Own a Piece of Monte-Carlo Hotel History

As part of a four-year, €250-million renovation at the five-star Hotel de Paris, its owner--Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer--will stage a major auction of the hotel's fixtures, furniture, linens, tableware and art from January 25 to 30.  Artcurial, the prestigious French auction house, will do the honors; they handled recent auctions at the Hotel de Crillon and the Plaza Athénée in Paris.  The auction takes place in the Hotel de Paris' Salle Empire and will be preceded by a four-day exhibition, January 21 to 24. The exhibit will trace the history of the decorative items and will be displayed in a trail around the hotel.  All told, some 4000 lots containing 10,000 items will go under the hammer, including furniture from two restaurants, the lobby and the garden; furniture from 138 suites and rooms (including the 210-square-meter Winston Churchill Suite); 400 items of tableware; and monogrammed bath linens. Total value is estimated at €1 million. The Hotel de Paris will remain open throughout the renovation, with a limited capacity of 53 rooms and suites. Its famous façade overlooking Casino Square will remain untouched, as will the historic spaces such as the lobby (with its equestrian statue of Louis XIV, said to bring luck to those who touch it),  the American Bar, the Empire Room and Alain Ducasse's Michelin three-star restaurant Le Louis XV. (Attention Foodies: Seventeen pieces from Le Louis XV will be on auction.) "This exclusive sale heralds the first stage of our renovation, which is part of a major metamorphosis of Casino Square," explains hotel director Luca Allegri.  "The Société des Bains de Mer is also remodeling the Sporting d’Hiver, which will bring a new feel to the whole of Monte-Carlo and improve its offering of residences, shopping spaces, gardens and venues when fully completed in 2018." (Allegri, for his part, says he hopes to purchase something from the Churchill Suite, the hotels' most-luxurious apartment. Located on the 8th floor, it offers private access, two bedrooms, two bathrooms...and splendid views of the harbor, the Rock and the sea. Sir Winston Churchill was a loyal Hotel de Paris guest starting in 1945 and stayed several times in this apartment. The penthouse replacing it will be considered the jewel of the newly done property). Built in 1864, Hotel de Paris was inaugurated shortly after the magnificent Monte-Carlo Casino.  It was created by Francois Blanc, the founder of the Société des Bains de Mer, who had made his fortune at the Hamburg Casino. His goal? To give the arid Spélugues Plateau--at that time covered in olive, lemon and orange trees--a sumptuous setting for gambling and luxury which would draw "the international elite." To build it, Blanc brought together some of the most-talented designers from France and abroad; the Belle Époque architecture is the work of French architect Godinot de la Bretonnerie. Eroll Flynn celebrated his wedding here; James Bond stayed here in GoldenEye (1995). Karl Lagerfeld, Coco Chanel, Charlie Chaplin, Salvador Dali, the Prince of Wales, Alexandre Dumas, Baron Haussmann and Prince Napoleon have all been guests. The redo will impact both public areas and guest rooms, with rooms being enlarged and the number of suites increased. A new garden courtyard will be created along with a new fitness, spa and pool area and a “rooftop villa” with private pool and garden. Architects Richard Martinet and Gabriel Viora have been entrusted to do the lavish update while maintaining the spirit and integrity of the original design.  The Société des Bains de Mer now owns and operates four casinos, four hotels (Hôtel de Paris, Hôtel Hermitage, Monte-Carlo Beach, Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort) and 33 restaurants including the Le Louis XV, the flagship of Alain Ducasse's empire. (For my story about the restaurant's 25th Anniversary Party, click here.)  A team of 20 Artcurial employees worked seven months preparing for this sale, with 40 days spent on inventory alone. Leading the sale will be auctioneer and managing partner Stéphane Aubert and co-president Francois Tajan. Founded in 2002, Artcurial staged 123 sales within 20 specialty departments in 2013 alone, generating sales of €178.1 million. (One recently auctioned piece, La Rivière, a sculpture by Aristide Maillol, brought in €6.1 million and was the year's third most expensive auction item in France.)  Based in Paris, they have offices in Milan, Brussels, Vienna and China, and stage travelling exhibits in the US and Asia. To see the full auction catalogue with lots of great historic photos, click here. For the auction details, see the Artcurial website here. Finally, for still more info and other art-world happenings (including the Feb 5 charity auction of Pope Benoit XVI's Harley-Davidson, at the Grand Palais in Paris), click here. Photos: (1, 2) The hotel today...by night and day. (3) This wool-and-silk lobby rug (made in 1962) measures 10.4 x 6.7 meters and is signed "Iran – Daroshtareh – Naïn." It's the most valuable item being auctioned and is expected to bring 10,000 to 20,000€.  (4) Chairs waiting for new homes. (5) Set of 12 “Constellation" plates from the restaurant Le Grill, in Pillivuyt porcelain, marked "Constellation - Le Grill - S.B.M. Monaco."  (6) Teak terrace furniture. (7) Winston Churchill stayed regularly at the Hotel de Paris, starting in 1945. He had his own 210-square-meter suite which he decorated to his own taste, first on the 4th floor and then on the 8th. Churchill often painted early in the morning on the balcony, dressed in his dressing gown. Furniture and objects from the suite to be auctioned include this model boat. (8) A pair of signed "Funny Valentine" chairs by Jean Charles de Castelbajac for Ligne Rosset. (9) You need this grained-leather mini bar, no? (10) This pair of 20th-century "Feuilles" (leaves) lamps in gilded, burnished metal are expected to bring €600 to €800. (11) A set of four lavishly adorned Louis XIV-style torchères, in carved and gilded wood, is estimated at €5,000 to €8,000. (12) More stuff!   (13) Salvador Dali in the hotel kitchen in 1949, photographed by Robert Oggero. (14) Charlie Chaplin lunching on the terrace, 1959. (15)  The hotel and Casino Square in 1910.

