By Katherine Harvey
Just as the summer was going along without a hitch, no equipment failure, no medical emergencies, no dogs leaving us a surprise at the back door it happened. The thing we had thought we had conquered: Aphids. I wish I knew where they come from; the latest attack is not near any other plant for hundreds of feet. My limited knowledge of these things leaves me baffled and having to take another trip to the hardware store to get yet more spray specifically formulated to eliminate/prevent these pests. The man at the hardware store said that it is the heat that brings them which sounds a bit like spontaneous generation to me but who knows?
The market is in full swing with a few changes for the better. Marielle who has the most beautiful produce stand in the market has been moved from the center row to an outside row now that there is more space due to the elimination of some stands. The idea, she told me, is to ease up the congestion, especially on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday when it is almost impossible to move through the market it is so crowded with locals and tourists. The market is also a social center with restaurants and bars along it where locals meet their friends to have their morning coffee and croissant and then do their daily shop. Tourists gape at the irresistible melons, strawberries, peaches, red, white or black currants and luscious figs as they make their way from one end of the market to the other, dodging strollers, backpacks, the ubiquitous Rolser and serious shoppers talking with the vendors. Michel still has the most popular produce stand at the far end of the market while Eric’s stand at the opposite end of the market which specializes in supplying yachts and restaurants has the most lavish display with prices to match.
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Simone’s daughter has taken over the stand that specializes in heirloom tomatoes across from Alex’s enormous cheese stand displaying more choices than one thought imaginable. While Simone always dressed as if she was ready to go clubbing in Cannes, her daughter covers herself from neck to toe in stark contrast to her flamboyant mother. Across from the tomatoes is Patrizia with her 38 kinds of salt and every spice you can think of; she and her husband have expanded their business to a second stand further down the row selling not only some spices and salts but also rosebuds and lavender sachets.
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The final phase of resurfacing and beautifying the road along the ramparts was finished and dedicated in late June with a brass band leading the parade playing The Streets of Antibes, a Sidney Bechet favorite, and the mayor beaming with pride that his dream of a beautiful walk along the ramparts was finally achieved. The road is now open to deliveries and vehicles from 6am to 10am but rarely do vehicles use the road now in sharp contrast to what used to be. The ramparts have been rendered a pedestrian dream making it a very pleasant stroll with people arriving in droves to enjoy viewing the sea dotted with boats. The mayor wants Antibes to be a pedestrian town and now the road along the market parallel to the road along the ramparts is closed from 3:30 pm to 1am so restaurants and bars can set up tables in what were a few parking spots and pedestrians do not have to dodge cars. Only cars with access permits are allowed after the roads are closed; no Ubers are allowed but taxies are permitted showing support of the taxis.
This is the summer of sports in France with the Olympics in Paris which meant the 111th Tour de France arrival had to be moved out of the City of Light for the first time. Nice was chosen for the July 21 arrival, the race having started in Florence on June 29. For the final stage of the race the Tour had riders leaving from Monaco in staggered groups so the arrival would take all day with the final riders arriving at the Place Massena at around 6 pm, unlike the usual afternoon arrival in Paris. This decision caused days of traffic jams before and after the arrival of the Tour with roads between Monaco and Nice closed and pedestrians and motorists alike left fuming.
The Olympics also had an impact on other parts of the Riviera with the Olympic torch passing along the ramparts of Antibes past our house. Naturally we had a party with an interesting mix of guests including our housekeeper Nathalie, her nephew and beautiful daughter. The local boulanger and our alderman John Paul Veziano whose boulangerie is celebrating 100 years came in his Butch McGuire’s tee shirt; JP’s entourage included two of his daughters, his 94 year old mother and two grandsons. JP’s boulangerie always has a long line (only open in the morning, closed Monday and Tuesday) and by general acclimation makes the best pissaladiere, that famous onion and anchovy tart with a black olive, in Provence; he provided the bread for Prince Albert and Princess Charlene’s wedding celebration dinner. Artist Anne Sophie Digsmed who creates some of the most charming post cards and paintings of Antibes including one of our house came as did Tom and Paul who rent local properties that are in high demand. And our dear friend Maita joined the group with her daughter-in-law Cindy.
