Down and Out at Villa Kerylos

Photo by John Puckett

Villa Kerylos in Beaulieu-sur-Mer is a Greek-style home built in the early 1900s by French archaeologist Theodore Reinach, and his wife Fanny Kann, a daughter of Maximilien Kann and Betty Ephrussi, of the Ephrussi family. 

 It is at the top of my list of sites of our area. 

The dueling cameras made off with so many images of the house that I will need to post in a few slices. 

  But photos don't tell the whole story.

  For the full effect,  one should choose a sunny day to visit and although a ticket can be had together with the Villa Ephrussi, I feel that you need to see them on different days to really digest what is there.  

A bit of background on the construction is in order here:    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Kerylos.

  The short story can be found with wikipedia but the Kerylos house also has an official site:http://www.villa-kerylos.com/en  which also has some excellent information and photos. 

Photo by Mary Payne

 With so many details of excellence in taste and craftsmanship one would think that the Villa Kerylos  would be "de trop", but I don''t think it is "over the top".  The designers and architect were careful to stay in earth tones of similar values with both the decor and the furniture, only splashing out judiciously with a deep, rich red.  

Still this house is so formal, I can not imagine living in it full time.     But as a second home, I would bring some comfy cushions, duvets,  and mattresses and I could move right in. 

Our first album of this site I am calling "down and out" because it centers on compositions of the flooring (down) and the outdoor architectural elements of the Villa (out).  

Photo by JPuckett

Now how about some cushions or furs for these lounges.  We need something to prop us up so we don't choke to death.  Yes, that is a dining table.

Photo MPayne

 How beautiful can a drain be? 

Photo by JPuckett

Photo MPayne

Photo by John Puckett

Photo by MPayne

Photo by MPayne

 The mosaic flooring really intrigues me.  

PHoto by MPayne

PHoto by MPayne

Photo by John Puckett

Photo by MPayne

 And Imagine having lunch on this terrace.

PHoto by MPayne

Photo by JPuckett

Photo by MPayne

Photo by JPuckett

Photo by JPuckett

Photo by John Puckett

Photo by JPuckett

Photo by JPuckett

Well , if you had this property, you couldn't possibly be "down and out " could you?  Even a visit makes you feel privileged.

C´est magnifique - Benjamin Biolay

Well , I thought I would be able to post this video directly for you but not today. 

Still, you can access the sultry French sounds of Benjamin Biolay with this old Cole Porter tune by clicking on the link below.  I understand that my nephew Christopher sings this one too.   Christophe, I would like to hear your version.   



http://youtu.be/zE-7v_fSzOc

Marketing shenanigans...in France

 Photo by Magiline swimming pools

In modern times you will find that the glorious products originating from the regions of France are mostly a thing of the past.  This information comes to us from the French Agricultural Ministry and I suppose should come as no surprise. 

  But it does, and I am disappointed that many of the famous French food products, especially, are no longer being produced in France.

Let's take a look.

 For a long time now French products have been protected by the AOC:  The appellation d'origine contrôlée  which means "controlled designation of origin".  

This would apply to certain wines, cheeses and butters coming from a specific geographical location and protected by the French government ......but the "catch" is that now the product only has to be finally packaged in the French region designated to comply with the AOC.

Dijon Mustard for example does not have to be made in Dijon and is only characterized by using wine "must" in the mixture.  Canada is the producer today of 90% of Dijon Mustard.  

 Saucisse d'Ane:  photo by Alisa and James blogspot..Mas de Bonheur

Another product which must be suspect of being made elsewhere is "Corsican" charcuterie.   Long famous for deli products such as the "donkey sausage",  Corsica now imports most of these from Argentina, the ham carcasses from China.

The melons from the famous clay soil of Charentais have no AOC stamp.  Therefore 80% are from Spain, Morocco, the Caribbean, China or Senegal. 

"Paris mushrooms"  of yesteryear mostly arrive to the supermarket shelves from the USA, China and the Netherlands.  

Lagiolle knives, photo by bladeforums

Lagiolle knives, the beautiful creation with the little bee on the side, have been counterfeited for a century now and today are mostly made in China or Pakistan.  The result being that only 10 % are actually manufactured in France. 

Marseille soap only passes through that French city to have the perfumes and packaging added.  The oils and soap ingredients originate in Turkey and China.

Camembert has an AOC that reads "Camembert de Normandie" but it is easy to confuse people by saying instead, "Camembert made in Normandy".  There is a difference in taste as one is pasteurized and the other not.

 Butter from Brittany, Photo by Hubbub.co.uk

Many celebrated products say they are from Brittany.  There is an "AOC de Bretagne" but through loopholes, 82% of these products are from abroad... mostly China, Holland and Poland.    Guerande salt, for example, is imported often from Argentina and Vietnam.  Even 73 % of Breton products like butter and pastries are from other states in the E.U. or from Asia. 

And I haven't even mentioned the olive oils of Provence! 

I know I am naive by nature...or shall we say "trusting"... but it discourages me that this is a result of competitive marketing here too in France, the land so proud of its culinary history and products. 

