To Stop and Smell the Roses

Menton is a small village on the eastern end of the French Riviera with a reputation for its gardens.  

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Kelly and Pete met a man at church last month who told them he lived in Menton and could walk down the hill from his house and have espresso in Italy. 

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 While in Paris, we visited the temporary exhibit at the Institut du Monde Arabe that introduced us to Les Jardin Essaiye, the experimental gardens of the Côte d'Azur where succulents, cacti and other exotic plants were originally imported to determine their uses in French botanical gardens.  

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So, with a free week ahead of us and school behind us, Camille researched the gardens of Menton and we planned a day trip.  

There are several private gardens, some public, all open to the public only on certain days at certain times.  Monday is a good day to visit with two of the most popular gardens open, Fontana Rosa in the morning and Val Rahmeh in the afternoon.  A little more research told us that of the two train stations in Menton, Menton-Garavan on the eastern side is closest to the "Garden District".

Fontana Rosa, built by Blasco Ibanez, a spanish author and filmmaker, in 1928 had fallen into disrepair until it was restored over the last twenty years.  We walked through the gate into a group already formed around the guide who looked directly at me and spoke in French.  I understood him and quickly paid the entry fee for me, I was able to tell him in French that the children were 14 and 16 year old students(=free).  He then looked at me and continued in French asking me if I had any questions.  From the rest of the group....crickets.  I quickly formulated my sentence and explained(again in French) that I spoke a little French(petite peu) was it possible for him to speak a little english or no? And the rest of the group jumped to the rescue!  It turned out that in the group of 8- there was an English teacher, Spanish teacher and an Italian teacher.  They all said they would help translate and off we went.

How much more of a Riviera experience could we have asked for?

 So we toured the crumbling gardens of Ibanez that were built to celebrate famous authors:  Cervantes, Dickens and Balzac.  He used majolica tiles reminiscent of his spanish heritage and the micro climate in Menton from the mountains and the sea, enable tropical plants to grow and flourish. He also built garden rooms to create comfortable seats and solitude where a visitor could relax and read.   There were citrus and nenuphars(water lilies) and banyan trees and iris.  We recognized parts that echoed the Alcazar and the Alhambra and even benches that reminded us of Gaudi's Parc Guell.  Rose bushes were scattered throughout and each smelled different, and wonderful, and their blooms are huge.

The final stop on the tour was the little temple like structure with a bust of Cervantes in the middle of the small pond.  We were delighted to see that the majolica behind the bust told the story "de la Mancha" and, with the Spanish teacher, we picked out Don Quixote, Sancho Panza and she talked about Dulcinea...I couldn't find any moulins(windmills) and she quickly pointed..."la...et la...et la.."

Majolica tiles that told the story of Don Quixote.
The black was only introduced into the tiles during
the Art Nouveau period(early 1900s).

The gardens were a gift, but to share them with that particular group was an experience.

I liked how the tile columns mimic tree trunks
adding color and whimsy to the natural space.

A view of Menton from the beach.

After lunch at the beach and the best gelato we have had since Italy, I had mojito-lime sorbet with fresh mint in it!-We headed back out to find the Val Rahmeh Gardens.  After a little misdirection through the Jardin des Oliviers, from what I am going to tell myself were a well meaning french couple, we walked down a stairwell into a valley filled with tropical plants.  The yellow stucco and rod iron gate directed us down a driveway lined with palms whose branches were even with the mountains on either side of the gardens.

yellow bamboo

Val Rahmeh was built and nurtured by Lord Radcliffe in the early 1900s and named for his second wife's name was Rahmeh which means tranquility in Persian arabic.  He purchased the grove of palms leading up to the home and set about landscaping and cultivating plant species.  The small valley provided the perfect protection for over 700 species of plants and the canopy of the trees makes you feel like you have entered another world.  The paths wind you up and down the side of the valley and stairs lead you to a high garden with a grassy space and pond filled with waterlilies and a view of the Mediterranean while looking at the tops of citrus trees.

The time and energy spent to create this garden are impressive.  These gardens are a celebration of nature and its creations while also using man's creativity to build garden rooms and inspiring spaces.

I was inspired.  Most of these plants will grow in the Southern Alabama heat just not sure about the humidity.  Camille, Pete and I have hatched plans on this trip to get a birdcage with birds (we still debate parrot vs. several small songbirds), a boule court for Kelly and Mr. Holder, and now we have plans to plant and terrace the back of our yard. #leisuregoals

Paris- Modern Art to Military History...

