Thursday 16 March

2023JenniFrance
Thursday, 16 March 2023 Started my day with a chat with Jeff & cranky Mackie...apparently, he's been pretty good this time. Thursday, 16 March 2023 After going to the wrong platform at Biot station, I'm waiting for the train to Menton. The return ticket was 19 Euros & the train ride is about 1.25 hours. Thursday, 16 March 2023 Nice. So many of the larger French train stations are beautiful structures. Thursday, 16 March 2023 Nice
Thursday, 16 March 2023 Nice. I think this building looks similar to the Carlton Hotel in Cannes. Thursday, 16 March 2023 Plage des Marinieres Thursday, 16 March 2023 Plage des Marinieres Thursday, 16 March 2023 Roquebrune-Cap-Martin
Thursday, 16 March 2023 Menton. After alighting the train & leaving the station (a bit challenging with a huge station renovation going on), I found the Tourist Office then rested my feet for a bit here at Residence Les Jardins Bioves... Thursday, 16 March 2023 ...& treated myself to my first pain au chocolat Thursday, 16 March 2023 Standing outside the Casino & looking up Avenue Boyer towards the hills Thursday, 16 March 2023 The beach at Menton
Thursday, 16 March 2023 Getting ready for summer Thursday, 16 March 2023 Since Le Petit Train wasn't running, I caught La Navette. It's a free shuttle bus that does a circuit around the town for locals & tourists alike. Thursday, 16 March 2023 Plage du Fossan. This is The Bastion area that also houses the Jean Cocteau Museum/Severin Wunderman Collection. I didn't visit the museum but according to Wikipedia, the museum is dedicated to Jean Cocteau & incorporates the collection of American business & Cocteau enthusiast Severin Wunderman. Some of Cocteau's works can be found in buildings in Menton; he was an influential French artists & writer known as one of the major figures of Dada & Surrealism. Thursday, 16 March 2023
Thursday, 16 March 2023 Thursday, 16 March 2023 Thursday, 16 March 2023 Looking towards the Vieux Ville of Menton...you can easily see the steeple of the Basilica of San Michel. Thursday, 16 March 2023 After a wander around the Bastion area (the Bastion was built over water in 1636 as an advance defense measure), I made my way into the old town (aka tourist) area. Just love the colours!!
Thursday, 16 March 2023 And Le Marche. This market is an old building in the Belle Epoque style. Being around midday, the market is pretty quiet although there's plenty of tempting cheeses, pastas, breads.... Thursday, 16 March 2023 ...I definitely need some motivation to start the climb in the old village so I have my first Pastis of the trip. Thursday, 16 March 2023 Rue St Michel. This whole area is given over to pedestrians...it's so nice walking around without having to dodge cars & other traffic. Lots of opportunities to buy mementos. Menton is known for lemons, so there are many, many lemon-inspired items...foods, fragrances, drinks, towels.... Thursday, 16 March 2023 Rue St Michel
Thursday, 16 March 2023 Thursday, 16 March 2023 Rue des Logettes Thursday, 16 March 2023 Looking towards Rue des Ecoles Pies; I decide not to follow this pathway to the Basilica... Thursday, 16 March 2023
Thursday, 16 March 2023 ...instead I take Rue Longue Thursday, 16 March 2023 Looking towards Menton-Garavan. The Italian border is over the hills about 3kms away. Thursday, 16 March 2023 Rampe du Chanoine Gouget, stairway to to the Basilica. I continue on Rue Longue. Thursday, 16 March 2023
Thursday, 16 March 2023 The streets are quite narrow & it's easy to become disoriented. Thursday, 16 March 2023 I get brave & start wandering some of many connecting stairways...most of these walkways have the name "Traverse..." Thursday, 16 March 2023 Thursday, 16 March 2023
Thursday, 16 March 2023 I made to the Basilique Sant Michel Archange (Basilica of Saint Michael)...it's closed Thursday, 16 March 2023 Thursday, 16 March 2023 The adjacent church is La Chapelle des Penitents Blancs (Chapel of the White Penitents), a brotherhood based on piety & Christian charity...also closed. Thursday, 16 March 2023 Just look at that beautiful tilework, it looks like a carpet
Thursday, 16 March 2023 Rue Mattoni Thursday, 16 March 2023 Thursday, 16 March 2023 Thursday, 16 March 2023
Thursday, 16 March 2023 Thursday, 16 March 2023 Thursday, 16 March 2023 Can you see the autoroute in the distance? Thursday, 16 March 2023
Thursday, 16 March 2023 I made it!! I found the viewpoint & of course indulged in a few photos. Thursday, 16 March 2023 Thursday, 16 March 2023 Pretty sure Italy is in the distance. Thursday, 16 March 2023
Thursday, 16 March 2023 Thursday, 16 March 2023 I can't resist the colours...the Mediterranean shows so many brilliant blues. Thursday, 16 March 2023 At the entrance to the Old Chateau Cemetery...a first for me, I decided to take a walk through the cemetery. Thursday, 16 March 2023 La Cimitiere de Vieux Chateau
Thursday, 16 March 2023 Thursday, 16 March 2023 Thursday, 16 March 2023 Thursday, 16 March 2023
Thursday, 16 March 2023 On my way back down through the village Thursday, 16 March 2023 Back to the Basilica & Chapel... Thursday, 16 March 2023 Thursday, 16 March 2023
Thursday, 16 March 2023 Thursday, 16 March 2023 Thursday, 16 March 2023 ...I decide to take another way back. I walked down these steps thinking they'd come to another street... Thursday, 16 March 2023 ...but they just kept going....
Thursday, 16 March 2023 ...& going (but I did get distracted by the darn maidenhair fern growing on the wall!! Why can't I get it to grow like this at home?!)... Thursday, 16 March 2023 ...& still I'm going down, hanging on to the handrail... Thursday, 16 March 2023 ...I finally made it all the way down Rue des Ecoles Pies. Me & my blistered feet visited a pharmacy to get some bandaids then wandered a little more & came across Maison Herbin. Although known for their jams (des confitures), I was very tempted by the beautiful nougat cakes & glace fruit. Thursday, 16 March 2023 I waited for La Navette to take me to the gare right near this attractive church. The name Eglise Evangelique Francaise is carved over the entrance; the Protestant church was founded in 1857 by Jean-Marie Trenca, a relative of the family with connections in Menton (an area in the town is called Trenca).
Thursday, 16 March 2023 The very cute gare at Roquebrune-Cap_Martin