 50 years. In its heyday it was frequented by Graham Hill, Mike Hawthorn, Stirling Moss and Peter Collins. Anybody just passing by could pop in and chat to drivers over a drink and a game of darts. Rosie would welcome everybody with same cheery disposition as she still does from this little Boutique in Monaco Ville. Click here for Rosie's website.

You can see another photo of Zita on Riviera Dogs today.

The Damaged Plaque

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This is the damaged plaque seen above an attractive pharmacy on le rocher. (see yesterday's post) Hard to read what it originally said but it shows the royal coat of arms. S.A.S. means His - or Her - Serene Highness.

Matching Coral

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A beautiful old pharmacy on le rocher.

The Prince who Loved the Sea

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Prince Albert 1st was an eminent scientist and seaman who founded the Oceanographic Museum in 1902.

He lived from 1848 - 1922 and is the Great-Grandfather of the current ruler of Monaco, S.A.S. Prince Albert II.

I love the position of this sculpture in the Saint Martin Gardens - looking out to sea, the Prince is obviously doing what he loved best.

Note: the couple you saw yesterday are slightly more occupied in the smaller photo today!

Bronzé

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"I'm browner than you are!"

A young couple in the Saint Martin Gardens on le rocher.

Maryse with Mirror

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You can't turn a corner in the Saint Martin gardens without coming across a sculpture.

This nude lady (come to think of it, there are an awful lot of nude ladies in these gardens) is called Maryse au Miroir or Le Temps Inalterable. She was created by Cyril de la Patelliere.

Tranquility

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Monaco for its tiny size has several beautiful gardens. This is one of my favourites - the Saint Martin gardens on le rocher. Not a big garden but peaceful, with a view of the sea, benches to sit on, sculptures everywhere - what more does one want?

"You owe it to everyone you love (including yourself) to find pockets of tranquility in your busy world.”
~ Bhagavad Gita

Jacks

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Concrete shapes in water. A sort of 'break-water' I suppose. We are in the Saint Martin Gardens on le rocher looking down on a tiny corner of Fontvieille harbour.

They remind me of a bunch of 'jacks' - although jacks are made of metal and not quite the same shape. Remember the game of jacks?

Gull and Girl

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The sculpture is called Girl on a Chair and it's displayed within a small children's garden just below the main square where you find the palace.

The sculptor is the Danish artist, Keld Moseholm Jorgensen and it was made in 1981.

The Oceanographic Museum

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The Oceanographic Musuem rises majestically from the sea to a height of 279 feet and took 11 years to build, using 100,000 tons of stone from La Turbie, a village high above Monte Carlo. It was inaugurated in 1910 and is dedicated to its founder Albert I, who was a major navigator. Here you'll find his laboratory ships and collections of marine fauna including a skeleton from a 66-foot whale.

The famous Jacques Cousteau was director of this museum of marine sciences for many years and in the basement, you will find the world-famous aquarium with its extraordinary show of marine flora and fauna. With 4,000 species of fish and over 200 families of invertebrates, the aquarium is now an authority on the presentation of the Mediterranean and tropical marine ecosystem.

In the distance you see Cap Martin jutting out into the sea and beyond that you'll find Menton and then Italy.

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Flag Throwers

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You often see a group of flag throwers at festivals in the south of France. This group come from Ventimiglia just across the border in Italy. In fact, come to think of it, all the groups I've seen are Italian.

This is the last day of the 18th century festival. Thanks so much to everyone who has visited.

Tomorrow - we'll stay on le rocher for a day or so as there are a few good things I'd love to show you and after that - we go on a boat trip to Cap Ferrat and Villefranche.

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Dragon

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All part of the music group, Manoar, here's the fearsome dragon who belches fire when stoked.

Fête XVIIIth Century - the Hurdy-Gurdy

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There was a great group at the festival - called Manoar. They played ancient music on old instruments or replicas of old instruments.

This is a vielle à roue, which my dictionary translates as a 'hurdy-gurdy or viol.' The player straps it to herself and then turns the wheel at one end whilst she has notes to play with her other hand.

In the smaller photo you see, behind her, a sort of old fashioned xylophone.

The people in the background are laughing at another part of this music group - a dragon. We'll see him tomorrow.