May 7th, late night again...

One of my favorite museums in Paris is free- Musee d'Art Moderne.   Camille and I visited here two summers ago with Kelly and were amazed at the Impressionist art that you could walk right up to with no lines!  So we brought Pete back and visited the temporary exhibit for Albert Marquet who we had never heard of.  Turns out, he traveled with Raoul Dufy painting northern France waterfronts, spent time on the Riviera with Matisse and lived from Paris to Algiers.  Pete even loved the work-probably because it was mostly waterfront. Marquet exhibit information

After the museum, we walked up the Right bank for lunch in the Trocadero.  I still think this is the best view of the Eiffel tower without the crowds and street vendors.  And the pictures from the top of the steps are always fun.

Then, an afternoon planned by and for Pete- history, military history.  In all the times I've visited the city, I had never been to Les Invalides.  Built as a hospital, it now holds the Musee l'Armee and the Cathedral with Napoleon's tomb.

 Since Pete was most interested in the World War 1 and World War II parts of the museum, that is where we headed and spent almost two hours learning about the French involvement in both wars.  The museum had a great collection of military uniforms, videos, weapons and interesting facts- some we knew, some were new to us.  For instance, we knew that the French uniforms for WWI had red which looked very fashionable but made them great targets for the enemy.  We also knew that they mobilized over 600 Parisian taxis to transport troops to the front-"the Miracle of the Marne".  We did not know there were alpine divisions of the french army, or that during WWII they dropped hundreds of small silver "windows" with parachutes to confuse German radar into thinking they were parachuting soldiers.

 And after a great dinner with the Bullingtons, back to the Eiffel tower for those great afternoon pics- watch the video and see my competitive son accidentally whack his friend..she was fine, thank goodness.

And a river cruise to rest our tired feet and watch the city light up.  I think I have been on a Bateaux Mouche every time I have been to Paris.  I love how it immediately removes you from the hustle and bustle and dust of the city and the views of the bridges are amazing.

So much to process in one day with another to go...But feeling so lucky for the opportunity.

A Day in Celebration of Higher Learning

May 6th, 2016- 11:30pm

The primary reason for this trip to Paris was for Camille and Wilson to take

the Advanced Placement US History exam at the American School of Paris in Saint Cloud.  The exam was at 9 this morning and lasted 3 hours-ugh.  With that out of the way, we ubered back to the city center as soon aspossible and celebrated with pastrami, french fries and cokes at the kosher  Then the three McGriffs headed out.
deli in our neighborhood-Schwartz's.

We walked from the Marais, with its narrow streets crowded with a few tourists and a lot of shoppers and moms with strollers headed to a park, across the Seine to the Ile St. Louis, which was relatively quiet until we approached Berthillon, the ice cream shop behind Notre Dame made famous by every tour book since the 1980s.  Paris has such a great "cafe culture" and by 3-4 in the afternoon, people start claiming their tables.  The crowds of tourists on the island seemed to be happy baking in the sun, eating ice cream and enjoying the view of Notre Dame's flying buttresses.  As a parent, I realize that I have to keep repeating myself often- things I have shared with Camille, Pete missed because he was too little (and probably more interested in ice cream).  And now, Camille and I can both "teach" him as we share the history and architecture of one of our favorite cities.

We quickly headed across the next bridge and into the neighborhood of St. Germain des Pres and up
the hill.  Here the crowd changes a little from hoards of tourists to more of a neighborhood scene, and as you approach the Pantheon, you are walking by the Sorbonne.  The sidewalks were crowded with college students getting out of class.

Built in 1755 by Soufflot, an architect hired by Louis XV, the basilica was originally dedicated as a monument to Saint Genevieve.  Everything about the architecture of the building celebrates the Period of Enlightenment; the structure blends ancient architectural shapes from Corinthian columns, vaults and flying buttresses from Gothic, and the dome inspired by the Renaissance.



In 1791, the basilica was transformed into the National Pantheon where by decree, it was transformed into a temple to honor the great men of the Nation.  Voltaire's remains were
transferred there and Rousseau was interred there forever-rivals in theory in life- they lie facing each other in the crypt.  Two different times it was turned back into a church until finally in 1885, the structure was returned to its civic importance for Victor Hugo's funeral.

