Le Grand bornand 2010

24/07/09 Mougin & Valbonne & An afternoon around the pool

I am very glad to hear that there are at least some people out there following the blog, so thanks for that, to Mum Dad and Sue have a great holiday and I'll see you when I and you get back.

Today is our last day before traveling to the Italian alps, it will be sad the leave the warm sunshine of the south of France but
excited to move into an alpine environment and the weather looks to be in the 22'sc so much to look forward to.
Now back to today Mougins lies inside medieval walls and is apparently one of the Riviera's smartest villages with lots of good restaurants, looks like the wallet is in for another hit.
Mougins was worth a visit it is very much aimed at the tourist market full of art shops I'm sure you have come across the scene before on to valbonne for lunch nobody told us it was market day as it was packed to the rafters but again a nice village, then back to the apartment for some R&R before the eight hour journey of tomorrow.

23/07/09 Ste Maxime & St Tropez

Another beautiful morning in the south of France the birds are singing and the Mozzies are biting as above we are off to St Trop' we intend to drive to Ste Maxime and get the ferry across to the beautiful people, a bit of a shame this is our penultimate day the week has seemed to fly by still it must mean that we are enjoying our self's.
We had a fantastic day if expensive the ferry across from Ste Maxime to St Tropez cost 30€ round trip the old French do know how to charge, after my wallet had been emptied by 30€ the boat trip was the worst ride I have experienced for a long time still wet and sicky we trudged around St Trop' and I'm very pleased we did trudge around apart from 7€ for two ice creams
it was well worth the visit the old town was charming and the resort matched up to the baby bentleys and Rolls royces who were ferrying people from hotel to restaurent, we live in a very strange and wonderful world.

22/07/09 Antibes & Juan les Pin

We were to day off to St Tropez but we had a change of plan, so off we went to Antibes and Juan les Pin, Antibes was a mix of new and old buildings a nice market but too many brits for my liking, I have always wanted to go Juan les Pins since I first heard of the place in the Peter Sarstedt song "where do you go to" and the place was a tpyical French seaside resort plesent
buildings which had the smell of money about it but a few years ago.

21/07/09 A visit to Cannes and the fireworks

This morning we had a day around the pool but then in the afternoon we went into Cannes for dinner and to see the Tuesday firework display organised by the european countries tonight it was Spains turn, the fireworks were let off to Spainish music which made for a fantastic event.
Prices in Cannes were more expensive then the norm but the service and quality of food was first class, after the fireworks were finished we then had a live band who sung James brown type music who were well worth a watch, with the church bells ringing out mid night it was time to go home to bed.

20/07/09 A trip to the mountains

Today we decided to get out and about so we went to visit the local ski resort to Cannes it is only about 35k from Cannes and sits at 1400 meters with a vertical of 400 meters. Greoliere-les-Neiges is a surprisingly compact resort with a lot more skiing then I first thought not quite sure how many km's but enough for a day or two.
Surprisingly there were a few people about and a couple of restaurants serving food and drink and I can see myself in a few years when I do my retirement winter ski trip spending a couple days to experience the atmosphere, We quite like the place, right I'm gonna down load some photos for your entertainment......

http://www.greolieres.fr/

Right now you have seen the am, after the ski resort we went to the local village of Greoliere for lunch, Olivia did battle with a pizza while Viv and myself tackled a couple of salads washed down again with the local Rose. The village was very medieval with narrow streets very cool and inviting which made for a good couple of hours.
Lunch finished we were off to Le Bar-sur-Loup, I guess thats something about a pub and a wolf.....still worth a good walk around plenty of history here and then back to the apartment for drinks with the owners and a swim, very civilised.

19/07/09 A day round the pool

After two days of hectic traveling we have decided to have a lazy day around the pool, it is now 08.15 and Olivia is in the pool already, me I'm not that brave I like the sun to warm it up a little first.
Breakfast has already been taken we enjoyed fresh bread, Pain au chocolate, cheese and salami washed down with a cup of twinings, Mrs W wouldn't let me have a beer at 08.15 so I'm on the water, better join the rest of the gang around the pool
Byeeeeee

Back again I'm getting a bit bored lazying around the pool , the tempeture has hit 45c you could say a tad on the tepid side but it is bareable as there is very little humidity, we have all been having a swim to cool down and I think I may just pop back in after I have finished this ice cold beer, hope the rain is warm in blighty.

Just been for a walk down to the village,mad dogs and all that, very hot, lucky for us on the way back we bumped into the owners so they gave us a lift back , lunch is just being prepared by my good lady, Tomatoes in Olive oil basil and garlic with fresh bread and a glass of the local rose, life doesn't get much better.

Ok the BBQ is lit kebabs and sausages are on and are in the process of being burnt at 19.30 the temp is a wonderful cool 30c
the quality of the local wine is very good and I have not paid over four euro for a bottle,pizza ranges between six and twelve euro, tomorrow we are going to visit the local ski resort which is at 1500 meters...so stay posted