Eze Village - Pool with a View ...

We are by the pool of the Chateau de la Chevre d'Or looking towards Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

Eze Village and Cap Ferrat

I walked down from the village and along the Moyenne Corniche to get this shot.  Although I was quite a long way away, the 24-70 mm lens did pretty well.  The strip of land you see out to sea, is Cap Ferrat. Someset Maughan used to  love there.  in 2012 Cap Ferrat was named the second most expensive place to live in the world - after Monaco!

Eze Village - the View from the Chèvre d'Or

How's this for a view whilst you dine at the Chèvre d'Or in Eze.  Chèvre - for anyone who doesn't know - means 'goat' in French, hence the 'golden goat' on the roof.

That's St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat jutting out to sea.

More from this beautiful hotel/restaurant tomorrow.

The Shepherd with Red Fingernails

You don't expect to see a shepherd and sheep in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. And you certainly don't expect the bronze shepherd to have painted fingernails...

A Bike Ride around Cap Ferrat

These shots on the walk around Cap Ferrat were taken in September but the sun shines as gloriously today as it did then - just a little cooler and very cold at night.

I wondered if this couple would ride their bikes up the shallow steps but as you see, they sensibly didn't.

Sculpture at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

In September there was an exhibition of sculptures on the esplanade in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. One or two have been seen on this blog already. Here's another. Unfortunately very few of the art works showed the name of the piece or the artist including this bronze.

David Niven's House - a Last Look

A few last images of David Niven's villa at Cap Ferrat.

It's been recently restored at a reputed cost of 10 millions euros and is now known as La Fleur du Cap.

A Walk past David Niven's Villa

The enchanting walk from Beaulieu-sur-Mer to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat takes you right past the pink villa that once belonged to David Niven.

David Niven's Square

A door opens onto the small square at the back of David Niven's house which was named in his honour - Place David Niven.

The house itself is also a movie star, having appeared, with a cameo from Niven, in the otherwise unwatchable Trail of the Pink Panther (1983) . Peter Sellers had died, and Niven was dying, so the film is a morgue-like stitching together of old clips of Sellers, while Niven has his voice dubbed by someone else.> - thanks again to Alex Went and CityOutMonaco for the information.

David Niven's House

David Niven's house at Cap Ferrat isn't easy to photograph. It nearly always in shade - and therefore doubtless cool in summer. Taking photos with the sun behind the house doesn't help. Anyway - here it is and you can see how idyllic it is.

Thanks to CityOutMonaco and editor, Alex Went for this information:

'Originally called Lo Scoglietto (Little Rock) with its private harbour, this beautiful pink Italianate villa was built in 1880 by Alfred Bounin, the son of an arms supplier to the Sardinian army, himself an olive oil trader from Nice.

In 1920, the villa was rented by Duchess of Marlborough, Mme Balsan, originally Consuelo Vanderbilt. It was extended in the 1950s and rented by Leopold III, King of the Belgians, one year before his abdication.

Later Lo Scoglietto was bought by the great Charlie Chaplin, and in 1960 he in turn sold it to the film actor David Niven, who was very much part of Princess Grace's social scene. Known for his gentlemanly appearance and clipped English accent, Niven had already enjoyed an immensely successful career starring, for example, in the Powell and Pressburger film A Matter of Life and Death (1946) and winning an Oscar for his performance in Separate Tables (1958).'

More tomorrow:

David Niven's Window

We've popped along to Cap Ferrat today to David Niven's villa, originally called Lo Scoglietto (Little Rock). He bought it from Charlie Chaplin but its history goes back far beyond that.

Today: a bougainvillea-clad window to whet your appetite. Tomorrow: we'll see this beautiful house from the sea and learn more of its history.

The photos were taken in September but you'll find bougainvillea in flower in January too. My neighbour has a wall covered in it.

Wedding in the Sun - the Red Hat

Our last day at the Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat wedding and how about a guest in a red hat... Actually I think they are called something else when they are small like this? Don't forget - this wedding took place in September, hence the bare shoulders and tan - not that there aren't people still swimming in the sea in Monaco, as you'll see over the next days.

There seemed to be a change of plan as to who held the bride's train. In the lower photo the bridesmaids are in charge and then, when the bride finally entered the church, it was the three pageboys who assisted her.

Long life and happiness to the bride and groom.

Tomorrow - back to Monaco.

Wedding in the Sun - the iPhone Photographer

Only a short while ago, this scene wouldn't have been possible.

Wedding in the Sun - the Mother of the Bride's Shoes

The mother of the bride - all in blue right down to those brand-new incredibly high heels. Imagine all the stress involved in a daughter's wedding and then she has to walk in these...

Wedding in the Sun - Part of the Action

One of the pageboys looks as if he wants part of the action!

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Today is Theme Day in the City Daily Photo group and the subject is 'action' - Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Wedding in the Sun - the Beautiful Bride

Meet the beautiful bride and she really is beautiful!

The couple waited at the steps to the church and greeted everyone before going inside for the ceremony. A different way of going about things to the UK for example.

Wedding in the Sun - the Well-dressed Church...and Guest

A beautifully dressed guest enters the church. Note the beautiful flowers around the doorway.

Wedding in the Sun - Carrying the Baby

More guests on their way to the wedding. I guess this is one way of carrying the baby...

Wedding in the Sun - the Groom's Arrival

The guests continue to walk to the church - down the pretty sloping main street of Saint Jean.

The bridegroom arrives in a silver Porsche, bien sûr.

Wedding in the Sun - the Bridesmaids

If you are reading this in a cooler climate, let's cheer you up with a sunny day and a wedding in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. In fact there were two weddings on the day I was there in September - the first was at the Mairie and I posted that wedding HERE.

The other wedding took place later in the day at the church. Here are some of the guests and two bridesmaids on their way to the event.

More tomorrow...