Win the Chance to Drive a New Ferrari

The mountain and coastal roads of the Cote d’Azur are considered some of the most gorgeous drives in the world. Now imagine taking their hairpin turns and breath-taking stretches behind the wheel of a convertible Ferrari F430 F1 Spider. Now imagine doing it free.

Yep, here in the South of France, you can enjoy an exhilarating Ferrari ride next to a professional instructor or drive the car yourself (with a co-pilot instructor). And for my newest giveaway, the company that offers these drives, Liven Up, has given me a gift certificate for €115, good for a 15-minute drive-yourself Ferrari experience from Eze village anytime in the next year. If you've ever driven up that way, you know the beauty that awaits you! Prices for other packages range from 59€ (for a 15-minute ride as the passenger) to 790€ (for three hours driving yourself), with trips starting from Eze, Monte Carlo or Nice. So if you want a longer trip, just add the money and extend it. A camera at the rear of the car will record everything and you'll get a copy of it on an SDHC card...a 49€ value...perfect for boring your friends silly when you get home.

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below, under ''comments.'' Make sure to leave us your email address so we can contact you if you win. (Signing in with your web URL is not enough, sorry!) In your comment, tell us about the best drive you ever took...or tell us about the drive of your dreams. Or just tell us why you should be our winner!

Meanwhile, to book your own Ferrari ride--or send a gift certificate to a friend--contact: nath@livenup.fr.  The company also offers a wide range of sightseeing tours, chartered boat trips and more, all of which you can see on their site here.  Bonne Chance!

Joy Riding in a Ferrari
The mountain and coastal roads of the Cote d’Azur are considered some of the most gorgeous drives in the world. Now imagine taking their hairpin turns and breath-taking stretches behind the wheel of a convertible Ferrari F430 F1 Spider. You can enjoy an exhilarating ride next to a professional instructor or drive the car yourself (with a co-pilot instructor). Prices range from 59€ (for a 15-minute ride as the passenger) to 790€ (for three hours driving yourself). You can start your trip in Eze, Monte Carlo or Nice. Whether you want to be pilot or co-pilot, this is an experience you won’t forget! (And to make sure you don’t, a camera at the rear of the car will record the whole drive and you can have a copy of it on an SDHC for an additional 49€.) To give a Ferrari ride or drive a friend, gift certificates are available. To book: provenceblog@aol.com.

- See more at: http://theprovencepost.blogspot.fr/p/w.html#sthash.OyWh9rrF.dpuf

Joy Riding in a Ferrari
The mountain and coastal roads of the Cote d’Azur are considered some of the most gorgeous drives in the world. Now imagine taking their hairpin turns and breath-taking stretches behind the wheel of a convertible Ferrari F430 F1 Spider. You can enjoy an exhilarating ride next to a professional instructor or drive the car yourself (with a co-pilot instructor). Prices range from 59€ (for a 15-minute ride as the passenger) to 790€ (for three hours driving yourself). You can start your trip in Eze, Monte Carlo or Nice. Whether you want to be pilot or co-pilot, this is an experience you won’t forget! (And to make sure you don’t, a camera at the rear of the car will record the whole drive and you can have a copy of it on an SDHC for an additional 49€.) To give a Ferrari ride or drive a friend, gift certificates are available. To book: provenceblog@aol.com.

