When Paul was here, he told me about a lovely walk ("sentier" en francais) from Beaulieu sur Mer out to St. Jean Cap Ferrat and beyond to Pointe de Saint Hospice. Beaulieu is not far from here so just before noon today we set off walking along Villefranche's beachfront called Promenade des Marinieres to the intersection where Cap Ferrat juts out from the mainland and Beaulieu is on the other side. It wasn't far. Just past the 5 star hotel called Royal Riviera we started the Promenade Maurice Rouvier. This is very easy walking along a path suitable even for wheelchairs to St. Jean. Along the way, you get lovely views of Villa Kerylos (now a museum) and David Niven's house. Cap Ferrat is truly a playground for the very wealthy and we were three frustrated "lookie-Lous" when we couldn't see over the fences and gates into what I'm sure were dazzling residences. At least we could see the serious yachts in the bay.
After stopping in St. Jean for lunch, we continued along another sentier called le Tour de Saint-Hospice - although we never actually got to the chapel, statue of the Virgin Mary, and the WWI Belgian war cemetery - around Pointe de Saint Hospice. For every bit as smooth and easy as the other sentier was, this was the opposite and, as we rounded the point, we could look directly out to sea. Nothing gentle about the landscape here! As we rounded the point again, we were back in the land of beautiful villas. Next time though, I've got to see the chapel, statue and cemetery which are on a hill in the centre of the point. They were, after all, what Paul said was so special about the walk! Me, I'm always drawn to the sea!
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