Theme Day: When people think of my city...

If I were to choose what I find iconic about Menton it would be the view in the banner along the top of this page - the beautiful Old Town and the sea. But the one thing you can't get away from and what Menton is famous for is simply the lemon. Visitors come from all over the world for Menton's celebrated Lemon Festival - La Fête du Citron - click on the link to find out why.

Today is Theme Day with 136 participants from all over the world taking part. Do take time to visit them and see what other bloggers think is considered iconic about their cities.

Portland (OR), USA - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Memphis (Tennessee), USA - Manila, Philippines - San Diego (CA), USA - Anderson (SC), USA - New York City (NY), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - San Francisco (CA), USA - Mumbai (Maharashtra), India - Mainz, Germany - Weston (FL), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Turin, Italy - Las Vegas (NV), USA - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Bicheno, Australia - Durban, South Africa - Joplin (MO), USA - Nashville (TN), USA - Stockholm, Sweden - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Brussels, Belgium - Chicago (IL), USA - Montpellier, France - Seattle (WA), USA - Mazatlan, Mexico - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Sesimbra, Portugal - Toulouse, France - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Susanville (CA), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Prague, Czech Republic - Helsinki, Finland - Pilisvörösvár, Hungary - Lisbon, Portugal - Mexico (DF), Mexico - Trujillo, Peru - Dunedin (FL), USA - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - London, UK - Baziège, France - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Greenville (SC), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Mumbai, India - Naples (FL), USA - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Setúbal, Portugal - Stayton (OR), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Sofia, Bulgaria - Arradon, France - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Athens, Greece - Austin (TX), USA - Singapore, Singapore - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Jackson (MS), USA - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Budapest, Hungary - Rotterdam, Netherlands - St Malo, France - Chandler (AZ), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Cleveland (OH), USA - Nottingham, UK - Kansas City (MO), USA - The Hague, Netherlands - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Wrocław, Poland - Chateaubriant, France - Cheltenham, UK - Moscow, Russia - Monrovia (CA), USA - Saigon, Vietnam - Toruń, Poland - Grenoble, France - Lisbon, Portugal - New Orleans (LA), USA - Sydney, Australia - Boston (MA), USA - American Fork (UT), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - Wichita (KS), USA - Radonvilliers, France - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Christchurch, New Zealand - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Wailea (HI), USA - Aliso Viejo (CA), USA - St Francis, South Africa - Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Seattle (WA), USA - Pasadena (CA), USA - Vienna, Austria - Orlando (FL), USA - Torun, Poland - Delta (CO), USA - Santa Fe (NM), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Paris, France - Stavanger, Norway - Niamey, Niger - Le Guilvinec, France - Bogor, Indonesia - Saarbrücken, Germany - Auckland, New Zealand - Wellington, New Zealand - Budapest, Hungary - Juneau (AK), USA - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Glasgow, Scotland - Chicago (IL), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Adelaide (SA), Australia - Sydney, Australia - Riga, Latvia - Subang Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Terrell (TX), USA - Terrell (TX), USA - Inverness (IL), USA

Château of Roquebrune - the Great Room - 1

We've walked up the staircase and entered the room through the doorway you see almost dead centre in the photograph. You might think we are in the castle courtyard but not so. This was a room where receptions and ceremonies took place. Here the Castellan received the Lord and is where the vassals came here to pay homage and inhabitants of the village swore an oath of allegiance.

This room used to have a stone vaulted ceiled but was destroyed in fire and replaced by a coffered ceiling. Fires were frequent and there were three: in 1506 (under Genovese rule), in 1597 (under Provençal rule) and in 1747 during the Austro-Sardinian war. In the end, the room remained open to the elements.

Come back the day after tomorrow when we'll explore more of the Great Room. Tomorrow is Theme Day, of course.

Note 1. I've added copy to the last two days' entries - discussing the drawbridge and the retractable staircase. I visited the castle again this morning, this time writing down a lot more information and this time legibly enough for me to read it when I got home!

Note 2. Roquebrune village in New York? Does it exist? Go to New York City Daily Photo to find out!

Château of Roquebrune - the staircase to the Great Room

We've crossed the bridge and entered the castle through this doorway and immediately we climb this staircase. It's quite steep. No rush, take your time.

Originally there was no staircase like this but a retractable ladder and a trap door were used which could easily be taken away if the castle was attacked. At the end of the 15th century, the retractable staircase was replaced by the current staircase.

The Counts of Ventimiglia ruled the castle from 970 to 1157 when it was given to the Republic of Genoa, who ruled between 1157 and 1395. They had a triple role: military, political and judiciary. The Genoese Castellans guarded the castle with an ordinary garrison but in times of war, the contingent was reinforced when the male population of the village was mobilised.

These steps lead to the Great Room, which we will see tomorrow.

Château of Roquebrune - view from the Open Air Theatre

It's dark - perhaps there's a moon - the lights of Monte Carlo shimmer in the distance, the air is balmy. We take our places. Soon we'll have lights, music, action - let the magic begin...

Tomorrow - we enter the castle.

Château of Roquebrune - the Open Air Theatre

You can see the bridge and entrance to the castle on the lower left-hand side (see yesterday's photograph to see the bridge from the side). We've already walked up those wide steps and passed under one of those green structures to reach it. But here's the surprise - an open air theatre. To watch a performance, lit from those green towers, with a view of the Mediterranean and across to Monaco isn't at all a bad thing.

I've seen several productions here - I remember Macbeth put on by the English-Speaking Drama Group of Monaco. The setting is perfect. You can probably picture Lady Macbeth running down the bridge, white robes catching the moonlight - 'Out damned spot!'

Or the three witches...'Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble.'

There wasn't always the wooden seating you see in this photograph. We sat on the bare stone benches in those days and woe betide anyone who didn't take a cushion to sit on! You always knew who was going to the theatre as they walked up the hill from the carpark, cushion at the ready.

Tomorrow? - the view from the theatre - and then we enter the castle.

Château of Roquebrune - the Bridge

This is a sideview of the bridge up to the castle keep. See yesterday's photograph which gave no idea it is actually a bridge and how high we are. It would, therefore, have acted like a moat in preventing invasion. It also gives some idea - along with yesterday's photograph - of the height of the castle which is on four separate levels.

Originally there was a wooden drawbridge to the castle which was winched up with chains.

Tomorrow you'll have a surprise - something we must see before we actually enter the castle. Do come back.

(Apologies for the not so good photograph - taken, as you see, against the sun)

Château of Roquebrune - the Fortress

We entered the grounds to the left of this photograph. We paid at the cash desk and some of us now have an audio guide around our necks - we've chosen our language. To borrow one of these devices we had to leave our identity card or passport as security.

As we walked up steps, almost tripping over the castle cat, the length of the castle is on our left. The castle was built in 970 by Conrad 1st, Count of Vintimille allowing him to defend the western border of his feudal domain from the Saracens.

Roquebrune castle is a fortress without luxury or ostentation. The Castellans, appointed by the Republic of Genoa between 1157 and 1395 lived the life of soldiers. The officials were replaced each year. They governed the village, collected taxes and judged minor offences. We will see how these soldiers lived as the tour goes on.

We are about to enter the fort - donjon - over a bridge. Do come back tomorrow.