- See more at: http://theprovencepost.blogspot.fr/p/w.html#sthash.OyWh9rrF.dpuf

Joy Riding in a Ferrari
The mountain and coastal roads of the Cote d’Azur are considered some of the most gorgeous drives in the world. Now imagine taking their hairpin turns and breath-taking stretches behind the wheel of a convertible Ferrari F430 F1 Spider. You can enjoy an exhilarating ride next to a professional instructor or drive the car yourself (with a co-pilot instructor). Prices range from 59€ (for a 15-minute ride as the passenger) to 790€ (for three hours driving yourself). You can start your trip in Eze, Monte Carlo or Nice. Whether you want to be pilot or co-pilot, this is an experience you won’t forget! (And to make sure you don’t, a camera at the rear of the car will record the whole drive and you can have a copy of it on an SDHC for an additional 49€.) To give a Ferrari ride or drive a friend, gift certificates are available. To book: provenceblog@aol.com. - See more at: http://theprovencepost.blogspot.fr/p/w.html#sthash.OyWh9rrF.dpuf

Joy Riding in a Ferrari
The mountain and coastal roads of the Cote d’Azur are considered some of the most gorgeous drives in the world. Now imagine taking their hairpin turns and breath-taking stretches behind the wheel of a convertible Ferrari F430 F1 Spider. You can enjoy an exhilarating ride next to a professional instructor or drive the car yourself (with a co-pilot instructor). Prices range from 59€ (for a 15-minute ride as the passenger) to 790€ (for three hours driving yourself). You can start your trip in Eze, Monte Carlo or Nice. Whether you want to be pilot or co-pilot, this is an experience you won’t forget! (And to make sure you don’t, a camera at the rear of the car will record the whole drive and you can have a copy of it on an SDHC for an additional 49€.) To give a Ferrari ride or drive a friend, gift certificates are available. To book: provenceblog@aol.com. - See more at: http://theprovencepost.blogspot.fr/p/w.html#sthash.OyWh9rrF.dpuf

Joy Riding in a Ferrari
The mountain and coastal roads of the Cote d’Azur are considered some of the most gorgeous drives in the world. Now imagine taking their hairpin turns and breath-taking stretches behind the wheel of a convertible Ferrari F430 F1 Spider. You can enjoy an exhilarating ride next to a professional instructor or drive the car yourself (with a co-pilot instructor). Prices range from 59€ (for a 15-minute ride as the passenger) to 790€ (for three hours driving yourself). You can start your trip in Eze, Monte Carlo or Nice. Whether you want to be pilot or co-pilot, this is an experience you won’t forget! (And to make sure you don’t, a camera at the rear of the car will record the whole drive and you can have a copy of it on an SDHC for an additional 49€.) To give a Ferrari ride or drive a friend, gift certificates are available. To book: provenceblog@aol.com. - See more at: http://theprovencepost.blogspot.fr/p/w.html#sthash.OyWh9rrF.dpuf

Joy Riding in a Ferrari
The mountain and coastal roads of the Cote d’Azur are considered some of the most gorgeous drives in the world. Now imagine taking their hairpin turns and breath-taking stretches behind the wheel of a convertible Ferrari F430 F1 Spider. You can enjoy an exhilarating ride next to a professional instructor or drive the car yourself (with a co-pilot instructor). Prices range from 59€ (for a 15-minute ride as the passenger) to 790€ (for three hours driving yourself). You can start your trip in Eze, Monte Carlo or Nice. Whether you want to be pilot or co-pilot, this is an experience you won’t forget! (And to make sure you don’t, a camera at the rear of the car will record the whole drive and you can have a copy of it on an SDHC for an additional 49€.) To give a Ferrari ride or drive a friend, gift certificates are available. To book: provenceblog@aol.com. - See more at: http://theprovencepost.blogspot.fr/p/w.html#sthash.OyWh9rrF.dpuf