 I suppose with the global economy,  this was inevitable.     Price differences will be the great leveler in this situation if you are looking for a local product.  But it is tricky and one must read labels carefully if you want the real McCoy.  

 I suppose,  I should be happy that the world has this form of cooperation and the other countries have their contributions. Indeed the European Union itself seems to have outlived expectations.  

 But I am still caught off guard by the phony labeling.   They say that if one is never disappointed he is either dead or enlightened.   Well , rest assured I am neither.

Peppers from Espelette , photo by commons.wikimedia

Saint-Jean-Cap Ferrat......a story

Once upon a time,  over a quarter of a century ago,  before France was even a remote dream for us,  Monsieur brought me to one of the best hotels in the tiny port town of Cap Ferrat to stay for a week.  

Our room had a view of Villa Kerylos from one balcony and the salt water pool of the hotel from the other balcony.    With a couple of friends who came along, we saw the sites and visited  the nearby towns. We dined well and in style.  

In those days we didn't travel light.  One could bring several pieces of luggage on a plane for no extra charge.   I actually had a case which had fittings for 12 pairs of  shoes and at least three hats.     I wore my wonderful vintage clothing collection peppered with modern pieces and I got all" dolled up" with high heels and gowns for the evenings.   And of course I had a handful of different bathing suits and bikinis for the two hotel pools.   It was a glamorous time.  We cemented our love for this special coastline and vowed to come again.

Now, all these years later,  when I started the walk into Cap Ferrat to show Roge the splendid walkway that skirts the sea, that week seemed to belong to another life.

Monsieur and I had done a lot of exciting things in those days and in my mind one event blends into another. The experience of my visit to Cap Ferrat was with me still on some level,  but one moves forward with new ideas and plans and the past is done.

Today the walk along the sea on the little peninsula still has timeless appeal.

The promenade with its splendid mansions from a bygone era conjures up the "movie star" past of the Cote d'Azur and starts you thinking of all of the old films you have seen of another time... but this place.  

I took this path with Roge a week past to be stunned once more by its beauty.  And as I approached the little town at the end I saw again the port, the "whale tail" benches, the hotel: Le Voile D'Or.  

And though I had been back since, this time the old memory came flashing back of the week when I "tripped the lights fantastic on the sidewalks" of Cap Ferrat. 

 Photo by Mary Payne

Photo by John Puckett

Photo by John Puckett

Photo by John Puckett

Brother Roge, aka John Puckett

This enormous sculpture peeks over a private garden  Photo by John Puckett

Photo by John Puckett

The former house of David Niven   Photo by John Puckett

David Niven's olive tree alive in the wall.  Photo by Mary Payne

Photo by John Puckett

Photo by Mary Payne

Approach to Cap-Ferrat      Photo by John Puckett

Thats was our hotel room, top on the left.  Photo by Mary Payne

The three amigos    Photo by Mary Payne

   "Very mean dog"  Photo by Mary Payne

Trompe L'oeil on side of building   Photo by John Puckett

Beaulieu-sur-Mer

Beaulieu translated means "pretty place" and that it may be,  but to many of us who live here, it's a pristine... but unexciting town reserved for those with deep pockets . 

But perhaps it is much more.  

First of all it is the home to at least three legendary Cote d'Azur attractions: The Kerylos House, the seaside promenade to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and the doorstep of Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild.  Plus it has the distinction of being the sister city of Tempe, Arizona. 

Every year four French students are paired with four American students,  and they each spend five weeks in one another's country. This student exchange is with the Tempe Sister Cities organization, which has been voted "Best Overall Sister City Program" in both 1998 and 2004.

  Ah ha, bet you didn't know that.  Also the famous restaurant and hotel , La Reserve makes its home in Beaulieu.  

So while brother Roge was here we took in all of these except the Villa Rothschild.  That we will save for another trip when the gardens are in their splendor. 

If you are wondering how to board the coastline bus now while they are constructing the new bus station,  you can pick it up at the corner of Place Garibaldi.  And until May 2, it is still only one euro.  If you want to take pics, make sure you are on the side opposite the driver.  Here we go.

Photo by John Puckett

Photo by John Puckett

Photo by John Puckett

Roge grabbed these breathtaking views of Villefranche from the bus window.

Photo by Mary Payne

We got off in the middle of town and walked past the park and casino past the architectural gem called "La Rotunde".

Photo by John Puckett

Photo by Mary Payne

Photo by John Puckett

La Rotunde, it says, was transformed into a hospital to treat 1500 french soldiers injured in the last battle of WWII beginning in June 1940.   

Photo by John Puckett

Here are some cacti, gifts from the visiting students from Arizona found in a little plot in the middle of town.

Photo by Mary Payne

Photo by Mary Payne

Photo by Mary Payne

Photo by John Puckett

Photo by John Puckett

Photo by John Puckett

Photo by Mary Payne

Photo by Mary Payne

And this is the Villa Kerylos which is one of my favorite sites on the Riviera and which we will visit in a later post.

Photo by Mary Payne

Photo by John Puckett

Photo by Mary Payne

Photo by John Puckett

Looking back on the site of Beaulieu ........indeed, a beautiful spot.