Villefranche Sur Mer - July 18th

This is the beautiful village of Villefranche Sur Mer. I photographed this from the train heading to Monaco. We decided on the way back from Monaco, to stop in the beautiful village and have dinner.

the train station of Villefranche Sur Mer

Cafes lining the main roadway

the harbour at Villefranche Sur Mer

In the past, Villefranche-sur-Mer was home to personalities Katherine Mansfield, Jean Cocteau, Aldous Huxley and pop star Tina Turner. The Rolling Stones recorded their 1972 album Exile on Main St. at Villa Nellcôte, then the home of Keith Richards and Anita Pallenberg. The old town and the bay have offered for years a natural set for movie makers. Among many productions to name just a few: - Raoul Walsh’s Captain Horatio Hornblower - with Errol Flynn - Hitchcock’s Adventures of Captain FabianTo Catch a Thief - The Count of Monte Cristo with Louis Jourdan - Leo McCarey's An Affair to Remember - The Madwoman of Chaillot with Katharine Hepburn - Never Say Never Again with Sean Connery - The Jewel of the Nile with Michael Douglas - The Bourne Identity with Richard Chamberlain - Dirty Rotten Scoundrels with Steve Martin (awesome movie), as well as numerous video clips and commercials. Villefranche-sur-Mer is also a harbor for visiting naval forces and particularly US Navy ships.

strolling down the narrow streets

Jim reading the menu

Ahhh ... Leffe bier

drinks are served

salmon and salade

enjoying the American flag next to the French flag

It was very pleasurable to be in Villefranche after being in Monaco. Monaco is spectacular, really gorgeous ... but, I like the simple villages the best. NOT that Villefranche is simple ... but it's quaint and quiet and picturesque with beautiful cafes situated right next to the harbour. A bit of paradise for sure. But for me ... if I HAD to choose one place to live in the beautiful Cote d'Azur without any doubt it would be Antibes. Antibes has everything. The quiet ancient streets, the market, the largest yachting harbour in Europe (if not the world), the Jazz festival, Music au Coeur, the fireworks festival ... just to name a few. If you want more excitement than quiet Antibes, you can walk 15 minutes to Antibes Juan-les-Pins. It's the nightlife of Antibes - crowded cafes, music, casino - hustling and bustling ... but, like I said, I like the quaint and the quiet. It's 5:32 in the morning ... and I'm back in 'my' bed looking out the beautiful window to the sea ... Jim and Diana are back in America after 10 great days exploring the French Riviera ... now, for me, it's back to my morning walks and painting and exploring ... I'll miss them - and I'm pretty much just on my own here ... still searching for my future French husband complete with villa and bidet ... ok, maybe also a swimming pool ... oh, and he should be interesting and funny ... and beautiful ... and feels that I am the only girl in the world for him ... C'est possible ??

OLYMPUS AMERICA