Category: Life

Saint-Honorat Island

We spent most of today visiting Saint-Honorat Island, home (since the 6th Century, or so they claim) to the Abbaye de Lérins, who own the island but welcome visitors (within limits and rules).

We took a bus to the ferry dock and then a 15-minute ferry ride to the island.

We weren’t the only vessel in the area, of course. Our company came in all sizes.

We left them behind and approached the island for our visit.

The only restaurant on Saint-Honorat Island (owned, but not operated, by the monks)
The only dock on Saint-Honorat Island

The plan for the visit was simple:

  • Take a walk around the island, visiting chapels, churches, and enjoying the quiet (there are no gasoline vehicles on the island; we did see a monk driving an electric car, but I wasn’t able to get a photo of him)
  • Have a wine tasting in the field where the grapes are grown
  • Have a simple three-course lunch at the restaurant
  • Take the last ferry of the day back to Cannes

I am happy to report that things went according to plan.

The only way off the island after 3:30pm!
Octagonal Chapel
Octagonal Chapel ceiling
Monk questions
Chapel of St. Pierre
St. Patrick was here
To the gift shop!
En route to the Abbatal Church of Lérins
Silence, please
Inside the Abbatal church
Fortified Monastery
Smiling Jesus from the Abbatal Church
Forbidden…but not to us!
Ready for the wine tasting
Clay and limestone soil
Pheasant

I didn’t take any photos of the food – it was quite satisfactory, as was the wine. The group was finished with lunch by 3:15, which gave us plenty of time to stroll over to the dock and meet the 3:30 and final ferry to take us back to Cannes.

Our ride home

We walked back to the hotel (about a mile), passing Cannes City Hall on the way.

We had time to take a quick swim in the hotel pool – it was about 28 degrees Celsius (82F), much warmer than the sea (or so we were told).

A group of us went for dinner at yet another Lebanese restaurant, Beryte, which was a significant step up from Au Charq. We ordered their mezze assortment for the table, and there was more food than any of us could eat, try as we might. Recommended.

And then it was back to the hotel to pack for our departure.

Two lobbies, one museum, one market, and some unusual plumbing

Today’s program began with a lecture from Alison Bracker of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art on “Visionaries of the French Riviera”, followed by a walkaround with John Meffert (our National Trust leader) showing us aspects of the recent major renovation of the Hotel Carlton, which had hosted the G20 in 2011 but fell on hard times only a few years later. Many million euros were spent bringing it back to its former glory, culminating in its reopening in 2023.

Diane and I went our separate ways today; she went to Grasse and mixed perfume, while I went to Antibes and the Picasso Museum in Castle Grimaldi, where Picasso had produced over 100 pieces during the fall of 1946…most of which are still there.

On the way to Antibes
One of the many murals in Cannes
Antibes yacht basin
Fort Carré
Blind, David David
The Nomad, Jaume Plensa
Le grand défi, Nicolas Lavarenne
Walking through Antibes
Chapelle du Saint-Esprit
Sign at Chapelle du Saint-Esprit
The Sea Column, Bernard Pages

We finally reached the Picasso Museum. Their collection isn’t limited to Picasso’s work; our guide had pointed out the home (about three blocks away) of Nicolas de Staël, a French painter of Russian origin who leapt to his death after a meeting with an art critic. This is his last painting.

Le Fort Carré d’Antibes (oil on canvas), de Staël, 1955

But most of our time was spent with Picasso.

Les Clés d’Antibes (charcoal on wallboard), Picasso
La Joie de vive (oleoresin on concrete), Picasso, November 1946
Le Gobeur d’oursins (oleoresin paint on reused canvas), Picasso,
Nature morte à la chouette et aux trois oursins (oleoresin on p
Nature morte à la boutelle, à la sole et à l’alguière (oleor
Nature morte aux poissons noirs (deux poulpes, murène, sole, ou
Satyre, faune, et centaure au trident (oleoresin paint on concre
Échassier, Picasso, 1947-48
La Chevré (charcoal on plywood), Picasso, October 1946
L’Aiguière au fond étoilé (oil, gouache, and pencil on wax-mo
Nu couché au lit blanc (Oleoresin paint on concrete), Picasso,
Ulysse et les sirènes

After leaving the museum, we spent a few minutes exploring the Antibes Sunday market (almost entirely food; they have a big general market on Thursdays).

We walked through the main square of Antibes, where our guide pointed out “The Lovers of Paynet” outside the Paynet and Cartoons Museum.

We had a lavish lunch at Restaurant Ferni; I was impressed with how well they handled dietary restrictions (for example, they gave me a salad instead of the calamari). I was also amazed at the amount of food they served; I felt slightly guilty for not finishing everything, but only slightly…and it was nice to be able to walk out of the restaurant instead of waddling out.

They had some unusual plumbing.

And then it was back to Cannes to meet up with Diane and go out for a long walk. After dinner, we followed John Meffert’s suggestion and took a look at the lobby of the JW Marriot, about a block from the Carlton. I thought it was sterile and not very welcoming, but I guess that’s the vibe they’re looking for.