A Year in Villefranche sur Mer - Moving to France

  Day 2040 (Saturday) 31 st October Day two of lockdown and I’m bored! I found it easy the last time because we didn’t know what to expect and it was a new thing but this time we know what’s coming and we’re dreading it. To make matters worse it’s not even sunny!  I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before but there is a man who lives on a yacht in Port Sante who has Tourettes and makes all sorts of really loud weird noises and this morning he was on top form and really annoying. We are stuck indoors and have to listen to this racket – I know he’s not well but the noise… Anyway, yesterday Huw watched him jump into the sea and tow a boat out into the bay.   I know I keep saying that it’s lovely and warm and it is but it’s not swimming in the sea weather. I found this story in the Local France – hope you enjoy it too (All the photos were taken recently)  Meet the French frog farmers attempting to crack the local market Every year, the French consume some 4,000 tonnes of frogs' legs. But ne

  Day 2039 (Friday) 30 th October Last night we went to Le Phare and a lot of people had the same idea and there was quite a crowd. The French guys were there and they were on form as were our lot. I called this photo ‘the last supper’   As people were going home for dinner we wished each other a merry Christmas in case we don’t see them before then. I know we will see them but I did feel rather sad when we left. We have started thinking of ways to meet over the next four weeks. The sunrise this morning was beautiful again  and Villefranche looked great in the sunshine  My train was on time and I was quite early so I went for a gentle stroll There were no classrooms available so I worked with Camille in a conference room on the 8 th floor   And this was the view When I finished with Camille I had a big gap again so I went for a walk up to Place d’Armes and ate my sandwiches in the sun. It’s so bizarre that France is in lockdown and Monaco is going about its own business as usual I kno

  Day 2038 (Thursday) 29 th October It was a lovely day again, not as good as yesterday but very nice On the way to the station I saw these lovely plants outside one of our neighbours front door. I was a bit early for school so I went to the park to take these photos of Fontvielle    This is the museum of stamps and money As I’ve mentioned before there is not much sun in Monaco because of all the high rise buildings but I have found a spot outside the school and this is where I sit while waiting for my next class.   And this is what I look at It’s not exactly Villefranche but it’s warm. I also saw this little train, which I have never seen before Natacha told me what had happened in a church in Nice this morning and I was horrified. Huw found this short article on it… Three people have died in a knife attack at a church in Nice, in what French President Emmanuel Macron said was an "Islamist terrorist attack". He said France would not surrender its core values after visiting

  Day 2037 (Wednesday) 28 th October 2020 The light this morning was stunning! Badger loved it too Huw dropped me off at the tram stop in the Old Port and he went off shopping and I got the tram to the Marriott. I had a short walk along the prom and I was surprised to see people swimming, it’s lovely and warm but swimming! All the conference rooms in the Marriott were busy and the roof garden is closed for the winter so Gilles and I had our class in his office.  The hotel was quite busy today because there is an Israeli football team staying there because they are playing Nice tomorrow. Huw picked me up and we took Kisbee to Antibes. Macron is making an announcement tonight and there are all sorts of rumours that we are going back into lockdown – I bloody hope not! We bought sausages and bacon in Geoffrey’s so if it happens we will be fully stocked. The prices in this shop are ridiculous  7€95 for a tin of Spam and 6€95 for corned beef! There was a circus on the big empty space betwee