The Perfume Line and the tennis line

Southern Alps with late spring snow

From Valbonne to Cannes by car when there is no traffic takes about 20 mins, but can take an hour at peak times and in mid summer, which can be such a bore if one’s chauffeur has the day off. However there is another option; take the train from Mouans Sartoux. TER, the local train operating company reopened what was the old perfume line from Grasse to Cannes and with it the station ant Mouans Sartoux in 2005. It had been closed since the second world war, probably the last war the wingco starred in.  I can get to the station in around 7 minutes, and the train takes 17 minutes to get to central Cannes, right on the main shopping street for mortals, the route d’Antibes. The Croisette, home to shops like Chanel, Gucci etc and the Palais Des Festivals, is no more than 5 minutes walk, so during MIP it is an easy option if, and this is a big if, one sector or another of  french transport workers are not on strike!  as they are today. The french love a strike and much as I love this country one has to accept that it is basically communist state made worse  pre Thatchrite UK union problems.

On the way back, stop in to Decathlon in Antibes and see new snow on the southern Alps, which is one of my pictures today

A suprise invitation to tennis after the rigours of Cannes, the old gits as we are known generously allowing their younger opponents Bill Colegrave and John Coward, having taken time off from crashing his 777 at Heathrow last year,  to just shave it in the final set.  We all know that it was down to 118 senior (aka Wing Commander Robert Spensley) and my tennis partner whose net play has been so atrocious after the long winter lay off.  Regular readers will not be suprised to hear that in no way can any stain of defeat be attributed to me.  Robert has rather foolishly told me that he will never read this blog, indeed he gave us all the impression he would rather chew his own arm off that read anything I had ever written, which makes it very easy to lay the entire blame for our defeat at his door.  However, his wife, the delectable Maryse, is an avid follower and will no doubt keep him up to date with events described herein!  If that doesn’t work, I will find his childrens email addresses…..

Ready for the omlette

My second picture today is of the triumphant collection of wild asparagus today, which according to my french dog walking pal, will, with addition of some fine herbs and eggs make an excellent omlette!  Paul North once a butcher before descending down the social scale, makes a comment alluding to road kill,  however, even a lowly fridge magnet salesman should know that asparagus is not an animal!  The only animals he seems to understand are horses, and of those only the very rare ones amongst those he backs that actually win.  He suggests in another comment that the french like horse meat, which of course is true, but Paul has a taste for eels and whelks, now tell me what is more distasteful ?  All comments welcomed!

Chris France

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