Mougins
Another fine large-sized aquarelle from the hands of the Marina Artists Team! It is a fabulous villa in Mougins, you see part of it on the painting but there is much more where that came from, for example an Indonesian style garden, with a jacuzzi on high poles, guest house with its own pool - and then the location! The new owners haven’t chosen Mougins for nothing - it is such a sought-after village: over 13.000 inhabitants, many of them non-french. Pablo Picasso was one of them. He lived since 1961 in the Mas on the top of the hill at Notre-Dame-de-Vie (close to the house in the picture we painted) until he died there in 1973.
Around the corner of “our” villa is the property of Pablo’s daughter Paloma. And what’s more, the villa lies at l’Etang de Fontmerle, a large open area that is very very popular for strolling, kite-flying, playing with the kids and having picnics.The Etang de Fontmerle is a lake,covered with lotus flowers, the largest collection of them in France. 
Another great thing about Mougins: wining and dining! Mougins is filled with restaurants. There are around 50 restaurants there, most of them (I have tried a lot) very good, with star-quality food and great, friendly service. Great place to be, great place to live… If you are interested to join us, for more sunshine, better food and the good lifestyle in general, you could look for a place to live in or around Mougins (or elsewhere on the Riviera) on the Riviera Home Finders website! We’ll be happy to help you!
L’histoire de Babar is gebaseerd op de verhaaltjes voor het slapen gaan die Cecile Brunhoff (de echtgenote van Jean) aan de kinderen vertelde. Ze gaan over een olifantje dat vanuit de Jungle naar de grote stad reist, en die terugkomt met allerlei kennis en voordelen van de beschaving - die hij deelt met de andere olifanten.
De volgende stukjes gaan zoals gebruikelijk weer over de aquarellen die het Marina Artists’ team maakt voor Riviera Home Finders… ze zijn al klaar om cadeau te worden gegeven aan de nieuwe eigenaren, als die hun handtekening hebben gezet bij de “Notaire”… maar onder de lezers van dit blog bevinden zich toevallig ook die toekomstige eigenaren, dus ik hou me nog heel even in. Zo blijft het toch een verassing!
The first English language version (The Story of Babar) saw the light in 1933 -in Britain and the United States. The story is based on the bedtime stories that Cecile Brunhoff (his wife) made up for their kids. They are about a young elephant thatleaves the jungle to the big city, and comes back with the knowledge and benefits of civilization for his fellow elephants.
Next posts will be about the paintings of the Marina Artists’ team again - they are ready for handing out by the RHF-agents at their respective signatures he coming weeks but we don’t want to spoil the surprise for their future owners!
To be close to Vence is wonderful - it is a town that has something new to offer everytime you go there (even if it is every day!), be it cultural, monumental or “just” the friendly athmosphere! Vence itself is medieval, the town exists since the 12th century. It combines the grandeur of a historical town 
with the lively charm of a popular place in the south of France: terrific shops, mediterranean colours and smells, terraces, plane trees and many galeries with fabulous art and a great court for our local sport - pétanque! 
Sainte Maxime is situated in the Gulf of Saint Tropez and faces straight south. It has the great advantage that it is sheltered from the Mistral by the surrounding mountains. A visit to the 
Some of these medieval aspects, like the cannons, 15th century town hall and the Tour Carré, have survived the times and can be admired today. The centre is pedestrian area and looks lovely, in a way you ‘d expect from a village in the South of France! “Sitting in front of the bakery with a warm croissant, strong coffee on a sunny morning” gives you a feel for what it’s like…