Rosé and weddings part 2

Waking up to the sound of church bells  and going on a short wander to collect the pastries for breakfast is not a bad way to start the day. Ahh good croissants and pain au chocolat!!!

The morning is also a cool time of the day and sitting outside on the verandah with coffee and pastry was wonderful. We had the wedding practice at Le Mayssa at 10.30. It was also a time to meet Céciles mother Elizabeth, younger sister Léa, brother Jeromé and to catch up with her dad Peter and sister Flora. 

We were marshalled by the celebrant Cheryl-Lyn, an American who has lived in Cannes for 15 years as a minister for her church. I didn’t find the name of the church but we did have a discussion about the changes in popularity of religion in the area and the fluctuations in numbers of adherents. People come and go into the region and at the moment there are about 200 active in her particular faith with 5 pastors. Numbers have been as high as 600 with 15.  Similar to a lot of similar churches elsewhere I think. We rehearsed the walk in, the people placement and then she guided us all through the order of the service. All went well until she started reading the bits about two people becoming one. Quelle Horreur!!! Cécile queried this. Non! we do not want to say that. We will not become one, we are still two. Cheryl-Lyn argued that “why are you being married then?” We the audience smiled and watched and listened and let them work it out. They did and the wording was altered. No yelling or buffing was heard but we did sense the odd shrug.

 The setting was wonderful and the view was a constant distraction from formal chatter and organisational stuff such as table placement, awnings – Nick and Cécile were finally convinced by the manager to have the roof on over the dining area. A good decision as the evenings are cooler. Elizabeth was in charge along with the Manager and we were just part of the entourage. 

 It is a difficult balance when  a couple are getting married to tread the path of “knowing through long life and wisdom”what may be best but “letting them have the event as their show which it is”. I remember at our wedding, a long time ago, we did not want a high table so ended up not really knowing where to sit. We were determined though. J My mother probably thought –“I told you” and she would have been right!!

There was a small issue when I wandered down to the drinks terrace and started chatting to another group there. 2 women and a man. The women were English and looked, like us, to be organising an event. I started talking to the male of the group. Just normal chatter, until it transpired they were planning a wedding for Saturday!!!. Alarm bells clanged. The wedding drinks were to be on this terrace at about 6 pm. My mind calculated and concluded that left us a very small window for our drinks if the wedding started at 4.45pm but I was not in charge. A wee bit stressed but not my concern, yet!!  I was concerned though but assumed it would work out as clashes like this just do not happen. The women came over and we discussed the issue. Once we had got past the  “your event can’t have been booked when we booked ours” stance. In other words we were in first!!, and I assured them our booking was done months ago, so we were in first, we discussed timing and logistics etc and then they remembered that their daughter’s wedding drinks were on the terrace  on the Friday evening, NOT the  Saturday. I was very pleased that Elizabeth had not been close enough to hear the conversation as that would really have raised the stress levels. In hindsight I should have known that men are only peripheral to the organisation of major events in a family and that he probably did not really know what was what.

We were all meeting up for lunch and Nick had to drop his big bag at our apartment so he took Cécile and her Mum and sisters up there. Elizabeth has a room in her house in Nice as a very successful and busy Airbnb so it was of interest to her. We wandered along the water front with Peter. First ice-cream of the holiday was Citron and it was good. Also first dip of the feet into the Mediterranean for this trip and it was divine and sooo clear.

Lunch was at a long table in a local restaurant. The Palmier. A continuation of our attempt to test all restaurants in Villefranche sur mer. Not a concrete goal and not financially viable but did allow creative thinking when planning eating out. The reality was we developed favourites and those with shade were popular.  Duncan and Cam had their own food focus and it does not really change. Duncan was tempted by the  Tartare steak but followed tradition and had a hamburger  as did Cam and Geoff and they were good. The Tartare Italienne that Flora ordered tasted good though and much better than the one Ian had bought in Chamonix.  We toasted family and enjoyed the first BIG family meal. 

Cam and Jean had a "Draw to Learn Francais "  book which was passed round with everyone doing their own Matisse or Chagall to go with a particular phrase. I chose La Bibliotheque!

  Part way through Jonathan rang to say he was  sitting at  the bar opposite our apartment so I wandered/ puffed up to meet him and bring him down for lunch and to get him into the swing of his Mediterranean experience. He had intended to catch the bus and train to Villefranche but his number 10 bus was stopped by an incident at the port in Nice and everyone had to get off. It was then easier to taxi. It was so wonderful to see him here. 