It turned out that my children loved the story of Victor Hugo's funeral as much as I do.  They were impressed with the stories of emotional outpouring of the city for a political and academic figure.  Almost 100,000 people lined the streets from the Arc de Triomphe, where the speeches were given, down the Champs de Elyssee, where the procession traveled down and across the river and up the hill in St. Germain to its resting place in the Pantheon.  People camped overnight for a place on the route, there were over 800 wreaths, and all this for a man of ideas, thoughts and letters.  The article of that day in the NYtimes is worth reading
New York Times, June1, 1885


So, it can be said that the French have celebrated their thinkers- the men and women that created the Enlightenment, which is how they moved from a monarchy to a democracy--on the rational principles of equality.

Along with Rousseau, Voltaire, and Hugo, the crypt holds the remains of Marie Curie and her husband Pierre, Alexandre Dumas, leaders of the French Resistance and the French Revolution, and Leon Gambetta, founder of the 3rd republic.

In keeping with its celebration of thought- Foucault's pendulum was originally tested here and was rebuilt in the late 1900s.  The pendulum, pulled back one time a day, swings for over 24 hours, and at this latitude, the base on the floor rotates around the pendulum at 11 degrees an hour, proving that the Earth is round and revolving.  It took the 3 of us a long time to wrap our brains around the scientific principles and Pete has plans to make one at home...





After the Pantheon, we headed back down the hill to a much more recent spot for a great meeting of the minds-Shakespeare & Co.  This is ground zero for the Lost Generation. Owned by Sylvia Beech and frequented by Gertrude Stein, the bookstore would loan the apartments above the store for little or no rent to aspiring authors.


Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Picasso were all here- exchanging ideas, writing, thinking and being encouraged.  As crowded as it is, my family always manages to find a few great new additions to our library.

Today the topics were the French Resistance and Architecture.

So- just what I hoped for. Lots of really big concepts
and ideas to chew on, and hopefully we will seek more information to answer all the questions that came up.  And with virtual learning, we have the time to seek knowledge.  Another layer of enrichment, another layer of Paris.

Hyères-Sailing, Salt flats, and Island Hikes

After two days of training, we handed Pete off to the coach and Camille and I set out to see what else Hyères had to offer.  The answer....a lot!  

We enjoyed a wonderful Sunday afternoon in a centre ville that was clean and devoid of any souvenirs, soap shops, lavender merchants.  Then, with help from a sweet lady and yet another public transportation system, we made it to the Route de Sel.  This system of salt flats was a major producer of salt in France from the 1100s until the 1970s when the more commercialized Camargue salt took over.  Today, the flats have been turned into a bird sanctuary full of flocks of flamingos!(I did not see that coming in France!) One side of the sandy road is the sanctuary, the other a sandy beach facing west on the peninsula with a beach bar and windsurfers.  We joined local families out for a stroll or a bike ride on this 5 mile stretch then took the 2 mile sidewalk back to the Port in time to hear about Pete's day on the water.

Camille had been intrigued by the barrier islands around Hyères, La Lavande, Port Cros, and Porquerolle.  With minimum internet connection and some scouting around the harbor, we figured out that Port Cros has been made a National Park, the ferry goes there once a day and returns in the afternoon, less than 100 people live on the island.  So on Monday, we sent Pete to the yacht club and hopped the ferry along with vacationers and their groceries headed to beach homes on La Lavande and shopkeepers headed to work on Port Cros.  The ferry was a much more local experience than I expected.  One guy got on with 5 baguettes and a dog.



Camille and I walked through town to the tourist office to get a trail map and actually beat the lady to work- she had been on the ferry with us.  She sold us a map and then pulled out a topographical model to show us that the four hour hike we were choosing was a cliff hike with a challenging uphill at the beginning. So we were prepared for the monte up the center of the island.  It paid off with more breathtaking views- we saw less than 10 other people, and two snakes, on the entire hike.

Just before returning to the village, we stopped at a small beach with water so clear and cold you could hardly believe it.  In the summer, there is a snorkeling "nature trail" underwater.

Back in the village waiting for the ferry, we watched the few villagers get ready for summer.  Sidewalks are being repaired, fresh paint, unpacking shipments from the ferry.  One little boy rode his bike from one end of the village to the other, back and forth along the hard packed clay for over an hour.  A group of hikers played boule next to the water.  And at 5:30, we all got on the ferry to head back to the mainland.  The little bike rider and his bike were with us and he cried to be leaving his family that stayed on the island.  The few hikers that were staying the night had to check in at the dock so that the captain had everyone accounted for and as we pulled out, Camille and I counted less than 20 people staying for the night.

I am sure both the Route de Sel and Port Cros become more congested in the summer months but we are thankful for our time here, sharing both the amazing international sailing and the simple local places.