AMB Cote d'Azur

Escape to Provence

ESCAPE TO PROVENCE by Maureen Emerson reviewed by Martin Hills The authoress of Perfume from Provence and other best-selling memoirs of the ‘30s and ‘40s always signed herself ‘Lady Fortescue’ in a way that much have seemed anti-egalitarian even in those more respectful days. Hence it takes some getting used to her being identified initially as Winifred Beech and subsequently as Peggy. She is one of the two principal figures in this account, as it is described on the title page, of ‘Elisabeth Starr and Winifred Fortescue and the making of the Colline des Anglais’. This location amounted to a group of four old buildings on a hillside overlooking Opio, in the Alpes-Maritimes near to Grasse, which were colonised by Elisabeth Starr (in fact an American who later took on French nationality) and some of her friends. All these were restored and established in the first half of this book. This leaves the relationship between Elisabeth and Peggy as, supposedly, the key focus, and that identifies the main problem confronting its author. For, though near contemporaries (Elisabeth born in 1889 and Peggy a year earlier), the two women did not meet until 1933 and did not become neighbours until the following year. Peggy left France at the outbreak of the Second World War in 1940 and, although she kept up correspondence afterwards, by the time she returned in1945 Elisabeth had already been dead for two years.

Ironman - Nice

We were privileged to have over 13 of the brave and determined competitors for Ironman Nice stay in our apartments in June. After the race, I caught up with Holly Turner and Brooke Brown – two female competitors and both of them now my heroes. They both beat over 54% of the 2,500 competitors. I was delighted that they were prepared to share their experiences with me.

Monsieur Gerard

Today was Sunday, thank goodness, and the only thing I had to do, apart from my normal father and husband duties, was to attend an opening of an art exhibition in the village.  I was invited by Gerard, who happened to be presenting some of his curious work in the village exhibition.

Vallée des Merveilles

The many visitors who swarm to the Riviera don’t often seem to think about escaping to the cooler climes and magnificent scenery of the Mercantour. Of those who do, about 75% of them head to the fêted, with good reason, Vallée des Merveilles where a fascinating 37000+ Bronze Age rock carvings embellish the valley floor, under the imposing Mount Bego.

Vines, Forts, Chateaux and Beaches

As far as I know, none of the trendy ‘One Million Places To Be Seen In Before You Shuffle Off This Mortal Coil’ gives mention to Cabasson. This is a relief. Cabasson is a secret worth preserving.