Soon came quicker than we thought because we were up this morning and on our way to Cannes today. It too was only just under 1.5 hours even though it was further around the coast from St Tropez but we drove on an A road for some of the trip thus eliminating some time on windier D roads. I love that everything here stays open ALL day, we don’t have to juggle closing time over lunch. Again, we found a ‘rock star’ park right on the port and outside the Radisson Hotel. We went in for a look and decided that this would be perfect for our stay when we leave Provence in a few weeks time. We booked our rooms and then walked around and into the throng of people milling about the beachfront street.
Of course we have arrived smack bang in the middle of the Cannes Film Festival and it was exciting to be here. Every 2nd person had a lanyard around their necks for entrance into a film or party tent. We were purely tourists for the day.
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| Outfit worn by Leonardo DeCaprio in Titanic |
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| Marlon Brando's outfit |
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| Roberto Cavelli's boat |
We spent a lot of time weaving amongst the crowds, keeping our eyes peeled for celebs and also for somewhere to eat. We found a great little diner, had some lunch and then continued our celeb spotting. Soon we found one …. Well, a famous clothes designer. Mossimo Dutti.
He was getting into a convertible car with his wife to be driven somewhere and we descended upon him with our camera and many other curious people. We got quite a few photos, he signed some autographs for others and then they left. He was a good start on our celeb search. Being near the end of the festival dates, we think that many of the major stars have left but we were still on the look out. Soon we came to a crowded area and we joined in with everyone else to wait and see who was coming out. Soon the actress Milla Jokovich emerged. She looked very glamorous and enjoyed sashaying along the footpath to her chauffeur driven car waving the crowds. Again, I got several photos and we were content.
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| Waiting for Milla Jokovich |
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| Here she comes .... |
There seemed to be many other opportunities with crowds around hotel entrances watching people getting into their dark windowed chauffeur cars, but we couldn’t wait to see them all and the kids wanted to play in the sand. Unfortunately along the beachfront most of the beaches are privately owned by the hotels opposite them and were also hosting private Festival parties, so we couldn’t go on them however we found a little public beach where the kids had a little play before we headed off to the car and scurried off into the hills and home.
THURSDAY 19 MAY – FOX AMPHOUX near COTIGNAC, PROVENCE, FRANCE
Today in Aups was the first Truffle market of the summer season – the white truffle. We got into the village and found the little tables set up with truffles, there were only 4 sellers. Three of the sellers only had a little basket full each and the 4th had 3 huge baskets full and he was the most expensive too at 300 Euros per kilo (the others were 200 Euros per kilo).
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| Market Place |
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| Truffle finders |
I have always been intrigued by the truffle since it seems such a mysterious and yet curious mushroom and the fact that it can only be found by a trained truffle dog or pig. We all inspected the truffle and felt them; they are very light, smelt them; they have a sweet smell and photographed them. We also couldn’t resist buying one and only a small one since I didn’t really know what to do with it except put it in an omelet as highly recommended.
Because it was the first Truffle market of the season, there was the local press there filming those who were buying and many people taking photographs. It all felt very official and French!
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| Our little Truffle |
FRIDAY 20 MAY – FOX AMPHOUX near COTIGNAC, PROVENCE, FRANCE
This morning we headed back into Aups to get a couple of things and then back home for a day by the pool.
Over the last week, each time we opened the fridge there was a horrible stench coming out. We had fresh food in there and couldn’t understand where the stench was coming from. We all were hesitant to open the fridge because of the overwhelming smell that would then be carried through the kitchen and living area. We searched the fridge and couldn’t find anything wrong and each time one of the kids wanted to open the fridge just for a look for something to eat, we would call out ‘noooooo’ because of the smell we would be left with. It was all very odd and we had to get in touch with the people who rented the house to us to come and have a look at the problem.