Joy Riding in a Ferrari
The mountain and coastal roads of the Cote d’Azur are considered some of the most gorgeous drives in the world. Now imagine taking their hairpin turns and breath-taking stretches behind the wheel of a convertible Ferrari F430 F1 Spider. You can enjoy an exhilarating ride next to a professional instructor or drive the car yourself (with a co-pilot instructor). Prices range from 59€ (for a 15-minute ride as the passenger) to 790€ (for three hours driving yourself). You can start your trip in Eze, Monte Carlo or Nice. Whether you want to be pilot or co-pilot, this is an experience you won’t forget! (And to make sure you don’t, a camera at the rear of the car will record the whole drive and you can have a copy of it on an SDHC for an additional 49€.) To give a Ferrari ride or drive a friend, gift certificates are available. To book: provenceblog@aol.com. - See more at: http://theprovencepost.blogspot.fr/p/w.html#sthash.OyWh9rrF.dpuf

oy Riding in a Ferrari
The mountain and coastal roads of the Cote d’Azur are considered some of the most gorgeous drives in the world. Now imagine taking their hairpin turns and breath-taking stretches behind the wheel of a convertible Ferrari F430 F1 Spider. You can enjoy an exhilarating ride next to a professional instructor or drive the car yourself (with a co-pilot instructor). Prices range from 59€ (for a 15-minute ride as the passenger) to 790€ (for three hours driving yourself). You can start your trip in Eze, Monte Carlo or Nice. Whether you want to be pilot or co-pilot, this is an experience you won’t forget! (And to make sure you don’t, a camera at the rear of the car will record the whole drive and you can have a copy of it on an SDHC for an additional 49€.) To give a Ferrari ride or drive a friend, gift certificates are available. To book: provenceblog@aol.com.
- See more at: http://theprovencepost.blogspot.fr/p/w.html#sthash.OyWh9rrF.dpuf

oy Riding in a Ferrari
The mountain and coastal roads of the Cote d’Azur are considered some of the most gorgeous drives in the world. Now imagine taking their hairpin turns and breath-taking stretches behind the wheel of a convertible Ferrari F430 F1 Spider. You can enjoy an exhilarating ride next to a professional instructor or drive the car yourself (with a co-pilot instructor). Prices range from 59€ (for a 15-minute ride as the passenger) to 790€ (for three hours driving yourself). You can start your trip in Eze, Monte Carlo or Nice. Whether you want to be pilot or co-pilot, this is an experience you won’t forget! (And to make sure you don’t, a camera at the rear of the car will record the whole drive and you can have a copy of it on an SDHC for an additional 49€.) To give a Ferrari ride or drive a friend, gift certificates are available. To book: provenceblog@aol.com. - See more at: http://theprovencepost.blogspot.fr/p/w.html#sthash.KKZ3rrk0.dpuf

The Art of the Luggage Label

Tom Schifanella, a Florida based graphic designer and ad exec, loved buying vintage travel posters (mostly Art Nouveau to Mid Century Modern) until prices escalated in the late 1980s. Then one day at a local antique show, Tom realized he could pick up luggage labels --often miniature versions of the same travel posters he loved--for a fraction of the cost. ''They were usually considered an afterthought by dealers,'' he explains. Tom started buying up all the labels he could find locally, scouting them on frequent trips to New York and London and trading duplicates with dealers and other collectors. ''I quickly realized that you could amass a pretty significant collection on a limited budget and began to acquire as many as I could get my hands on,'' he says.

Today Tom estimates his collection numbers somewhere around 7000 labels, plus another 600 historic travel-related items.

''Luggage labels are fascinating bits of hotel history from the golden age of travel, roughly the 1900's to 1960's,'' Tom explains. ''The labels were used by hotels as advertising and eagerly applied to steamer trunks, suitcases and all sorts of luggage by hotel staff, mainly bellhops.'' 

Along with other bits of travel ephemera, Tom displays the bulk of his vast collection on his wonderful Flickr site here. ''My goal is to create an online visual resource for collectors that will educate and inform,'' he says. ''Eventually I'd like to have one of the most comprehensive collections of labels on the web. And one of the best ways to do this is by encouraging other collectors to add to the images to the site.'' So if you have labels, Tom would love to hear from you.  

Tom has his favorites, of course, such as those from the great label printers and artists of the 1930's. ''Printers such as BRÜGGER of Meiringen, Richter & Co and A. TRÜB & Cie of Aarau produced some fantastic labels during this time period using stone lithography, engraving and chromolithography,'' he said in a recent interview on the blog Ephemera. ''Artists such as Roger Broders, Jan Lavies, Erik Nitsche, Mario Borgoni, J. Pashal and Charles Kuhn worked with these printers to produce label designs of exceptional quality.'' 

