Roquebrune village at night - the Strolling Player

You never know who you will bump into in rue Moncollet, the oldest street in Roquebrune village. This 'strolling player' is waiting to take part in a series of tales of the Middle Ages at the Château in honour of Augustin Grimaldi, the Prince of Monaco.

This actor, who lives in the village, takes the part of the Castellan (Castillion)who attends the Prince of Monaco.

Roquebrune village at night - rue Moncollet

We are in rue Moncollet, the oldest street in the medieval village of Roquebrune. You can see this same shot taken in daylight by clicking on the link. You can also read about 'le poudinge' - the tertiary rock on which the village is built.

Walking around Roquebrune village at night is even more magical than during the day - you also never know who you might meet. Come back tomorrow and see who we met in this particular street.

Roquebrune village at night - the Château

This is the Place des Deux Frères in the medieval village of Roquebrune. We've just had dinner at this restaurant, La Grotte, which is cut deep into the rock itself. Above, you see the brightly lit crenelations of the donjon, built in 970.

Yesterday's photograph of Monaco - published on Monte Carlo Daily Photo - was taken from here.

Summer's End - Dusk over Solenzara Beach

It won't be long before the sun sets over Solenzara Beach. That's Cap Martin in the distance - and beyond that you'd find Monaco. But let's stay here...

Summertime in Menton - the Sheep who Swims in the Sea

Woolite loves to swim in the sea with her owner Philippe (see yesterday's post). Here she is saying Bonjour to a Jack Russell terrier. In the smaller photograph, like everyone else, she takes a shower after her swim. And below you see her in a race with her owner. Click on Riviera Dogs for another few of the little dog - plus his ball.

Summertime in Menton - 30 Million d'Amis

Remember Woolite, the ewe who runs around Menton following her owner Philippe wherever he goes? This morning she was being filmed for a French television programme called 30 Million d'Amis, which is all about animals - every sort you can imagine.

Here you see the 30 Million d'Amis crew filming Woolite and Philippe along the promenade where Menton joins Roquebrune. Tomorrow come back and see Woolite swimming in the sea with Philippe.

Time for a roll-up

Here's one of the characters of Roquebrune-cap-Martin. Taken near to the beach. His little dog is called Yappa. I'd noticed her earlier and taken her photograph for Riviera Dogs, but she was very nervous. Much happier here alongside her owner.

Château of Roquebrune - the castle cat

The castle cat usually sits on the windowsill of this small building which is where we came in and bought our tickets. I thank everyone who has taken this tour and stuck with me. You have stamina! Now, we are about to leave and I invite you to join me for a pizza and a pichet of wine at La Grotte in the village.

On the left a final look at this 10th century Château, which as you see rises up, as if produced from the rock itself. La Grotte is at the base of this rock, so we are not going far - just down to the main square.

And my second invitation - why it's the Fête du Citron in Menton. Tomorrow it's Oranges and Lemons time - come back and we'll have some fun.

Château of Roquebrune - view from the Donjon

We've climbed the ladder you saw yesterday to the top of the donjon where I'm standing in this photograph. You can see the shadow of the donjon's crenelations on the wall. Please click on THIS LINK which shows just how high we are and perhaps clarifies the distance between donjon and flag. Trust me! - it makes it clearer...

Tomorrow will be the last day of our visit - just time to say goodbye to the cat. I'll have an invitation for you - in fact, two invitations. So please come back.

Château of Roquebrune - the Fort - 2

Take a quick glance through the bars at the view - we are about the enter the Fort, where the only light is through the slits used by the Archers. Now, we'll climb that ladder to the top. Hold on tight, those steps are steep and not ideal with a camera in your hand. Believe me!

Happy Valentine's Day! A glass of champagne awaits you on Monte Carlo Daily Photo.

Château of Roquebrune - the Fort

This area, with a curved ceiling, is the lower part of the fort. (see the diagram posted yesterday). You can see part of the Round Walk, where we were yesterday, on the top left hand of the photograph.

From the end of the XVth century the Grimaldis attempted to increase the donjon's military power by digging out large, wide artillery loopholes in the thick walls. however, they soon had to face reality: the battery of cannon that could be placed in a semi-circle on the rock face dominating the north side of the fortress, deprived it of its ancent invulnerability. You can these loopholes, from the outside, in THIS PHOTOGRAPH.

Below you see one of the channels cut into the walls. Cannon was rolled down these channels onto the invaders below. You can see one of these (not the one I photographed) on the extreme right and in the part of the photo flooded with sunlight.

Tomorrow, we'll enter the donjon.

Château of Roquebrune - the Round Walk - 2 + diagram of castle

Today we are standing above the Terrace. The Mediterranean is to our left. Here we get a longer shot of the Round Walk. As you see, it goes through the donjon (the Keep) and out the other side. From the Terrace we can see the panoramic view (see yesterday's photograph too) that the castle's sentinels kept watch over for a thousand years: from the Rock of Monaco to Cap Martin, from Mont Agel to the bay of Cabbé. On the west side, the main tower of the castle seems miraculously intact. In fact it was rebuilt at the beginning of the 20th century.

Below, you can see a diagram of the castle which is built over four levels. Tomorrow, we'll explore the donjon.

Château of Roquebrune - the Round Walk - 1

We've entered the Round Walk from the Common Room. The Round Walk goes all the way round the Donjon (the Keep) For a long time all fortresses had a circular walkway which allowed a rapid intervention when attacked.

