We ate on the terrasse which offered fantastic ambience and reasonable value with a menu prix fixe, which was rather heavily offset by the large quantity of Rosé that was imbibed, it was very hot after all!  Some remained to shop and further enjoy St Paul and others returned to siesta and work up an appetite for the evening.  A short walk around the headland from the hotel to the port and "Les Pecheurs" restaurant, where the highlight was perhaps the introduction to Madame and her staff of the traditions of the "Loving Cup".  It was universally agreed that the large glass of Amaretto used was in fact preferable to the more traditional recipe, and that our 'Master of Wine' should be commissioned to prepare a recipe on which a new tradition could be founded.

Saturday seemed to arrive early - or perhaps I was slow rising - but a good day was in prospect.  We went to Cap Ferat and the Villa Rothschild perched on a beautiful wooded site above Villefranche and set in a series of different gardens.  The pink house presented a strange mixture of styles and details purchased on wide travels.  The interior showed us the salons and boudoirs which housed treasures of statues, altarpieces, curios, paintings, furniture and some quite stunning porcelain.

Just as our visit finished the weather broke and we lunched in the famous restaurant "La Mere Germain" with torrential rain on the harbourfront of Villefranche.  Exhausted yet again more siestas were taken before a reception with the Master on the terrace of the Hotel La Perouse, dinner at the Brasserie Flo in Nice and a well deserved peaceful night.

Sunday morning was unstructured and most visited the flower market with its delightful mixture of colours and aromas.  The car travellers set off and the main body of Jollyers had a very pleasant informal lunch on the hotel terrace.

The Upper Warden, David Laing, outlined proposals for the next year's Jolly to Ballymaloe near Cork, which received nods of approval from all present.  He gave the Master full thanks for the great deal of effort he had put in to every detail of the Jolly that had led to its great success and our enormous enjoyment.

A rousing toast was given to the Master and the Mistress.

David Laing

Flower Market in Old Nice

Page 7