On Flickr, Tom has his labels organized beautiful by theme, geography and subject. For example, you can see all the France labels here...and Paris labels here...and labels by the printer Richter & Co. here...and labels from the Belle Epoque here...and labels from North America and Canada here...

Tom also displays labels belonging to fellow collectors, such as Joao Mimoso and György Rázsó, among others.

If you're thinking luggage labels might be fun to collect, Tom's best tip is is to buy what interests you, not what you think is a good investment.  Meanwhile he sells a few labels on Ebay; you can see that page here. For advertising and marketing purposes, Tom makes high-res digital images of his labels available; just email him (tomschifanella@trsg.net) for more info. Tom's love affair with luggage labels is like a little vacation and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did...

Photos: A grid made from some of Tom's French labels...and a few favorites from the South of France. 

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Restaurant Royalty Fêtes Ducasse's 25th

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

Anyone who knows chef Alain Ducasse knows that he does nothing halfway. So when he decided to throw a party to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of his Monte-Carlo restaurant Le Louis XV, he went all out, inviting 240 chef friends for a weekend of elegant food, stellar wines and good fun. Included in the November 16th to 18th festivities were many of the very-top toques in the world, a rarified group holding some 300 Michelin stars between them. Chefs came in from South Africa, North and South America, Japan, China, Hong Kong, India, Australia, Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, Russia... 25 countries total...plus all over Europe and beyond...while the French contigent was out in full force. Joël Robuchon? Check! Pierre Troisgros? Check! Michel Guérard and Michel Roux? Of course. Boulud, Hermé, Maximin, Pic, Charial, Darroze, Dutournier, Haeberlin, Marcon, Marx, Pourcel, Senderens, Thuries, Trama, Chibois, Roellinger, Payard, Blanc (Georges) and Blanc (Raymond)....the old guard and the new...they all left their kitchens and came out to honor the man they call the Godfather of French Cuisine. All the finest Riviera region chefs were there as well...from Marseille to Menton...check, check, check. One fabulous chef after another.

Despite a late night on Friday, everyone gathered bright and early Saturday morning on the Casino Square for a family photo, not the easiest undertaking. Then after a panel discussion in the gorgeous gilded Salle Garnier of the Opera de Monte-Carlo, it was off to the Le Sporting for an all-day ''Mediterranean Market'' celebrating 100 of Mr. Ducasse's favorite ingredients...and the hard-working farmers, ranchers, fishermen, foragers and artisans who supply them. A few minutes into the party, the enormous ceiling rolled back, bathing everyone in the bright Mediterranean sun...a perfect metaphor as Mr. Ducasse is unfailingly vocal when it comes to his passion for the region's sun-drenched cuisine. While a few intrepid swimmers splashed around in the calm sea below, the chefs sipped Champagne and glorious wines, perused the beautifully displayed ingredients and chatted up the purveyors, then eagerly set to sampling the dishes being prepared  à la minute by the 14 chefs Mr. Ducasse had tapped to cook. Can you imagine the pressure those 14 chefs felt, cooking on little portable burners for this crowd? The vast room was white coats wall to wall, with chefs eating, drinking, hugging, toasting, posing for the press, catching up on each other's news and trading war stories. Prince Albert II was there too, sampling and shaking hands, while his dark-suited security detail tried their best to blend. At the party's end, famed Parisian pattisier Pierre Hermé still had a crowd at his station, thanks to the endless supply of sweets he put out, most notably an ethereal white truffle macaron that made even the most-jaded palates swoon.

There was barely time for a few minutes of feet-up before everyone gathered at Le Louis XV for the gala dinner, with Prince Albert among the guests, the lovely Princess Charlene at his side, Princess Caroline of Monaco in the room as well and reportedly 200 chefs and cooks in the kitchen. And the party continued on Sunday, with an elegant brunch. And although he was both guest of honor and the host, Mr. Ducasse was, as usual, focused on playing up the accomplishments of others--his team, colleagues, mentors, protegées, competitors, and peers--rather than shining the spotlight on himself. More than 1/3 of the Monte-Carlo SBM's 3,500 employees worked on putting together the weekend, which was months and months in the planning. Did you just hear that whoosh? That was the collective sigh coming from Monaco today, now that the event is officially over and it's clear that it was a smashing success. Too bad Michelin doesn't give stars for parties. 