The Olympics is one of the most important social events on the Royal calendar with two current reigning queens having met their real prince charming during them. Queen Mary of Denmark, now a mother of four who hails from Tasmania was an advertising agency executive when she met Fred in a bar, the Slip Inn, during the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney; she had no idea Fred was the crown prince of Denmark. Polyglot Queen Silvia of Sweden met her prince charming during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich when she was an Olympic hostess only to have him become king in 1973. Their marriage took place in 1976, the first marriage of a reigning Swedish monarch since 1797.
This year there were many royals at the opening ceremony and dinner at the Louvre the night before for 100 guests including Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco, King Philippe and Queen Letizia of Spain, King Frederick and Queen Mary of Denmark, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Teresa of Luxembourg, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands; King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands came solo to the Elysee Palace reception as did King Philippe of Spain with Queen Maxima and Queen Letizia choosing to skip that event. Prince Albert has been a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1985; he and Princess Charlene are both former Olympic athletes (he in bobsleigh and she in the 4x100m swimming, the same event where our own Marilee Stepan Wehman won bronze) as was the prince’s maternal grandfather John Kelly, father of Princess Grace, who won three Olympic gold medals in rowing including one in the 1924 Paris Olympics. The Prince and Princess brought their nine year old twins to observe multiple events introducing them to the family tradition. To celebrate the centenary of John Kelly’s third gold, the Prince and Princess opened the exhibition of the Prince’s collection of 40 Olympic torches at Monaco’s Grimaldi Forum in mid-July. Princess Anne of the UK who is a former Olympian equestrian medal winner and member of the International Olympic Committee since 1988 was also present but chose to be more discreet after her recent horse related accident. Other royal members of the International Olympic Committee include Princess Nora of Lichtenstein and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg; honorary royal members include King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and King Frederick of Denmark.
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Sponsorship of the Olympics is front and center with LVMH the premiere partner, giving a reception for all the A listers at the Louis Vuitton Foundation in the Bois de Boulogne before the games began. LVMH is responsible not only for the design of the French Olympians uniforms (house of Berluti) but the medals themselves (Chaumet) kept in the Louis Vuitton Medals Trunk; each medal includes a small piece of the Eiffel Tower. The torches trunk was also designed by Louis Vuitton in keeping with an over 35 year tradition combining design, artisanal skill and vision for the future. Hollywood and the simply famous are well represented at the games with Steven Spielberg, Mick Jagger, Charlize Theron, Snoop Dogg among many, many others, all seen at the LVMH reception before the opening ceremonies.
Coverage of the Olympics is on two and sometimes three television channels virtually all day and into the evening with emphasis on French participants which is expected. The weaving of Paris sites and Olympic sports has been done brilliantly (think beach volley ball in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, archery on the esplanade of Les Invalides, some aquatic events in the iconic Seine, fencing and martial arts under the great glass dome roof of the Grand Palais and gravity defying events in the Place de la Concorde; equestrian events took place at Versailles and while it is not Paris proper it is still Versailles) and the technical achievements amazing. To see the likes of Simone Biles as she flies and twists through the air broken down into frames is breathtaking.
Every summer Antibes showcases the works of a sculptor and this summer is no exception with 15 works of Nicolas Lavarenne again populating the town. I personally miss the animals that were in the square out our back door some years ago but am delighted that we have one piece of Lavarenne’s work in the cactus garden. The Poet’s Garden at the end of the ramparts has a few of the works to the delight of all.
Igloo is AWOL and has been for some time. He seems to be very happy in Switzerland and rumor has it that he has a girlfriend and does not miss his old haunts in Antibes at all. The fact that he has been replaced by a dog must rankle him if he has been made aware of it.
