1100 litres of wine to give away!
And so to the vinyard of St Marc des Omedes billed as the smallest British vinyard in the Var near Lorgues. Alan Phillips, the owner and viticulturist has had a disaster, his red wine already decanted into boxes was deemed “a bit volatile” and thus not fit for sale as although drinkable at present, it could go off within 6 weeks or so, and thus he must give it away or pay to have it taken away! What can a man such as I do, when faced with a fellow human beings catastrophy such as this ? one has selflessly to try and relieve the poor man of some of his burden. With six weeks the likely time by which it would be undrinkable, I did not want to take more than we would drink, and so rather abstemiously, we took only 12 of his 10 litre boxes. he has some 1100 litres to dispose of!
Some reaction, not all good, to yesterdays piece about that poor dog, apparently I will owe the owner an apology if she ever gets to read it, so lets hope she adopts the head in the sand attitude of Wing Commander Spensley who absolutely refuses to read this blog. Talking of dogs, good news! Banjo is ill! I had assumed his condition was terminal and kindly offered to spare my wife the burden of taking him to the vets to be put down, but my offer was spurned most forcefully, apparently it is only something minor like he has stuck his nose into an ants nest or something of the like.
An Offer to play Trinquet in the evening comes a little late as I decided to try the wine before it went off. Trinquet is apparently something akin to Real Tennis and there is a court in nearby Plan De Grasse. I will try it at some stage and report back.
Finally my son has grown up and lost interest in his pet Chinchilla so a new home has to be found for her. I ventured the opinion that barbequed chinchilla might be a delecacy in The Andes from whence she came and that I might also fashion an excellent pair of gloves from that soft fur but my suggestion seems to have alienated me from my family, I cannot think why
Chilli the Chinchilla, gloves or barbeque, or both?
So if anyone can give a good home to Chilli, please let me know!
Chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? www.fr2day.com
Best Esate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com
http://frenchriviera-properties.com
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? www.valbonneonline.com
Secret supper club www.red-radish.com
Wedding reception? http://www.bastidestmathieu.com/
Dog Eared News and Free Wine!
Dog with ears tied up
Now why would you do that to your dog? The owner whom I met briefly at Villa Eagle at the weekend and whose name escapes me must really hate it! If it was Banjo, my wife’s dog, I could quite understand why someone (like me) would want to tie something like that around a part of his anatomy with him tethered to something immovable then send him after a tennis ball or something, but that’s just me getting my own back for all the grief he has bestowed on me, christ, what an earth did that dog do? It must have been something akin to genocide to merit that punishment!
Sunday, A quiet day, after the recent hectic social treadmill, sampling a few of the very many excellent provencal roses. The area of Provence is not noted for its whites or reds, although there are a couple of very good reds, Chateau de Berne for instance, but there are any number of roses (thats the wine not the flower) produced locally and many of them are very good and excellent value. It is not imposssible to pay 3-4 euros for something very decent, but there is such an array of choice, that we decided this weekend to buy half a dozen or so different bottles all under 6 euros and decide which was the best value whilst enjoying a barbeque. I have no recollection of the results, save to tell you that they were all excellent , and that the Gris variety (a slightly more orange colour) were the favourites. Rose can of course only be drunk when the sun is warm.
Valbonne as a hub of media excellence has another media creator in its midst, I have just discovered that Bill Colegrave, one of my tennis foe who despite looking old enough to be my father is in fact younger than me, is an accomplished and published author! His second book about exploring the source of The Oxus River in Afghanistan to be called “Halfway To Heaven” and with a strap line from Sir Ranulph Fiennes will be published this coming September. In his spare time he owns and runs The Bastide St Matthieu near Grasse which is a spendid Boutique Hotel with his lovely wife Soraya. I just hope it wansn’t his dog I was so rude about earlier!
A cry for help from the Phil at St Marc De Somedes vineyard in the Var, he has some red wine in boxes that has become in his words “a bit volatile” and will not last long, (wouldn’t last long in this house anyway) so he must give it away or pour it away, thus I feel it my duty to help this poor man in his hour need so have emptied the car and am off immediately to relieve his burdon somewhat!
