A dose of Vitamin C....

A dose of Vitamin C....
The Fete du Citron (The Lemon Festival) usually takes place between mid-February until March, in Menton on the Côte d'Azur.  This year it is the 80th edition and runs from February 16th until March 6th.  The theme for this year’s festival is “Around the World in 80 Days”. The festival started in the 1930s with a handful of carts loaded with orange and lemon trees and has turned into one of the largest festivals in the South of France and almost rivalling the Carnival of Nice.
This event attracts up to a quarter of a million people as well as using up to 150 tonnes of oranges and lemons. These massive fruity floats are up to 10 metres high with incredible decorations and for 3 weeks the Jardins Biovès and the streets are given over to these citrus giants.
As this event is held over a few weeks then it is divided up into various sessions, each one different but just as entertaining.  Listed below are just a few of what can be seen and enjoyed.

The Parade of Golden Fruit
The "Promenade du Soleil" parades are held on Sunday’s, when lots of cars and people parade towards the sea.  It’s a delight for children as there are costumes, fanfares, drums and lots of confetti sprinkling.

 Moonlit Parade
The French say that the fruits of the sun have a date with the moon and as its held around Valentine’s Day then whose to argue! As the night falls the preparation for the incandescent party follows. Fireworks and celebrations galore, this is a celebration of the sun, with everyone "dancing in the moonlight".  This is held on Thursdays.

The citrus "World Tour"
You can travel virtually all corners of the world in citrus flavour, at the Jardins Biovès with famous statues and building constructed of lemons and limes.

Gardens of Light
Held here every Tuesday and Friday evening are spectacular sound and light shows.

Menton villas include this one, worth a look if you want to visit the area: http://www.qualityvillas.com/cote-dazur/menton/villa-olivier

Morocco and Ramadan

Some useful information for visitors to Morocco...

Ramadan

The Moroccan calendar holds many important events but Ramadan is the most important.  It is a deeply spiritual time for all Muslims.  Ramadan commemorates the revelation of the Qur’an to the Prophet Mohammed and it is always in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar it does not have a fixed date.  It begins on the day of the new moon and moves backwards each year by approximately 11 days. This year (2013) it will fall between 9 July and 7 August when the sun rises early and sets late. In 2014 the month of fasting will fall back slightly to 28 June to 27 July therefore falling back each year to cooler spring months.

Stunning Marrakech in Morocco

During Ramadan all Muslims must refrain from eating, drinking and smoking from dawn to dusk. Physical relations are also prohibited as Muslims are expected to spend more time in prayer seeking forgiveness and humility.  There are some who are exempt such as the old and sick, pregnant women and children.

At the end of the day just before sundown the streets empty and everyone hurries home.  When the call for prayer from the temples is heard at sunset Moroccans everywhere will break the fast.  The fast is first broken by a date and a glass of milk followed by a bowl of harira which is a thick lamb broth with lentils, tomatoes and chickpeas.  This dish is also eaten with shebbakia which are deep-fried pastries dipped in honey.  These can be homemade or bought from the special shebbakia stalls that are around during this time of the year.

It is in the evening after sundown that the towns and villages come alive again.  Cafes become busy, families’ parade in the streets and the shops are full again.  Later in the evening between 11pm and midnight, “dinner” will be eaten before most people drift off to bed.  This festive feast, at which families come together and celebrate, consists of tagines of meat or vegetables, couscous, endless plate-loads of patisserie and fruit and glasses of thick, milky drinks. Later, as the dawn prayer echoes from the mosques, drummers patrol the streets and alleyways rousing households for the assohour, a sleepy feast of thick pancakes spread with honey and served with mint tea or coffee before the fasting and prayer begin again.

On the last day of Ramadan, in the evening, the fast ends. The following day is Aid es Seghir, which means “Little Feast”.  This is a public holiday when new clothes are worn and alms and food are distributed to the poor. 

For visitors to Morocco during Ramadan does mean it will be difficult but it is worth noting that tempers can be frayed, due to hunger and thirst and some shops and restaurants in smaller towns or rural areas may close for the entire month. In the larger towns and cities shops and restaurants will close for half an hour before sunset and for an hour after sunset. 

Read more about Marrakech 

Les Quatre Fleurs - a Provencal offering

Villa Les Quatres Fleurs - http://www.qualityvillas.com/st-tropez-var/bormes-les-mimosas/les-quatre-fleurs

This latest post is to mention a special offer for a luxury villa in Provence, known as 'Les Quatres Fleurs'.

Sleeping 10, a private 11m x 5m swimming pool, countryside views, midweek maid service and wifi all add to the comfort on offer. In fact highlighted (as a negative I suppose!) is the fact there is no telephone at the villa. For me, this would be a strong point to help a prospective tenant take the house to really switch off and get away from it all!

A further positivity is an offer just released by the owner of this villa:

"Early booking reductions:  confirm your booking before Easter to take advantage of these offers:
04 - 24 May: was £3695 per week, now just £3360
24 May - 28 Jun: was £3970 per week, now just £3550"

In high season, when the price would have been £370 per person per week, it will now be £336, which is tantamount to a 10% saving.

The house is described thusly:

"Les Quatre Fleurs enjoys a wonderfully tranquil location surrounded by woodland and vineyards in the hills just above the beautiful little village of Bormes les Mimosas. This secluded holiday villa is also close to the sandy beaches and pretty coves which adorn this particularly appealing stretch of the French Riviera.

The villa lends itself perfectly to easy indoor/outdoor living, with the open-plan living room opening onto the large terrace and outdoor dining for up to 12. Bormes les Mimosas is classed as one of the most beautiful villages in France (un des plus beaux villages de France), and rightly so: known for its stunning flower displays for which it regularly wins prestigious awards, this delightful little medieval town is full of narrow streets, small squares and fountains and boasts a very favourable climate. It has exotic and botanical gardens, as well as a large park with walks and a children's play area. There are plenty of restaurants, cafes and shops, and a traditional Provencal market is held in the main square every Wednesday morning. "

Click to see the full description: http://www.qualityvillas.com/st-tropez-var/bormes-les-mimosas/les-quatre-fleurs


The local area may also be of interest:

"The old village of Bormes-les-Mimosas, sitting on a the flank of the forested Maures mountains, is well decorated with mimosa (of course) and has a lot of cactus growing along the rock walls around the village. The commune of Bormes-les-Mimosas includes a marina (Port de Bormes), the new town (which you will drive through) and the old village (which you will drive to). "
Please see this link more: http://www.beyond.fr/villages/bormes.html

Wikipedia describes the local area also:
"Bormes-les-Mimosas is a city in bloom and won the 2003 Gold Medal awarded by the Entente Florale. The Fort de Brégançon, located in the commune, is the official retreat for the President of the French Republic". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bormes-les-Mimosas

If you would like to book this villa, make further enquiries about it or others in the region, please do call or go online and browse. We look forward to hearing from you.

Quality Villas Ltd
0044 -0- 1442 870055
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