We didn’t get the chance to call them to come over and just as well because we found the source of the stench …. It was the cheese I had bought at our last shopping trip! Oh dear! It wasn’t off, I had just chosen an incredibly strong smelling cheese that hadn’t shown its true colours until it had had a few days at home in our fridge. I couldn’t even throw it in the bin because then the bin stunk, it had to go in the communal bin up the road. Certainly made us laugh!
SATURDAY 21 MAY – FOX AMPHOUX near COTIGNAC, PROVENCE, FRANCE
Today we spent yet another quiet day at home around the pool and playing games. We went for a nice walk later in the day for the kids to pick Poppy flowers.
SUNDAY 22 MAY – FOX AMPHOUX near COTIGNAC, PROVENCE, FRANCE
An exciting day loomed today. It was the 7th Tournoi De Football of Fox Amphoux (Soccer Tournament). The Tournament was organised by la Municipalite and we were hoping that Jack could participate in les petits game. We arrived about 10.30am during Les Grands game (adults) and at 11am it was time for les petits game. Jack was a bit shy at first, not sure whether they would let them and also because they couldn’t understand us and we couldn’t understand them. Of course they happily welcomed him and he was on the blue team playing against the red team. In the first game Jack scored 2 goals – the only two for his team, thus drawing the match. Again it was time for the adults to come back to play and at midday everyone stopped for La Grillade; a sausage sizzle cooked over an open fire in a drum. First however, before the sausages could be sizzled, a little table was set up and out came the spirits for the adults. Everyone got stuck right in, repeatedly helping themselves to what was on offer … I just hoped this helped their games after lunch. This went on for 2 hours, alcoholic beverages and a sausage sizzle; Jack was itching to get back on and play.
storm approaching
Finally Les Petits got another game and Jack scored another 3 goals in this match. Soon he developed the nickname Harry Kewell and they were keen to pass the ball to Jack to score. It was all very exciting. More breaks while the adults played several games and during this time Jack made some friends with his teammates and they all managed to understand each other since one boy Maximillian (12 years old) who spoke some English. He took Jack under his wing. Corky and I made a ‘friend’ too! A couple, Gerald and Brigitte, spoke English, pretty much the only ones there and Gerald came and had a chat to us for a while. By the end of the conversation he had invited us over that afternoon for a swim at their house because they promised their pool was warmer than ours. We happily accepted but before they left we all decided it would be best if we went tomorrow in case the games went late into the day. Luckily so because all the games were finally finished about 6.30pm after Jack scored another goal in their 3rd game and we had also experienced a very dark and loud thunderstorm (the adults continued playing through the rain).
As soon as the games had finished, we all headed into the small hall where the trophies were awarded. There were also tables laid out with yet more (many more) bottles of spirits and some plates of chips and olive/anchovy breads (I realised too late that the bread had anchovy on it).
Jack was thrilled when his name was called out and he received a medal around his neck, trophy, hat and some bags of lollies. Kindly they also gave the same to Madi, Sophie and Harry who were chuffed. We gave each of the kids in the match a little Australian Koala each, a little memento from us.
During the trophy giving, a lovely lady called Joelle came to chat to us. She had very good English but was also fluent in German and her husband is Italian. Six years ago they adopted a boy and girl from Haiti. Jack had befriended their son Clement. We had a long chat with her and she wanted to invite us over one afternoon so we exchanged details and she said she would contact us. The locals were all so friendly.
As soon as the trophy giving had finished, the serious ‘stuff’ began. Drinking of the spirits. This brought out the ‘best’ in the elder generation and it wasn’t long before Corky and I had a Martini Rossio in our hands and the Mayor was feeling very chuffed that we had joined in the celebrations today. We struggled to communicate with the men but had many laughs doing so with hand signals and the occasional word that seemed to get across. We weren’t allowed to leave without yet another quick drink and finally we left as they were locking the hall doors behind us. Many “merci’s” and “au revoirs” were called out as we crossed the dirt square towards home.
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| Mayor on far right |
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