Born on a farm in Southwestern France, Ducasse was 12 when he famously proclaimed “Grand-mere, these beans are overcooked!” and 16 when he began his culinary career. He quit catering school--he found the pace too slow--preferring to learn from the chefs he most respected: Michel Guérard, Gaston Lenôtre, Roger Vergé, Alain Chapel and others. Today he's considered the master of Mediterranean cuisine, which he celebrates and advances through his schools, cookbooks, restaurants, food products and more. His mantra is impeccable ingredients and his philosophy is ''glocal''--meaning he draws inspiration, flavors and techniques from whatever city or country he's working in, while keeping roots planted firmly in Mediterranean soil.

Le Louis XV was Mr. Ducasse's first Michelin three-star restaurant and it remains his company's flagship. Anxious to have a top-rated restaurant in the Principality, Prince Rainier III lured him there in 1987. ''Until then,'' Ducasse said,  ''The Hotel de Paris was serving typical luxury palace fare. The challenge was to bring a breath of fresh air into a very classic room and also bring in local ingredients. I kept that promise.'' But there was more: Ducasse vowed he'd earn three stars within three years...and he did of course, becoming the youngest chef (age 33) ever to do so. He opened in Paris in 1996 and quickly earned three there as well. With the addition of his restaurant in the Dorchester Hotel in London, he became, in 2005, the first chef to hold three Michelin stars in three different restaurants at the same time. Today he's involved in a wide range of projects, which generated, I've read, €68 million in sales ($87 million) last year. His global empire includes 27 restaurants in eight countries...and 21 Michelin stars. A restaurant in Qatar is coming next year.

Ducasse is outspoken in his belief that chefs have a dual role: to provide pleasure though food but also to share their knowledge with others. A successful stint in a Ducasse kitchen instantly elevates any cook's resumé...and those who have toiled Chez Ducasse over the years comprise a list far too long to print. It's a global network of rigorously trained talent and it grows larger every day. 

''The 25th anniversary was truly an historic event,'' says New York-based restaurateur Drew Nieporent, who owns Nobu, TriBeCa Grill, Corton (two Michelin stars), and dozens of other restaurants worldwide. ''There will never be an event that humbled so many great chefs, as Ducasse honored his mentors (Troisgros, Guérard, Blanc, etc.), his peers and his 200-plus friends this weekend. It was a delicious honor to be one of them.''

To  learn more about Alain Ducasse click here. To see the 25th Anniversary celebration page on Facebook, click here. For all the participating chefs, Alain Ducasse's favorite Mediterranean ingredients and more, the press kit for the 25th Anniversary celebration is here.

Photos (click to enlarge): 1, 2: The 25th Anniversary logo, made by 240 chefs on the Casino Square...and how they did it. 3: Ducasse shares a laugh with another multiple-three-star chef, Joël Robuchon. 4: Ducasse arrives at Le Sporting with Prince Albert. 5-7: Some of Ducasse' favorite ingredients in the Mediterranean Market on Saturday. 8: One of Pierre Herme's desserts in the Market. 9: Chef David Burke with chef Marc Haeberlin and restaurateur Drew Nieporent. 10: Chefs Pierre Troisgros and Joan Roca. 11: Turkish chef Vedat Basaran with Israeli chef Ezra Kedem. 12: My key to the Kingdom. (Photos 1 - 5 & 8, copyright and courtesy of Agence Photo Realis.)

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You're Invited to Thanksgiving...

As in years past, members and friends of the American Club of the Riviera will gather around elegantly laid tables to celebrate Thanksgiving....and everyone is welcome. The event is Thursday, November 22, at 12:3o and the venue is the gorgeous Restaurant Salle Empire of the Hotel de Paris in Monte-Carlo, which will remind you exactly of home (if home was Versailles). This event is always very popular so book early. On the menu? All of the traditional Thanksgiving goodies, only this time they'll come straight from the kitchen of chef Alain Ducasse, not the kitchen of Aunt Shirley. You'll dine with old friends and new, locals and visitors, and some honored guests from the U.S. military. Prices include the Champagne reception, the complete Thanksgiving meal and all beverages: €80 per person (members of the American Club of the Riviera and their immediate families); €90 (members of affiliated clubs); €95 (non-members). Jacket and tie will be required and payment must be received no later than Friday, November 16.  For more info and a registration form, click here.

