Sunday 29 June 2014

COTE D'AZUR

A CONCENTRATION OF WEALTH

THEOULE SUR MER

First post in a long time. Thanks to my faithful few who have urged me to post again, and here it is!

We've been en France for two months. We're here mostly for a better time zone fit for a contract consultancy job that Anne has, rather than be up working all night in Australia. We are just about to head off to the UK so I better squeeze in a retrospective post or two. 

We arrived in Theoule Sur Mer on the Cote D’Azur early May just as they were setting up for the Cannes Film Festival across the bay. Back in Australia before we left, a chance conversation with a friend ended up with us renting her friend's holiday house on the side of a hill with billion dollar views. It was a 1970’s un-renovated DIY time capsule. A James Bond inspired concrete creation, nestled in amongst a hillside of otherwise mega luxury holiday homes, most of which were empty while we were there.

With quiet roads and national park behind us, we went out walking, exploring, driving, shopping and going to Cannes while the film festival was on, but the best part of the day was always coming home. Such a stunning view and the remarkable peace and quiet from the crowds below, it was just perfect.  It was a view you could never grow tired of with the changing weather and sweeping views across the Bay of Cannes to the snow capped Alpes. No wonder we ate in on all but two nights.

You can't write about this place without mentioning the wealth on show. Every day was a passing parade of outrageous wealth in mega yachts while private jets swarmed around Cannes airport. I would google the yachts in the bay and see who owned them. Very interesting, looks like the big money is in French Telecom, British mobile phones, UK retail stores and Australian shopping centres. Well, they were some of the owners who anchored below us. 'Octopus' owned by the co founder of Microsoft anchored off Cannes for the festival decorated with a helicopter at each end. I've seen Mercedes models here that I've never seen before and I'm starting to get used to the Bentleys, Rollers and expensive go fast options.


 We woke one morning to find a young deer paddling laps around the pool. This was early May and the water was cold. It could have been there for hours. The deer swam straight towards me when I went to help it, no fear at all, it must have decided there was no time to lose. I managed to pull it out antler first, it didn't go far but after some time recovering, shivering and thawing out in the garden it got up and wandered off.

While Anne was working week days, I was full time yacht research with the plan to go looking in Croatia in Sept/Oct. But, as one thing leads to another and then another, with twists and turns along the way, I ended up buying one or at least putting the deposit on an Australian flagged one while we were there so it seems I have bought into a whole new line of adventure.

We felt very lucky to have had a great time and a great month spent in our eyrie before we headed on down to a new location for a month in the far more urban beach side setting of Juan les Pins.

THEOULE SUR MER
 VIEW ON APPROACH
 JAMES BOND FISH POND AND BRIDGE

VIEW FROM THE BALCONY ACROSS TO CANNES
A SELECTION OF MEGAYACHTS

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY ADVERTISING FOR THE COMING CHARTER SEASON. 500,000 EUROS A WEEK.
LES ALPES IN THE DISTANCE



I STUDIED THE FRENCH CAR PARK TECHNIQUE OF PARKING SO YOU DON'T BUMP THE DOORS
IT SEEMED FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD. LOT'S DO IT AND NO ONE SEEMS TO MIND
THE LINE MARKINGS ARE SIMPLY AN OPTIONAL GUIDE. SO I HAD A GO. MY FIRST EFFORT.
JAMES BOND GOLDFISH
A VERY COLD AND TIRED DEER
MY FIRST DEER RESCUE
TIKI PLAGE ON OUR WALK TO CAP DU DRUMONT
ILE D'OR

CHATEAU DE LA NAPOULE
ONE OF THE FEW MODERN ARCHITECTURE HOLIDAY HOMES IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD.
EMPTY MOST OF THE YEAR.
A FUNICULAR FROM THE GARAGE TO THE HOUSE!
NOTRE DAME D'AFRIQUE MEMORIAL IN THE HILLS BEHIND US
SUNDAY RANDONEE
ORIGINALLY PIERRE CARDIN'S HOUSE
THE ARCHITECTURAL FOLLY OF THE BUBBLE HOUSE 'PALAIS BULLES'
WEEKEND SAILING

RENE WORKS ON THE PHONE LINE TO GET OUR INTERNET BACK
WEIRD AND WISPY
THE FRENCH ARE CRAZY ABOUT ROSE SO WE HAD TO TRY IT
BREAKFAST ON A COOL SUNNY MORNING EARLY MAY
OUR STREET
THANKS MICHAEL AND EMMA
A TOAST TO THE FORTHCOMING YACHT PURCHASE
KEEPING UP MY AUSSIE BLOKE BARBIE SKILLS
LEAVING OUR STEEP, STEEP DRIVEWAY FOR JUAN LES PINS.


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