chris france
Peonies peaking our precariously
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? www.fr2day.com
Best Esate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com
http://frenchriviera-properties.com
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? www.valbonneonline.com
Secret supper club www.red-radish.com
Wedding reception? http://www.bastidestmathieu.com/
Wild Orchids and Wild Cigar Smokers
After 10 holes, I was just 3 over par, 23 points on the card and then it happened, a spot of rain….regular readers will be well aware of my antipathy for rain, a completely unnecessary occurrence given the wet winter we have had, and with the day starting so brilliantly both in golfing and weather terms, couldn’t god have sent it over to Ethiopia or whichever part of the world is gasping for it? I know it was just a few drops, and that the sun returned within 10 minutes, but my concentration was broken and golfing disaster looming. But I digress, the start of the day was lit up by the splendour of the Opio Valbonnne golf course at Chateau de la Begude and Paul Duffy’s very fetching pink cashmere golf attire. I do like to see a man so in touch with his femine side although I suspect had the Wingco been there his moustache may have bristled and betrayed a different view. Dave the Fade had teamed me up with the charming Malcolm, Mick Pedley and the impossibly good looking and impossibly named yacht captain Chuck Tann. I mean what sort of name is that? I suggested to him that his real name might have been something like Reginald Molehusband, bit the look from those steely eyes caused me change the subject rather abruptly! but I can say to Chuck now from the comfortable distance of this blog, 27 is a girls handicap whatever your name! When I first met Mick Pedley at a Regs event about 4 years ago, he was wearing some shorts that looked a bit like leaderhousen which he claimed to be his German Shooting Trousers. I recall telling that the war was over and we should forgive and forget as shooting Germans might be rather anti EEC regulations, but was never sure if he got the joke…he is a lovely calm and relaxed man but I am afraid he is from Yorkshire. Pretty county that it can be in some places, I am disinclined to visit often as I like the comforts that electricity can provide and I have an aversion to tundra. His love of the outdoors (what else is there to do in Yorkshire) has at least imbued him with some knowledge rare in a Yorkshireman (you can tell a Yorkshireman by his accent, but you can’t tell him much) of the great outdoors, it was he who knew where on the golf course to find some rare wild red Orchids shown in one of my pictures today. You will notice that I haven’t mentioned golf much after the 10th, this is because of those spots of rain which clearly destroyed the last 8 holes for me, collecting just another 8 points to finish with 31, not on the leaderboard….which led me to the diversion of photographing flowers.
Wild Red Orchid at Opio Valbonne Golf Course
From golf to lunch with Bob and Juliet at the fantastic Villa Eagle – an apt name you may think given the mornings events where amongst the guests were John and the beautifully endowed Jude O’ Sullivan, Paul Thornton and very beautiful Lisa Thorton- Allan. Both Paul and John paid their considerable respects to the contents of my travelling cigar humidor. Chaps, there is a very good tabac in Valbonne with a good range of Cigars including Montecristo No 2’s, my stock of which was once again seriously depleted yesterday. Pauls casual mention that he had been in the tabac that very day and had once again forgotten his promise of buying cigars was like a stab in the heart.
John O Sullivan determinedly reducing my cigar stock
Much wailing and gnashing of teeth yesterday from committed fans of this incisive insight into life in Valbonne because yesterdays episode did not publish at lunchtime as expected. This was due to the writer pre programming it to publish 12 hours later than intended, so my apologies to those hordes of regular followers who were bereft yesterday.
Chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? www.fr2day.com
Best Esate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com
http://frenchriviera-properties.com
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? www.valbonneonline.com
Ups and downs of Living in France
There are things you take for granted here, such as fresh fruit – which has not been irradiated like most UK fruit, you can chose exactly what items you want rather than face a prepackaged selection, you can get a doctors appointment the same day and treatment for just about anything really quickly (the french health system is the best in the world), but boy do they love paperwork! I believe 1/3 of the workforce is employed to push paper around….but the bad thing is the price you have to pay for those English delicacies such as Branston Pickle or Salad Cream. I know the french have mayonaise but its not the same, it doesnt have the bite. We are lucky enough to have a British store called, rather imaginatively Brittains in Valbonne where you can get all those UK treats, but at a price!
The french are also famously anti entrepreneurial, which is strange as it is a french word, but people engaged in trying to set up a business English style are accused of trying the “Anglo Saxon Experiment” which is said with such distaste and usually accompanied by some gallic grimacing, so I have decided to retire and play more golf and tennis. My life was just getting too busy for work, in fact work began to affect my leisure time, so thats it, I thought when I moved here 5 years ago, finished. Well that is what I had hoped but commercial reality soon dawns, and with the exchange rates of £1 = 1.45 euros a distant memory, I have had to perfect working at such an intensity I do not need to work a full day. There is also of course the art of delegation. I have just employed a young Thornton-Allen to mow my lawn, now thats delegation. Of course he thinks he is getting paid but, as I will loftily inform him once he is finished, that would be against the law. I find it works once then they dont come back…My picture today shows the gals hard at work, drinking into my rose stock by the pool and discussing matters of great import such as which eyeliner is the best value…at the rate they consume I may need counselling, which is handy as I have just received word from fellow British Riviera Club member Anne Pilling of her counselling sessions she is running in Nice. A note from Lucy at Red Radish who is running more secret supper club events, thoroughly recommended. so final preparation for golf tomorrow. A full report on Sunday!