Another open-to-the-public Thanksgiving is being hosted by The Anglo-American Group of Provence. Theirs will be Sunday November 25, at 4 pm and roughly 70 people are expected. It's at Le Verguetier, a restaurant and party space located at #7, chemin d'Eguilles, in the Aix suburb of Celony. (Le Verguetier is just across from the Maison de Ste. Victoire.) Prices for non members are €32 adults and €16 children 11 and under. For more info or to reserve, contact Judy Hawkins: 04 42 38 57 37 and johawkins@aol.com

The Avignon Expat Group and other English-speaking friends will gather for a Thanksgiving Potluck, Saturday, November 24, at 12:30 pm in Isle sur la Sorgue. It's at the home of Jack Turbiville. To RSVP, choose your dish and get directions: jackturbi@numericable.fr

The lovely new hotel Mas Valentine in St. Remy is serving a traditional Thanksgiving dinner on November 22nd, prepared by guest chef Melissa Lopez. The 35€-per-person menu includes eggs mimosa as an amuse and pumpkin soup as a starter...then roast turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, gratin dauphinoise, rutabaga purée en cocotte and Valrhona chocolate pecan pie. To reserve: 04 90 90 14 91, contact@masvalentine.com or masvalentine.com.

If you know of other Thanksgiving celebrations in Provence, please leave us the info under ''comments'' below....thanks! 

Photos: The Place du Casino in Monte-Carlo, home to the Hotel de Paris; close up of the hotel; the hotel's Salle Empire.

Princess Grace: On Film and In Provence

Action! The cameras have just begun rolling here in France for Grace of Monaco, the new movie with Nicole Kidman playing Grace Kelly. The story centers on a six-month period in 1962 when French Prime Minister Charles de Gaulle and Monaco's Prince Rainier III were at odds over the opulent principality's standing as a tax haven. The Philadelphia-born Kelly, who had quit Hollywood to marry the Prince in 1955, was said to have been instrumental in helping to sort out the political hoo-ha. The film is directed by Olivier Dahan, whose Edith Piaf biopic La Vie en Rose earned Marion Cotillard the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2008. Princess Grace died in a car accident in 1982 (her daughter Stephanie survived the crash) and it's said the funeral was watched on TV by 30 million people. Speaking of 30 million, that's the estimated budget for the film. Following her appearance at the Emmys on Sunday night, Kidman joined the cast at the Victorine Studio in Nice, which is where Alfred Hitchcock filmed Kelly opposite Cary Grant in 1955’s To Catch a Thief.

The film is slated for a 2014 release. Tim Roth will play Prince Rainer III and Paz Vega will appear as Grace Kelly's friend and confidante, the opera legend Maria Callas. Frank Langella is set to play Father Tucker, the priest who set Rainer and Kelly up and served as an important adviser to the couple throughout their relationship. Parker Posey plays the scheming social climber Madge Tivey-Faucon, Grace's lady-in-waiting who ''couldn't wait to sell unflattering tell-alls to the French press once she left Kelly's employ.'' Milo Ventimiglia plays Grace's publicist Rupert Allan, who served as consul general for the principality of Monaco and was made a Chevalier of the Order of Grimaldi in 1989.

If the life of Princess Grace interests you, then this is the perfect time to see The Princess Grace Photo Album in Les Baux de Provence, the striking Medieval hill town in the heart of Provence. It's an exhibit of photos taken by reporters from Paris Match, grouped according to era and subject and hung in three indoor/outdoor spaces around the village: in the courtyard and gallery of the Hotel de Manville (along with letters and other historic memorabilia), in the Jardin de l’îlot Post Tenebras Lux and in La Citerne. The show remains on view until November 15, 2012.

So what's the connection between the Princess and Les Baux?  The show marks the 30th anniversary of the Princess's visit with Prince Albert, the young Marquis de Baux.  In June 1982, the people of Les Baux gave an official reception for Prince Albert of Monaco and presented him with the keys of the town. A bit of history: The barony of Les Baux was raised to the status of a marquisate in 1642 by King Louis XIII, to thank the Prince of Monaco, Hercule de Grimaldi, for his assistance in the fight against the kingdom of Spain. A map of Les Baux was drawn at that time, bearing the arms of Les Baux and Monaco. The Eyguieres gate was raised in the 17th century by the Princes of Monaco. Their coat-of-arms, which was hammered down during the French Revolution, can be seen in a scroll with baroque foliage decoration.To this day,  the Grimaldis continue to contribute to the restoration and enhancement of Les Baux, such as the donation, in 1962, of the stained-glass windows in St. Vincent's Church and the restoration of the frescoes in the Hotel de Porcelet. 