Château of Roquebrune - the Kitchen - 2

Here we see the bread oven, which is to the right of the entrance we saw yesterday.

Apart from a few visits by Augustin Grimaldi, Lord of Monaco, Roquebrune and Menton, the castle only ever housed soldiers. It was therefore soldiers' fare that was prepared in this kitchen. Supplies were kept in the cellar - water was brought up from the well.

In the photo below, we can see the storage area in the kitchen. Shelves rested on the carved stone brackets within the space.

Note the graffiti. When I first visited this castle there were no iron doors, such as we saw yesterday - one could walk anywhere - and I suppose, over the years, visitors have felt the need to scratch their names in the stonework...

So, this is the last room to be seen. Tomorrow we'll walk through the far end of the Common Room to The Round Walk - which goes all the way around the donjon (the keep).

Château of Roquebrune - the Kitchen - 1

All the rooms in the castle have an iron door to prevent vicitor access. After all, we all walk around alone - no guide as such - merely the audio commentary we listen to. In previous photographs I've pushed the camera through the bars as I did for the one below.

In this small space, meals were prepared for the soldiers from the Middle Ages onwards. It was actually restored in the 16th century. The mantlepiece in the photo below is made of olive wood.

Tomorrow, we see the bread oven. And also a storage area. After that - fresh air again!

If you'd like to see the Château dog, please click on the link.

Château of Roquebrune - Nobleman's Dwelling: the Common Room

This second room in the Nobleman's Dwelling was used as a communal room and dining room. The doorway in the far corner is the lavatory - see below - which emptied directly outside the castle walls.

In the Middle Ages, tables didn't exist. Planks of wood were laid on trestles, hence the phrase: 'to lay the table.' When the word 'table' was used, it meant the 'food', not the furniture. The soldiers normally sat on wooden chests that were used for storage and were dragged over at meal times. What furniture they did have has disappeared over time and the furniture shown is not correct for the period.

This room and the previous one - the Armoury - were transformed into barracks in the middle of the XVIIIth century.

Tomorrow, we'll take a look at the kitchen. You can see the entrance on the right-hand wall.

Château of Roquebrune - View from the Medieval Window

After so many days of bleak rooms in the castle, let get some fresh air! Especially as it's Menton Daily Photo and Monte Carlo Daily Photo's One Year Anniversary (please read message below)

So let's look out of a window - in fact, let's look out of the Medieval Window in the Great Room. Do click on the blue link above to see this extraordinary room, the window and window seats.

We are looking down, over some of the village roofs, past the XIIIth century Eglise Sainte Marguerite, to Cap Martin which juts out into the Mediterranean. Below you see a painting of Augustin Grimaldi, Bishop of Grasse, receiving a visitor. It was Grimaldi who installed this window during the 1528 restoration of the castle, which he used as his summer residence.

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Menton Daily Photo and Monte Carlo Daily Photo - FIRST BIRTHDAY!

Thank you to the City Daily Photo family for your encouragement, generous comments, fantastic help from talented photographers and most of all, friendship. Working on Menton Daily Photo and Monte Carlo Daily Photo has changed my life. I now see - really see - my beautiful part of the world. I only looked before...

And of course, a massive thankyou to Eric of Paris Daily Photo, whose brilliant vision this was and to Demosthenes and Igor, who put in endless time working on the technical issues in keeping us all up and running.

Château of Roquebrune - Nobleman's Dwelling: the Armoury

This is the Armoury which was also used as a living room and bedroom for the Genoese Castellan who was first and foremost a soldier. In the XIIIth century furniture was rudimentary. In the main it consisted of iron banded trunks containing precious objects, materials and clothes, and which also served as seats. When the Lord visited the castle he slept in this room in a four poster bed.

Below, you see a painting of this room in the XIIIth century, with the Castellan administering justice.

Note: I've added a painting of the prison so click on link if you'd like to see the poor souls languishing there.

Château of Roquebrune - Guardhouse: the Archers' Room

The Archers' Room was dug out entirely from the puddingstone rock and remains in its original condition. At the entrance to the room there used to be a trapdoor and ladder which led to the upper floor of the castle. This doesn't exist any more.

In the 14th century the Castellan (a non-commissioned officer) was in charge of the fortress for the Lord - with just 6 crossbow men. It was a hard life, no women or children, just soldiers living in bleak conditions.

When the Lord visited the castle, the Castellan would sleep in this room. Tomorrow we'll see the Armoury which is where the Nobleman slept in a four-poster bed when he visited the castle.

If you want to read about the night the Monaco Royal family and others (including my friend Candy and me) nearly went up in flames please look at today's Monte Carlo Daily Photo.

Château of Roquebrune - Guardhouse: the Prison

We've walked up the five steps you saw in yesterday's photograph and here you see the prison. In the XVIIth century the Princes of Monaco installed this prison in the south room of the former guardhouse. Prisoners were attached to chains fixed to a ball. They were usually thieves, even fellow soldiers and they were kept here till their trial at La Turbie or Nice. Others were keep here under a private arrest warrant of the Princes of Monaco.

The last people to occupy this prison appear to be the 'Barbets' (see painting below) who fought against the French revolutionary troops after the latter had occupied and then annexed (decree dated 15th February 1793) the Principality of Monaco which at that time included Menton and Roquebrune-cap-Martin.

You'll see the entry to the prison in the photograph below. Tomorrow? The Archers' Room which was dug out of the puddingstone mass. Here you'll see where the soldiers slept.