Summer's End - Attitude!

This photograph shows a clash of cultures. Menton often holds several events at once and in this case, the Plant Fair was held at the same time as a gathering of car enthusiasts - in particular cars sporting custom bodywork. I believe there was also a motorbike event on too.

These three are visiting Menton to display their cars or bikes - taking time out at the Plant Fair to smell the flowers.

Summer's End - Father Christmas

Oh no! Father Christmas already! It's still September, the sun in shining but a shop in the pedestrian street prepares...

Summer's End - the Walls that Grow

Just in case you think you've landed in Jules' Rabaul or somewhere equally exotic - not so. This is Menton.

We are at the plant fair and this little cabanon has walls that are alive - it's planted with all sorts of vegetation. You can see the product used in the smaller photograph - also used for yesterday's squirrel.

Take a look at THE WEBSITE for other ways of using this product.

Summer's End - the Squirrel

Last weekend, Menton held the 18th Journées Méditerranéennes du Jardin on the Esplanade Francis Palmero, which is by the sea and at the foot of the Old Town - a beautiful setting. 50 exhibitors - plants, decoration, garden furniture - all fabulous and all asking to be bought. And packed with visitors and dogs and kids.

How about a squirrel that sprouts greenery? Not quite up to Abraham's amazing standard, I know you'll agree, but this one's for you, Abe.

The Village Fête - the Boules Competition 4

The throw - the concentration. Not all of these players are in the competition. The two on the left were playing outside the area - perhaps waiting for their turn, perhaps just playing a private game - I don't know.

I love the man in the top left hand corner - he went right up on his toes as he threw, and then almost fell forward as the boule left his hand.

The Village Fête - the Boules Competition 3

Everyone who plays boules seems to have their own particular way of throwing. And it's fascinating to watch.

In the smaller photograph (click to enlarge) you see the boules field, laid out in lines for the competition. Today they are playing doublettes - or doubles.

There are three types of competition in boules:

• three players per team (two boules per player), called triples
• two players per team (three boules per player), called doubles
• one player per team (three boules per player), called singles

The game is played from one end to the other - and then the next game is played the opposite way. You can see a length of wood in the foreground of the photo - in fact there are more games going on this side of that length of timber too - so it was a pretty full field of players.

Want to read a simplified and brief version of the rules? - click on the link.

The Village Fête - the Boules Competition

The Fête Patronale de Saint Barthélemy is a two-day event and on the first day - Saturday - the village holds its Boules Competition.

Boules or Pétanque? You can read more on this by clicking on this link.

Boules fascinates me. For instance - how many ways are there to hold the boules? Here you see two ways to hold three. More tomorrow...

Summertime in Menton - the Pianist

Jean Bernard Pommier is not only the director of the 59th Festival of Music in Menton but on this particular evening, was conductor of the Menton Saint Petersburg Orchestra and, for the final piece, the soloist as well. And how he enjoyed himself - his energy and talent kept everyone entranced. Watch those hands go! This is one pianist who so enjoyed playing Saint-Saëns' 2nd concerto.

He was incredible to watch as he played and conducted at the same time. The critic of Nice-Matin wrote that it was better than a fireworks display and in his opinion, the best of the three pieces.

Summertime in Menton - the Festival of Music

Each summer - in August - Menton holds its famous Festival of Music. This year is the 59th year. Seating, as we see, is in the square outside the Basilica. The columns of the Basilica are on our left and you can see another photograph of this facade by clicking in the link.

Ahead of us is the Chapelle des Pénitents Blancs - you saw the inside of this beautiful building the other day. The majority of the Old Town is to our right. Behind us is the sea and so those sitting facing us, have a wondrous view. Actually I think we do too, don't you?

In the photograph, the pianist and artisitic director of the Festival, Jean-Bernard Pommier, is addressing the audience. He is also the conductor of the orchestra: the Martinova-Kazakov Menton Saint-Peterburg Orchestra.

They played works by Mozart, Haydn and Saint Saëns. My favourite was the beautiful clarinet of Andrey Kazakov - the soloist in Mozart's Concerto for clarinet and orchestra KV622. Unfortunately I couldn't get a photograph of him as he was masked by the conductor, who because of the wind had to conduct with one hand only and with the other, he held on to the soloist's music - to prevent it blowing away in the wind. Someone needed to have brought a peg onstage!

I want to thank Chuckeroon of Richmond upon Thames Daily Photo. If I printed out and counted the number of emails, Chuckeroon has written - helping me, advising me, answering endless questions on night photography, I think I'd fill the Basilica with them. Chuckeroon, thank you so much for your patience with me. A long way to go yet, but I'm slowly learning and today go to buy a 'proper' tripod. I took this photograh with a Gorillapod, which had been suggested by Don, a regular visitor to Menton and to this blog. It stood happily on the low wall in front of where I sat. Thanks, Don.

Tomorrow - the pianist and the cellos.