At one time (in the 13th century), the village of Les Baux was home to as many as 3000 people. Now the year-round population is just 22.

To celebrate the opening of The Princess Grace Photo Album, a group of regional dignitaries, tourism authorities and local business owners were welcomed for a private tour and gala luncheon this summer. The guest of honor was Diane E. Kelly, the Consul General of the U.S. in Marseille and Monaco. 

Entrance to the Princess Grace show is free. A guide to the show and the sites pertaining to the history of the Grimaldi Family in Les Baux can be found at the Tourist Office or online here. For more info on the show or Les Baux itself, call (04 90 54 34 39), email (tourisme@lesbauxdeprovence.com) or click here.  

*For still more on Les Baux, you can see two great shots here and here. To read about a Les Baux quarry that does custom stone work, click here.

Photos: (1 & 2) Kelly, left, is being played by Kidman in "Grace of Monaco," which just began filming in France. Photos via MGM/Will Davidson/Swisse via Getty Images. (3) Poster photo by Jack Garofalo/Paris Match. (4 & 5) Large photos from many chapters of Grace Kelly's life are hung in three indoor/outdoor venues in Les Baux. (6, 7, 8) Photos from the show. (9)  Odette Girard, owner of the Les Baux restaurant Bauthezar, greets Diane E. Kelly (Consul General of the U.S. in Marseille and Monaco) in Les Baux this summer, and shows her a photo taken in June 1982 during Grace and Albert's visit.

Commemorating the Liberation of Monaco

On Monday, September 3rd,  MonacoUSA will lay a memorial wreath to commemorate the American Liberation of Monaco from German occupation 68 years ago. The ceremony begins at 4 pm in the cemetery in Monaco, located just below the Princess Grace Hospital.  Among the groups that will be represented are the American Club of the Riviera, the American Legion, MonacoUSA and the Monaco Ambassadors Club.

After the ceremony, there will be an informal get-together at Stars and Bars on the Port. Everyone is welcome.

Prince Albert II has also planned a commemorative celebration, this one in and around the Palace. An exhibition in the Palace courtyard will showcase vehicles, weapons, clothing and other unique wartime items. It will run for two days (Sunday and Monday)  and entry is free. On Sunday September 2^nd, there will be a gala ball  from 5 pm to midnight, with a jazz swing band and free entry.

On Monday, there will be parade through Monaco, starting at 10:30 am on the Place du Palais (I'm told 10:30 although the poster above says 11 am).  The parade will travel through Monte Carlo and finish at the Maison de France, where a wreath will be laid. 

Monaco was liberated by Allied Forces on September 3^rd, 1944.  The Principality had been occupied by the Nazis for a year, during which many of its Jewish residents were deported to concentration camps in Germany. So much attention is focused on the Normandy landings that history has almost forgotten how a southern offensive on the German-occupied Riviera not only led to the liberation of its many citizens, but also opened what was to be a crucial supply line from the Mediterranean to the Allies, as they approached Berlin.

Thanks to CityOut Monaco for this historical information:

After the mass landing of Allied assault craft along the coast west of Nice on August 15, 1944 came the allied aerial bombardments of August 27 and 28, which badly damaged the port area of Monaco. Five days later, the naval battering of La Turbie and Mont Agel signaled the moment for the German troops to depart.  On September 3^rd,  the 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team, attached to the 36th US Infantry Division, arrived in Monaco.

According to one popular story,  a jeep with two American GI's came racing down the road from Menton. The jeep drove into Monte Carlo and pulled up to the Tip Top Bar,  where one of the GIs, the future-author Irwin Shaw, jumped out, ordered some drinks and announced that Monaco had been liberated. In no time at all, crowds of Monegasques were crowding around the Americans to express their thanks.

Later, more Allied troops arrived for formal ceremonies, which were presided over by a proud Prince Louis II and his grandson (and fellow French army veteran), Prince Rainier.

With the eloquence and political aplomb of a future statesman, the young Prince Rainier said "Now, more than ever, Monaco should be considered a sovereign, independent and neutral state. If the Allies should require a guarantee, I give them that guarantee..."