Chris France
Gals, hoovering up my rose
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? www.fr2day.com
Best Esate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com
http://frenchriviera-properties.com
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? www.valbonneonline.com
A Move To The Garden Office
the natural world in full effect
About this time of year I consider a move from my office otherwise known as the kennel to our pavilion pictured. I have discovered that the wifi will work up there so from now on dear readers, I will be able to keep you abreast of my tireless toil of trying to save people money on foreign exchange transfers from my summer office.
I am being reminded that some tennis was played yesterday, but you know what, I dont seem to recall it? We are lucky enough to be allowed to use the wonderful tennis court at Rupert and Sophie Scotts house in Plascassier. It is magnificent dwelling set in some 16,000 square metres with beautiful features and very interesting history in that it was Edith Piafs house and is actually where she died, although such was her fame when she passed away the french authorities moved her body to Paris and claimed she had died there. It was in this sublime setting that we played, but I was so transported by the ambience that I have no idea what the score was, but who cares?
Tulips from Amsterdam, well the bulbs came from Amsterdam..
Every day I discover more and more high profile media types are living in, or have a house in Valbonne or close by. This week I have discovered in our midst is one Jane Balodis nee Girling who was variously a senior designer, producer and director at both MTV and Nickelodeon! Yesterday I was searching for bargains at Super U when I bumped into Nigel and Alice Barker, who also make promotional clips, particularly for top quality rental homes or prestige homes for sale. Clearly Valbonne must now be viewed as another centre of global media excellence. No fridge magnet salesmen here!
summer office with natural air conditioning
- I expect we will see a few refugees from MIP this weekend, stranded here by a bit of dust from Iceland, seems to me like a poor excuse not to go home, but given the delights of the area, who can blame them? otherwise a busy weekend with The REGS golf tomorrow at Opio/Valbonne followed by a private lunch at another friends villa, again with its own tennis court in the heights of Valbonne. Actually, it is near enough to the golf course that I expect to be able to find some of the balls that Dave the fade will undoubtedly lose tomorrow!
chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? www.fr2day.com
Best Esate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com
http://frenchriviera-properties.com
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? www.valbonneonline.com
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
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? www.fr2day.com
Best Esate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com
http://frenchriviera-properties.com
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? www.valbonneonline.com
Food growing wild in France
Dogs search for wild asparagus
Following the interest in my piece on wild asparagus yesterday, I decided to train our dogs to find more, so my picture today shows them hard at work foraging in the Brague. The oldest dog, the intelligent one, the one that listens, understands and gets it, Max, has the right idea, he is searching on the banks, not in the river, after all it grows on land, not in the water. The other dog, Banjo, is stupidly in the river searching in the water. Regular readers of this blog will know I have at best a certain antipathy for the younger dog Banjo, but I am afraid that his excuse for not finding any asparagus – that he doesn’t speak english – is not acceptable. I think he should have been subjected to a patriot test of his english like all immigrants, before he was allowed to join the household, but as in all things Banjo, I am overrruled by the future ex wife. You may think that this is a dangerous statement to make, but like house guest and WAG Claire, she seldom looks at the dreaded screen and takes very little interest in this blog, a fact I know the hundreds of happy followers will find astounding.
A meeting later today with Paul Thornton Allan, the svengali behind Creative Village to discuss his ground breaking modular exhibition system. I shall be guiding him to success with this project in the coming months whereupon I know I shall be amply rewarded. The meeting will be in Valbonne, and my guess is that it will extend past the point where the sun is over the yardarm, thus I expect we will take some refreshment to congratulate ourselves on a deal well done, I just hope I remember to collect the money he owes me for AC/DC tickets. Finally today, contact from the lovely Geraldine whom we met for the first time in Valbonne at the weekend, yet another media mogul with a house in the area around Valbonne, her speciality being product placement in tv programmes and films.
Chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? www.fr2day.com
Best Esate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com
http://frenchriviera-properties.com
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? www.valbonneonline.com
Wild Asparagus and MIP TV
My picture today shows what have been told to I believe to be wild asparagus growing alongside the Brague river which we spotted this morning. It will apparently be in my salad at lunchtime so if this is the final blog I ever write, you know I will have been poisoned by something that looked like wild asparagus but was in fact something like deadly ivy! And so to Cannes for MIP TV, as its name suggests a festival attracting the world of TV and other media types, such as me, taking a few hours off from my tireless pursuit of those unhappy souls who have not yet seen the light that is Currencies Direct. Having made records with the likes of Rolf Harris, Sam Fox and worked with Simon Cowell, Paul Oakenfold, Norman Cook, and with continuing responsibilities to the Steve Marriott estate, I retain business interests in the media sphere, so have every right to enjoy lunch on the beach whilst discussing issues of import to our industry. That at least is what I shall be telling my accountant, when I submit the inevitably ridiculous bill for lunch as a necessary expense, however a couple of days of this and I will be very glad to withdraw to Valbonne where I can spend time with real people! nothing from my various tennis opponents, probably still running scared, and deafening silence from Mr Sampson regarding my squash challenge, so must commence the preparation for the REGS golf tournament this Saturday at Opio Valbonne, otherwise known as Chateau Begaud. This is not a golf course that I would recommend to Mr North, rather too many trees for his liking and Dave the fade often experiences trouble here. Our first house guest of the summer is departing today, back to the grim and chilly UK, with the parting comment; “I am going to keep reading the blog, but I want to hear some good gossip” so if thats what my readers want then I shall endeavour to appease them…Comments (and any good gossip) welcome!
Chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? www.fr2day.com
Best Esate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com
http://frenchriviera-properties.com
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? www.valbonneonline.com
Late snow and Valbonne Square
late spring snow looking up to Greoliere Les Neiges
A reminder that winter is not far behind us is depicted on my picture above, a night time thunderstorm has deposited a covering of snow over the mountains leading up to Greoliere Les Neiges, which was clearly visible on my morning walk around the Valmasque forest. The resort has closed, but Isola 200, Auron And Valberg are open until this coming Sunday. It will burn off in the sun today but is unusual for this time of year, after all, we are only a few weeks away from the Cannes Film Festival! I have business to do in Cannes this week, MIP, a TV oriented festival is in town, so loads of media types swanning around on expenses (that will incude me then!) and the beach restuarants should be busy. Returning to the sporting theme that runs through this blog, an old friend has made contact and it is delightful to hear from him but one of his claims is that he always used to beat me at squash. His name is Phil Sampson whom I have not seen for at least 20 years, but even then, his squash playing days must have been severly numbered, what with all that extra weight he was carrying then, and despite being younger than me, was often mistaken for my dad. Once again I must issue a challenge backed by money, Phil, I want to see the colour of your money. As we say in the music industry, talk is cheap! And talking of cheap, it was lovely to see the man with the dark brown voice, Mr John O Sullivan (he’s Irish in case you had not realised!) in Valbonne square yesterday and his lovely wife Jude and to meet some charming new people whose names have already escaped me (altzheimers is increasingly……er.. what was I saying?), and my other picture today shows young Claire our house guest and resident WAG, just before she polished off a couple of carafes of rose in the square yesterday. I am safe however, as she does not have her laptop here and hardly ever looks at a computer…..
An attempt to run down the stocks of rose
Chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? www.fr2day.com
Best Esate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/ Best French Riviera Property Agent?
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? www.valbonneonline.com
Dave, Don’t Hit It Over The Fence
I told him, it was a simple par 3 at the Grande Bastide. Our leader, Dave The Fade, despite his protestations to the contrary always enjoys being drawn to play with me, and at the short 13th I told him, “dont hit it over that fence” which was at least 80 metres and more than 50 degrees away from the target, and what did he do? I was trying to help…..I tried once more to help help him, poining out at the next hole that the bunker about 30 yards away wasn’t really in play, but he proved me wrong! A lovely sunny and warm day for the beginning of the Landlubbers summer eclectic (Paul North, look it up) competition. Now some people without the sartorial powers and fashion sense that I possess consider that my silver golf shoes are a little gaudy, but as you can clearly see from my picture, nothing could be further than the truth, they are indeed a very classy and very desirable pair of shoes. The views from the Grande Bastide golf course, about 3 miles from Valbonne are truly beautiful as todays picture shows and whilst the gals enjoyed another opportunity to soak up some sun, I prepared at the 19th hole for the Antibes yatch show, later in the afternoon. Tickets were arranged by Wayne from www.fr2day and from there when the sun went down (and the free beer courtesy of Blue Water Yachting) ran out we repaired to the very popular Blue Lady in Antibes for a pint of guinness and yes, Walkers crisps.
