Day 1453 (Monday) 31st May 2021.

It was lovely and warm today and Huw kindly gave me a lift to the villa in Saint Jean Cap Ferrat and it was magnificent.

I rang the bell on the gate and they smoothly opened to let me in where a security guard asked me who I was and Eduard must have told them I was expected because a steward from the house came to walk me to the front door down this gorgeous path.

 

Eduard was sitting at his dining table and the steward offered me a coffee which I gladly accepted.

I asked how staff it takes to run this villa and he mentioned a chef, 3 or 4 cleaners, 2 stewards, a team of gardeners and 2 security guards. He explained that the security guards are vital because villas get targeted by thieves who are helped my someone working there. He said this happens quite rarely in Cap Ferrat but regularly in Cap d’Antibes – how sad is that? Their son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren had arrived yesterday and the kids were playing in the pool, which must be cold until later in the month.

 

We looked at more synonyms, this time for the word ‘tired’ and he told me that his grandchildren had given him a test of dependent prepositions last night and they were very strict with him. They were born in the UK so English is their first language and they all speak fluent Russian as well. He finished a bit earlier than usual because he had to go to a meeting in Monaco so I asked permission to walk in the garden while I waited for Olga.

It really is like something out of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

This is the view from the bottom of the garden

and this is their port if they approach the villa by boat

 

I had a nice chat with one of the stewards who has worked for them for three summers and said they are very kind to the staff which is great to hear.

Olga joined me and said that she was very happy to see me in person – I haven’t seen them since February. She introduced me to her daughter-in-law and grandchildren who were super-polite.

This just outside the main entranceT

She also talked about the security guards and told me that while they were in one of the houses in London she interrupted a thief when she was pregnant and they took all of her jewellery, including her wedding ring – how horrible is that? She also showed me a scrapbook of the renovations on the house. When they bought it in 2008 it was a shell with a very overgrown garden and it took two years to get it looking like it is today. 

At the end of the morning one of the security guards escorted me to the gate and I walked home along the beach.

  

This is so much better than going to Monaco every Monday and Friday.

I got an email when I got home confirming my training in International House tomorrow morning from 8.30 (a bit early) until midday, which hopefully will be very interesting.

Today’s perched village is…

Tourrette Levens

The departement of the Alpes Maritimes - Pop.: 4,500 h. 15 km north of Nice Tourrette Levens is a village surrounded by hills located in extremely beautiful mountainous countryside in the Nice hinterland. The medieval village was abandoned in the middle of the 19th century and today is in ruins, looking over the present day village of Tourrette Levens. Recent buildings are spread amongst the different neighbourhoods of the commune: Revel, La Condamine, Camp Soubran, Le Plan d'Arriou and Les Moulins. It makes for a green environment with houses dotted here and there, whereas in the village itself beautiful older houses are grouped around small squares and narrow streets, full of charm. Don't leave Tourrette Levens without visiting the restored Castle which today hosts a butterfly museum (unique in the area) as well as a cultural centre.which organises many interesting cultural events. What to see: Church, Notre Dame de l'Assomption 18th century. Church, St Sauveur 13th and 14th century. Restored Castle and butterfly museum). Leisure activities: Walking & Hiking (GR 51). Tennis. Sports' area. Neighbouring towns and villages: Aspremont (6km), Falicon (8km), Levens (10km).