So we went for a walk to Italy yesterday morning. The part of Garavan that runs from just about where our apartment is (porte de France) east to Italy is not especially commercial. It houses the local soccer & boules stadium, several villas & apartments (with spectacular views of the old town and marina) and the road that runs to the old passport control office. The south side of the road is completely against the sea, so the places on the north side have glorious, unobstructed views.
We have told you about the Belle Epoch propensity for wintering here in Menton, especially royalty. Queen Victoria and her son & heir, Edward, spent tons of time here, as did the Belgian Royal family.
Astrid, Queen of the Belgians, was born a Princess, the daughter of King Gustav V of Sweden. In 1926, she married the Crown prince of Belgium, Leopold, and became queen with the death of her father-in-law in 1934 (he died in a mountain-climbing accident). She was very much the Lady Di of her day, renown for her beauty, charity and devotion to her husband and her duties as Queen.
Unfortunately, just like Princess Diana (and come to think of it, princess Grace, too) she was killed in a car accident, at only 29 years of age, on the 29th of August, 1935.
During her husband’s regency, though, they built a magnificent villa in the town, with one edge of the property actually comprised of the Italian border. The villa and its extensive grounds, lavishly planted with some of the finest Mediterranean specimens anywhere, is unfortunately closed to the public. It is owned by the Village of Menton, and is used for hosting diplomatic and municipal functions. One can only imagine the delights behind those closed doors. Paul and I were lucky enough to sneak in to the grounds one year and snap some photos, using our ignorance of the language on the signs as an excuse.
So far, we've had sun every day, though there continues to be persistent clouds. Tans are developing nicely!
so glad your tans are coming along nicely...although the sun is shining, it's fricking freezing here in Elora! ;-(
ReplyDeleteCarolyn, Queen of Bored Retail Shop Owners
I called home on Mother's day - mom said how cold it was. Sorry to hear that. Much nicer here, though not hot. His between 21 and 26. Mix of sun and clouds, some mornings or evenings with solid clouds. We've had a doozy of a rain storm over night (that was followed by the waves you saw in the pics and videos). Sorry to hear that it isn't nice there. Boo hoo. No. Really.
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