Today sees us in Valbonne for the “Vide Grenier” literally “clear the attic” sale where I shall be, as always, on the look out for bargains in the plastic flower department. They are so much easier to tend and require no watering, fertiliser or weeding. I have responsibility for these, whilst my wife has responsibility for everything growing naturally in the garden. From there it is possible that we shall adjourn to the square in Valbonne for a pre barbeque drink, this being a day of rest for me from educating the (well heeled) masses of the value of the services of Currencies Direct
chris france
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? www.fr2day.com
Best Esate Agency in Valbonne? www.rivierarealty.net
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? www.valbonneonline.com
The Valbonne Social Report
Boys lunch yesterday, organised by “Grand Pu Ba” Peter Lynn, (aka Pierre Le Grande) impossibly tall and posssibly the best joke teller I have ever met, and despite his years, more than I have the heart to mention here, he is the life and soul of the gathering. A little shaky sometimes, he has the endearing habit (endearing to everyone except long suffering wife Judy) of being able to spill almost anything on his shirt. We all felt that it was going to be a big day, as he decided to wear a white shirt! As my progession of pictures show, this turned out to be an inspired choice, so well did the said shirt show off each course! Talking to Clive Milburn about his boat which is moored at Antibes, I was initially impressed that he had a 34 metre animal, however as it unfolded it was revealed that it is actually 34 feet, so merely a dinghy! Depressed to find amongst our gathering a number of unenlightened 5th columnists, users inferior and more expensive currency exchange services than the best Currencies Direct. I now have their emails and, soon I will know where you all live!
Arrived back from lunch to find various gals, including our house guest and WAG, Clair, arranged decoriously around the pool in various states of undress – very glamourous and a very nice welcome home to an old man full of lunch, but it was not always this glamourous for Clair, indeed I have another picture saved up of her helping to clean the pool the day before!
WAG Float
Last night at the Red Radish Secret Supper Club at a sumptuous villa in Chateauneuf, breathtaking views, big turn out, delectable Indian food and a cigar too far judging by my rather sexy gruff voice this morning. A busy daty ahead, golf with Dave The Fade and his Landlubber group, followed by a visit to the aforementioned yatch show, mainly to see Blah Blah, the best covers band I have ever seen, if only they did original material, they could have been huge!
Chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? www.fr2day.com
Best Esate Agency in Valbonne? www.riviera-realty.net
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? www.valbonneonline.com
Valbonne Market in spring
Valbonne market in full effect
It is as if God himself has realised what a crap spring he has quite literally rained down on us, clearly those in high places read this blog, so today has dawned clear and sunny, and this WILL continue until next winter! (I hope you are listening up there). The weekly Valbonne market takes over the pretty streets every Friday morning all year around. There is a fine array of local produce but also some rather nice hand made items, up market clothing and other interesting merchandise, along side the usual market traders. I have heard that some traders who also attend the Mouans Sartoux market about 4 miles away tend to increase their prices when in Valbonne, but if that is the case then I say it is worth it because the village has such a wonderful ambience.
And so, Friday is upon us, the Auberge St Donat is, as I write, girding itself for the onslaught that is the old gits sorry old boys lunch, but without the wingco this time, he has had to ask to be excused because he is stuck in London. Poor show I say, and the committee will have to consider action, one cannot have the stalwarts of the luncheon organisation (and especially those that live so near, and own the venue for the traditional post pradial digestive on the terrace overlooking his pool whilst watching the sunset over the Estorel hills) backsliding like this, I suggest that someone will be getting a brown envelope from the chairman (Mr North will understand this!). Tonight to the Radish Secret Dinner Club louise.bird@wanadoo.fr 06 87 04 03 88 for bookings
Tomorrow golf with Dave The Fade at the Grande Bastide, then off to the Anitibes yacht show in the afternoon to make sure they are taking good care of my boat and to watch the excellent Blah Blah play at the crewshow. As the wingo would say (if he were here) “crash helmets and rock n roll positions chaps” I think a reference to those afficionados of “Air Guitar”
Chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? www.fr2day.com
Best Esate Agency in Valbonne? www.rivierarealty.net
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? www.valbonneonline.com
The Curse Of Chris
Let me take you by the hand and lead through the streets of Valbonne
Preparing for golf on Saturday at Grande Bastide with Dave the fade and the landlubbers, should I be worried that the first email inviting me to play did not mention a venue? On many of these occasions, we are joined by Marc Wolff the film insider and pilot to whom I alluded yesterday, he apparently was at the reciving end of some grief when he got home because his wife believed him to be at home doing his VAT rather than swanning about Valbonne meeting his friends or coffee…..beware, if you get mentioned in this blog, you too could be on the receiving end of The Curse Of Chris! Whilst on this sporting theme you may well see a limping man mountain about 6 feet 5 inches tall (thats close to 2 metres in new money) with more than a passing resemblance to Martin Johnson our very own English rugby team coach and world cup winning captain. That is because Will Johnson his brother and former professional at Leicester is now a resident in Valbonne whilst playing rugby for Nice, or rather, not playing much because of injury! A thoroughly charming and approachable man with a gorgeous penathlete wife, Michelle….some men have everything!