  

He decided to try the steak tartare. It was declared many times better than the lamb chops he had chosen at his posh meal at Mussolinis  white wedding cake palace in Rome the night before. The start of his analysis of the products of agriculture in the region. Purely for business reasons.

Some of us had a wee siesta in the afternoon and then went swimming, while others worked. One, David, arrived in VF from London and then went on a very hot bike ride to get in touch with the area. He arrived at our apartment very hot looking and returned to his own one for a swim and cool off. There is a saying about mad dogs and Englishmen …..!   

Some of us, the young ones, had their siesta at the beach and Geoff and I went down there later. The water was wonderful but there was something missing so on the return walk I bought a bright yellow lilo for €8. No window in it but perfect for just floating around.   

  About 6pm we left the beach and the kids were in charge of choosing a restaurant. It was going to be just a pizza but the Natural restaurant on our steps to the sea lured them so they stopped there. I suspect they were exhausted and could not be bothered moving any further. Geoff and I went up and changed, collected Jo and we settled into a very good repast with David and Alice who walked in as well.  The numbers were growing. For some of us the 4^th restaurant. Risotto with truffle oil was rather good.

A very hot night and I think none of us slept really well but we coped. Jonathan was up early and explored the area bringing back bread and a paper.



Doing his walk to make it possible to keep the good food intake balanced with exercise. He finished his proposal and sent it off.  David had planned to bike to Eze   early in the morning but when I rang I was relieved to find he had just woken up and was planning a slow day. Excellent, those kind of days are needed. That didn’t put us off though so Geoff, Jon and I set off to catch the train to go to Eze. About 10 minutes up the coast. It ended up being more of a walk than a train ride as the train was retard for track  issues  so we walked to Beaulieu sur mer,  On the way I think . I touched the gate at Keith Richards old bach. Jonathan found a bank, Geoff had a haircut and beard trim and I looked at the world. It was hot.

We did catch a bus up the hill from there as we may have English ancestors but we are not stupid. Some of our ancestors were also Scots and they are much more sensible despite their reputation for frugality. The €1.50 bus fare was within any sane Scots budget in the middle of the day on the Riviera in Summer. The town was worth it and not only because it enabled us to hunt out a  Fragonard perfumery and do some vital shopping for those at home, but also because we could sit on a cool seat in the cactus garden and look at a beautiful wide view of the coast. It is stunning. The area is very dry but not barren and although I am not a cactus fan there were some pretty amazing examples in the garden in the old part of the town. One of those situations where you think, that is too much to spend to walk round a garden and then you remember how much it cost to get here and the cost is just 2 cups of coffee.

The views up to the Grande Corniche - there are actually three Corniche, is spectacular  and at times the roads are very hard to discern as the terrain is rugged and blocky.  Villefranche sur mer is on the Basse Corniche, Eze is on the Moyenne Corniche and then there is the high road - The Grande  Corniche.

 After lunch including Salade Nicoise and Rosé and Desperado beer we followed Nietzches trail down the hill, smiling encouragingly at the few  very hot and red faced people trudging up.

There was a small dispute at the station as we waited for the train back to VF. I went off to buy ice creams and water, came back with water, lemonade and one icecream. Geoff had said he wanted one, Jon had said No and I had been flexi but decided I only needed a drink. Geoff was pleased with his ice cream but also not pleased as here I was again tempting him with things I know he cannot resist.  He knows his self control is weak and if I don’t offer he will not have to refuse or accept. If I hadn’t asked and had bought one for me he would have wanted to share and I would have had less which would have deprived me!!!!! No more asking. (I have decided this often but being the generous caring soul that I am I find it hard not to offer.)

We retrieved our togs etc from the apartment, collected up the: picnic food of Poulet roti, vin rosé and bier, le pain, la buerre, les tomates,  et la terrine; the lilo; our togs and towels and headed to the beach for the pre wedding picnic. Jon, David and Cathy arrived a bit later. Alice was sleeping as the young ones had had a hard day at Monaco. 

                                        

                                         

The gathering was wonderful with many of the guests for the wedding meeting up. Some we “knew” from meeting on previous trips to Zurich, or from Facebook or from New Zealand including Zane who was at school with Nick and Andrew who had stayed with us in Christchurch. My lilo floated, the temperature was perfect and the water sublime and a bunch of happy people with everyone relaxing including the main participants as everything was done including nails. The weather was good and what more was there to worry about. Nothing !!!!!

Next day the wedding.

Nick spent the night under our roof --- small traditions should be followed!