Summertime in Menton - the Piano Recital

Menton holds its famous Festival of Music each August. In additional to the main concerts held outside the Basilica at 21h30, there are smaller recitals held outdoors at 11h and 17h (we saw the Mandolin Player the other day). There are also recitals that take place at 18h at the stunningly beautiful Chapelle des Pénitents Blancs, the interior of which, you see here. This Chapel stands at a right-angle to the Basilica itself in the centre of the Old Town.

These are my first proper attempts at indoor photography. I tried using a Gorillapod as a tripod but no joy - the chairs available as support were just too slippery. And I apologise for the awful photograph of Einav Yarden, the wonderful Israeli pianist. (I'm learning, folks) Einav lives in the USA. She played - so beautifully - a series of sonatas by Bach, Stravinsky and Beethoven.

Summertime in Menton - the Mandolin Player

A by-product of Menton's famous Music Festival held each August is that this year - each day - at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. you will find young musicians performing in the town. Here you see a young mandolin player. In the smaller photograph, you see the group - three mandolins and a guitar. We are at Square Etats-Unis - a charming small garden, tucked away off Avenue Carnot. (click on small photo to enlarge to full size)

This year Menton is holding the 59th Festival of Music. The main concerts are held on the Parvis of the Basilica Saint-Michel Archange - the big church in the Old Town of Menton. (If you go back to the hazy photograph of Menton a couple of days ago, you can see the church - the one with he tallest steeple). A Parvis is a square outside a church. You sit on tiered seating and as you listen to the music you look out over the sea to the horizon. It has to be one of the most magical places to see a concert.

And for those of you thinking that Menton is still sitting under a haze of pollution you should know the wind blew the muck away - probably it was the edge of a Mistral from the Rhône valley - that's as much as we get of a Mistral here. Now, we bask under clear sunny blue skies again. I'd hate you to worry about me!

Summertime in Menton - Karting

Each summer, you'll find one weekend devoted to Karting. This year the 36th Grand prix was held and here you see one of the heats. I can't imagine how hot these kids must have been in their gear but presumably they don't think of that as they dream of growing up to be Schumacher or Hamilton, both of whom started in Karting.

The races are held at the far end of the Sablettes Beach and prove very popular with visitors who sit in the cafés, sip their cooling drinks - and enjoy all the excitement.

Summertime in Menton - the Créole girl

So many beautiful Créoles in Menton last week. Here's a young beauty waiting for people to buy her produce. More gorgeous dreadlocks as per the guy you saw yesterday.

The tablecloth you see seems to be traditional. Nearly all the stalls were decorated with this same checked pattern.

Summertime in Menton - Dreadlocks

This great looking guy was part of the recent Créole festival in Menton. I adore dreadlocks. If I come back in another life, I'll request, 'Rasta hair please.'

In the smaller photo, you see another guy with his dreadlocks pinned up.

Do you like dreadlocks?

Tomorrow - a gorgeous young beauty - and yes, her hair is worn in dreadlocks too. After that, we'll be over my dreadlocks obsession - and get back to the beach.

Summertime in Menton - the Créole Beauty

This gorgeous lady was working in the Guadaloupe tent at the Créole Festival. Note her face piercings - even a stud on a tooth. And how about that smile? Isn't that just fabulous.

373 year ago, the French landed in the West Indies. Since then, the history of the Caribbean and the Mediterranean has been intertwined. Christopher Columbus came from Genoa, Napoleon from Corsica - Josephine was a Créole. Menton paid hommage to this history recently - over three glorious days - when the town came alive to Créole rhythms, traditions, food and drink.

You can read more on the Créole peoples by clicking on the link.

Summertime in Menton - Festival Créole!

Summertime in Menton means Fêtes galore - in Menton itself or in the surrounding hilltop villages. The Tango festival is over and, suddenly, we are into Créole - and how wonderful it is. Dance, music, clothes, food, wondrous drinks - great people - everyone having the best time.

Here you see some of the dancers crossing the road and walking back to their digs in the Old Town.

Summertime in Menton - the Tango Lesson

Each year Menton hosts four days of 'Ma Ville est Tango' - with Argentinian Tango demonstrations in the Palais des l'Europe. At various times of the day and evening, you'll find dancing in the streets of the Old Town. (The second link shows this last year.)

And here - along the sea - and in a large tent with a dance floor, you can take tango lessons.

Tomorrow: the results of yesterday's competition. Still time to enter - no one (so far) has guessed it correctly.

Brocante - Le Renard

.Watch out, Monsieur! There's a fox behind you...

Brocante - The Scrapbook

How many of these film stars do you know?

(Thankyou so much for everyone who has visited. Apologies for not commenting over the last few days. I'm in Turin - which is fabulous! - home by the weekend)

Brocante - The Stolen Lick

If you want to know why the boy on the right is looking fed up - look at the photo below which was taken one lick before...