Really Pretty Piece of History: Fortifications and Flowers

STR Ft Grimaud beauty flowers

It was all about the fortifications back then.  This lovely walkway in Fort Grimaud has existed for centuries.  It’s part of the walled village of Fort Grimaud about half an hour outside St. Tropez.

No major earthshaking moments today but still lovely and intriguing, reinforcing the reality that being safe, enclosed and protected – keeping marauders or warriors or other bad guys at bay – that was the bottom line.

As we made our way back to the ship, the Romany (gypsies to many) were out in force – this is just one of the parking lots we passed – jammed with their trailers, laundry trailers, cooking trailers and more.  Our guide kept telling us how everyone had to “watch their wallets.”  These folks have a pretty bad reputation across Europe as pickpockets and other mischief makers.

STR Ft Grimaud WWI memorial STR De Gaulle proc

Fort Grimaud also recalled this: s in the rest of Europe, the World Wars are central to the soul of so many still – all these years later. These two – a monument to those in this small town who died in World War I and a 1940 declaration of peril from French General Charles de Gaulle in 1940 ,the year war once again descended on his country.  London to Lithuania to France – these wars haunt memory and remind residents of fear, and death, and loss.

Lorenzo and Gerard

 

 

 

 

 

Then there are these — we were the first customers for Lorenzo and Gerard in their new shop – gorgeous earrings for me!  AND then lunch with some new friends and the best salad (with extra summer tomatoes) ever…..