NICE is not so nice


The Cote d' Azur beckoned as His Lordship had reason to visit. 'If you can be ready in 45 minutes' he loftily announced you can accompany me. Two hours later (well slightly more) after I had written copious do's and definitely dont's to a thrilled looking 2b I was ready to hand over the reigns of Le Chateau.

Making sure our guests were settled in nicely (it is self catering) but we do care, His Lordship flung his spare shirt into the back of The Grand Duchess. It was 30 degrees and I was feeling rather flustered just walking out of the front door so we plumped for alternative transport which as it turned out was rather a mistake.

Leaving behind glorious blue skies and the blissfully empty roads of the Languedoc we approached the Cote d' Azur. The cars were gridlocked in all directions, on the skyline huge blocks of flats dominated interspersed with the sound of numatic drills. People thronged along the front of Cannes, all shapes, all sizes, all nationalities. Cartier, Channel, Hermes, Yves St Laurent, you name it they were all there. Seriously suntanned ladies draped on the arms of their Fathers? tottered along the sidewalk on their Manolo Blahniks.

Maybe I'm older and jaded but it did nothing for me. Despite the heat it left me cold. Give me my beautiful untouched countryside of the Languedoc any day. I think I would have adored the Cote d' Azur before the war when it was frequented by the likes of Noel Coward, the villa's were few and far between and much more desirable instead of hiding behind massive electronic gates and security camera's.

Meanwhile His Lordship caught me fairly and squarely on film picking up my very first parking ticket outside the hotel in Cannes, how unlucky is THAT !

Oh it's glorious to be back at Le Chateau.

Comments

countrymousie said…
Well is that you by the DB7 then - doesnt look like a Riley to me!!
No 1 son's girlfriend has been in Cannes with George Clooney dont you know!! She works in Film PR or somesuch! We have a text from him!! How lovie is that.
I have never been to Nice - but I do have the older man so perhaps I ought to get by high heels out and head on down.
countrymousie said…
Oops - sorry its a DB9 - my mistake!
Un Peu Loufoque said…
oh dear, you must have been glad to get back chez vous!
Suffolkmum said…
Know what you mean about the cote d'azur; I was once in Frejus for a month or so and the people were sadly so rude; it is so built up too. LOVE your part of the world. I must say you're still being annoyingly discreet!
bodran... said…
That ticket is for keeping us all waiting! so there...
If these purplecooer's won't let you tell maybe they are trolls from the other site! you know the ones i mean...xxxooooo
KittyB said…
The old town in Nice is better, but the sea front bits of Nice, Cannes, Anitbes, St Tropez etc are a nightmare. Snooty people and hookers basically.

Do you know Cassis? My favourite place in the world just about. If I ever run away you will find me there!
ChrisH said…
But what a very, very glamorous parking ticket! Bad luck, glad you were happy to be home. Always a good sign.
Sally's Chateau said…
Bodran

Absolutely NO Trolls here at Le Chateau !! Hoping she will do a lovely blog though about her holiday.

Kittyb, Cassis is very pretty, your comment made me laugh out loud !
annakarenin said…
We have tended to stick to the Lang/ rouss area around Beziers but my Sis did go to the cote de recently and enjoyed it mind you she is off to the Atlantic coast now so it didn't get her hooked. I think myself I would find it a little too busy even though I love to read the Olive Farm and dream of owning one and Carol Drinkwater does well selling the area to me. Like you though I am drawn to it during another era Tender is the night does it well.

You are never going to tell are you but how many hits did it get you, a fair few I guess?
elizabethm said…
we are off to nimes to see some friends soon. totally agree, the coast and summer are not good. futher inland is the place to be.
jackofall said…
My dear, "numatic" is SO American-English; "pneumatic" is the word you were after.

And as for the DB9, countrymousie, she did say that they had plumped for alternative transport, and The Grand Duchess is no doubt too sophisticated and sedate for the bright and trashy lights of the coast.
Pondside said…
It might be over-bright and a bit trashy but from this vantage point Nice still looks pretty glamorous! Sometimes I get a bit tired of woodsy and rustic and could do with a dash of tinsel.
Sally's Chateau said…
jackofall, you are indeed correct and it would explain why my Mother sent me an e mail with the word pneumatic typed in huge red letters. Thankfully she has not yet mastered the art of leaving a comment !!
DevonLife said…
Yuk, don't leave hom again. Stay there by the pool, you know that's where we are picture you
Exmoorjane said…
DBwhat? Don't really do cars but it looks very smart - as does hotel.... Have never had the urge to go - like you say, in the past yes, suspect it was fabulous....but now, no thank-you - I too prefer the wild and unspoilt - unless, of course, I was hauled back to presentable when I too like a bit of glitz from time to time.

jxxx
@themill said…
My in laws spent three weeks every summer in Juan les Pins from their honeymoon in 1950 to about 10 years ago when my pa in law was no longer able to make the journey. Our baggy bottomed second son seems to have inherited the Francophile gene and I'm sure will end up living there one day.
Blossomcottage said…
Oh I don't think I would want to be there either, I wouldn't have anything suitable to wear for a start,I think Le Chateau sound like a much nicer place to be, and one day I will come and find out for myself.
Blossom x
Milla said…
came over to get a quick fix of your gorgeous photos and wasn't disappointed! Sounds ghastly, but would happily swap current squalid building site for a spot of glam, however shallow.

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