another peaceful Valbonne village shot
Now we are supposed to have over 300 sunny days per year here, but once again we have clouds and some light rain this morning. All I can say is that once the weather settles down, statistically we should be sunny every day until Xmas! I refuse to use any pictures of inclement weather, so my pictures today were taken yesterday showing some of the charming streets in the village. Boys lunch tomorrow at Auberge St Donat, then to the Radish secret supper club in the evening. Think I may go for a lie down now to prepare!
Chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
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Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? www.rivierarealty.net
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rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? www.valbonneonline.com
The Latin Quarter of Valbonne
And so to the very popular and charming Cafe Latin in Valbonne
Cafe Latin in Valbonne, meeting place for the great and good
for a 10am meeting with Tim Swanee fom Home Hunts www.home-hunts.com , however by 10 past 10 there was no sign, so thank heaven for blackberry’s, he lives in the village so I emailed him and he was there 2 minutes later looking a tad disshevelled. The truth is, of course, that he had forgotten about our meeting, which he quickly acknowledged when questioned, in fact I believe he was wearing his pyjamas under his jacket! One of my pictures today is of Cafe Latin, just beside the steps from the large parking area before you cross into the old village. It is a vibrant meeting place, today for instance, mysterious Saudi connected investment banker Bob Hanka (one of those whom I suspect might not be a fan of my particular tennis skills) was in full effect on his phone, and I saw and chatted to Marc Wolff, flyer extraordinaire and 2nd unit film director who has worked on hundreds of films including all the modern James Bond films, all the Harry Potters, Black Hawk Down etc etc, more recently he was working on “Amelia” the film about Amelia Earhart . He has just returned from Berlin where he was working again with Matt Damon on a film to be released next year. His wife Lyn runs the English Book shop, in Valbonne www.englishbookcentre.com
English Book shop, Valbonne
which is my other picture today, and is in fact a study in how not to take a picture, ie, make sure your own shadow is not in shot! , perhaps I can learn a lot from her husband!
Until tomorrow…
Chris France
The best estate agents in Antibes
Valbonne Church Stone – and Lunch
Looking into the history of the construction of Valbonne Church
When asked to sum up Provence in one word, Peter Maille, author if “A Year In Provence” replied “Lunch!”. Not wishing to be out of kilter with local sentiment, and as regulars readers will know, I have embraced the concept wholeheartedly, today I have a lunch appointment today with my German friend Konstantin Von Kleist. I shall have to venture out of my beloved Valbonne however, as Konstantin is an estate agent www.afa-international.com who prefers the beach. I imagine that Le Petit Plage at Juan Les Pins (given the weather forecast) will do nicely and after the debacle of no blog last Thursday, when I was hijacked by Paul Thornton-Allan after lunch with disasterous results, I am taking the precaution of writing today’s blog offering early.
My pictures today show what appears to be a hole in the Valmasque forest, but it is no ordinary hole, this is apparently from where the locals extracted the stone to build the church in Valbonne. I have been corrected by one avid reader as the the age of Valbonne, apparently much of it is 12th century not 17th century as one of the signs in the village suggests.
The "fort" from where the stone to build Valbonne Church was extracted
No responses to me emails suggesting tennis, perhaps they are all running scared, or more likely the slow lobbing game of which I am king is about as popular as a catholic preist at a kindergarten, still I live in hope that I shall be included somewhere. Perhaps “Coughing Clive” Panto (his real name – Oh Yes it is..) who I know to be back in the area for a holiday will grace us with his presence?
To rent my house in summer have a look at http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
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