Eze Village - Place Francis Blanche

A pretty corner in Eze village.

It is named after Francis Blanche (1921-1974) who was an actor, author and apparently the first person to hoax people by telephone - something he did on a radio show. He is buried in Eze.

Eze Village - Old Pot

Beautiful old pot outside a house in Eze village.  The climber is Trachelospermum jasminoides, a native of south east Asia that you often see in the south of France. It's common name is Star Jasmine.

Lovers' Lookout

There I was photographing the German Shepherd and somehow the young lovers crept into the photo.  The bench is on the Sentier Nietsche - this is the walk that goes from Eze village way down the hillside to Eze Bord de Mer.  The beautiful German Shepherd is Roxanne and she's 8 years old.  You can see a close up of Roxanne at Riviera Dogs.

Eze Village - le Mas Provençal (2)

Here are some of the smaller tables at the beautiful Mas Provençal at Eze.

Eze Village - Le Mas Provençal

You enter a world of flowers when you go to the beautiful Mas Provençal in Eze village.  I was invited to dine there yesterday by my dear friend Lynn Espie. She and her delightful granddaughter, Aimée are over from New Zealand, where Lynn will judge next weekend at the Euro-OES-Show near Lyon.  For those who don't know, OES stands for Old English Sheepdogs - the breed I used to breed, show and judge. 

Thanks dear Lynn for a fabulous fabulous evening. What a great time we had. Love you!

Monaco Grand Prix - a seat in the stalls ...

If you are in Monaco today - Grand Prix time! - this is one of the places from which you might decide to watch the race.  We're in Casino Square - the cars whizz up from the port, past where you are sitting and on down to the hair-pin bends of Loew's Casino.  The concave/convex mirror is called Sky Mirror by Anish Kapoor and is reflecting the casino building.

Monaco Historic Grand Prix - Ferrari 246

Monaco Grand Prix this weekend!  Well obviously this Ferrari 246 isn't taking part but it did two weeks ago at the Monaco Historic Grand Prix when it was placed 5th in its class. It's owned by Tony Smith, manager of Genesis.

This car is one of five produced in 1960 and was driven by Phil Hill. Another claim to fame is that this was the last model of Ferrari before the rear engines came in following the success of the Coopers.

Legs

"I haven't yet met a woman who told me, 'I wish I had shorter legs.' "

~ Christian Louboutin

Friendly Policemen

Monaco policemen are friendly ... and good looking!

Monaco Grand Prix - Not a Ferrari!

This looks a good way to get around Port Hercule at Grand Prix time.

Living in a Science Fiction film ...

If you take the lift from opposite Monaco's market down to Fontvieille, you end up on this walkway, which has been cut deep into the rock - it leads to the Carrefour shopping centre. For a moment, you feel as if you are in a magic grotto or a science fiction film ...

Grand Prix - Fencing and Ferraris

Even the Casino is fenced off at Grand Prix time.  Of course it doesn't stop the obligatory Ferrari being parked in front of its doors.

Grand Prix - Fenced in

Almost Monaco Grand Prix time - next weekend. And so Monaco is encased in its ring of steel. Here the Cafe de Paris on the left and the Casino in the distance are fenced in with gates for people to walk through.

Bentley Reflections

The shiny silver Bentley we saw yesterday reflected everything!

Bentley Bling!

Pulling away from the Louis Vuitton shop is this shiny silver Bentley. Is it stainless steel? I've never seen a car as shiny as this ...talk about bling!

Grand Prix Historique de Monaco - the Oldest Lady Bugatti and Dirty too!

This is the oldest car at the Monaco Historic Grand Prix.  And she's dirty!  I love that ... not for her an arrival in a van with mechanics alongside -  she was driven here!

She's a Bugatti 39 - born in 1925 - which makes her pretty much 90 years old. Isn't she a beauty!

Grand Prix Historique de Monaco - the Inspection

Each car at the Historic Grand Prix of Monaco has to undergo a rigorous safety examination before racing.  These guys work for the ACM (Automobile Club of Monaco) and are inspecting a 1972 BRM P180 in Marlboro livery.

Grand Prix Historique de Monaco - 1926 Bugatti 35

A detail from the 1926 Bugatti 35 at the Monaco Historic Grand Prix.

Grand Prix Historique de Monaco - Alfa-Romeo Tipo B (P3) - 1934

This is the Alfa-Romeo Tipo B (P3) made in 1934 - it won the A class race. What a beauty!

Clouds hung low over the Principality on Thursday but it didn't detract from the beauty of the cars. And always such a great atmosphere at the 'historique' with everyone happy to chat, mechanics and owners alike.

Grand Prix Historique de Monaco - Ferrari!

Red! Mostly Ferraris from the 1950s although the car in the foreground is a Maserati.