Villefranche-sur-mer - Fall 2024-3

 Dear Friends,

Things are perfect.  The rains have stopped for the last couple of days.  The humidity has disappeared.  The sun is shining, the sky are blue, and the temperature is perfect.  

Yesterday, we walked to La Darse (the historic working marina in Villefranche) for lunch at La Baleine Joyeuse (the happy whale).  It was the perfect day, and we had a perfect lunch after which I was truly in my happy place.

I need to digress for a moment.  The apartment that we rent is on the Rue du Poilu.  This street runs through the old town.  There is the street that is just by the water and then Rue du Poilu is the first one up the hill.  Here is a photo from our balcony to the street that runs by the water.

We are five stories above the water, but only two stories above Rue du Poilu.  Here is the little square just outside the door we enter to walk up to our apartment.

And here is a view of Rue du Poilu leading to our apartment from the center of the old town of Villefranche.

Historically Rue du Poilu stopped in front of our apartment, but now it continues to newer buildings and the train station.  The origin of the name is quite interesting.  "Poilu" in french means "hairy".  Les Poilus is an informal term for late 18th century to early 20th century French infantrymen.  French soldiers returning from war would often arrive at the harbor at Villefranche often without shaving.  They would walk down what is now, in their honor, called Rue du Poilu (street of the hairy).  

Today as we were walking along Rue du Poilu, we ventured into a brand new jewelry store called Aventurine.  It is on the corner of Rue de May and Rue du Poilu.  In this case aventurine means a translucent mineral containing small reflective particles, especially quartz containing mica or iron compounds or feldspar.  The proprietor is very nice, and the jewelry is beautiful and reasonably priced.  While Jane did not buy any jewelry made from aventurine, she did buy a nice pair of everyday earrings.  Here she is with the proprietor leaving the store wearing her new earrings.

My chores for the day are coming to an end.  The laundry that I did this morning and hung out on the line is dry, folded and put away.  

My next chore is to take the garage to la grande poubelle (the big garbage drop), and then I must walk the beach to be sure that all is well and everyone is having a good time.

Thanks for reading and please comment,

The Unabashed Liberal