CREME CHANTILLY IN CAGNES — 1967-1968: Diary of a Posh Schoolgirl

Aug 7

Aug 7 CREME CHANTILLY IN CAGNES

Restaurant des Peintres, Cagnes: "I had pâté (thrush, which put me off a bit), chicken and chips, and meringue Chantilly" — Restaurant des Peintres, Cagnes: "I had pâté (thrush, which put me off a bit), chicken and chips, and meringue Chantilly"

M O N D A Y, 7 A U G

I finished 'Cider with Rosie" and began on Finkelstein's favourite - James Baldwin!

About 4.30 we drove to Cannes. Wore my Scallywags dress. First we went to the castle, which is really fabulous; it’s got a courtyard opening to the sky, with slate steps going up and masses of greenery - the design's inspired Daddy for the Amsterdam competition (a relief for us all). There were these huge wooden screws and things that used to crush olives, and lovely big stone jars they kept the oil in. Then we sat down at one of the little cafes below - rather a snazz waiter. He put up with us very patiently considering what a nuisance we were. First Pa ordered cheese, but they didn’t have any; then he ordered patisserie but didn’t like it; finally he ordered ham sandwiches (and fortunately liked them!).

We set off for Cagnes, another narrow-streeted village unchanged for hundreds of years (but bigger than Eze). I bought a ring for Lucy – two dangling stones, one crimson and one white. There are a lot of sweet little restaurants and at eight we went to the one we’d booked up, Restaurant des Peintres.

“They have the most fab fire in there, and cook meat on a spit, worked by the same method as the earliest clocks.”

I had pâté (thrush, which put me off a bit), chicken and chips, and meringue Chantilly which I didn’t like as the cream was sour. So I exchanged with Mummy and finished her ice cream with chocolate sauce. The bill was brought in a little wooden box; you opened it and tinkling music played! It was a delightful end to a very enjoyable meal.

Left about 10pm and everywhere was choc-o-block with cars – a real traffic-jam! Listened to the Hit Parade of Radio Méditerranée going home. ‘Ame Caline’ No. 6 - but of course I had to miss it. I got out of the car at Nice to go off and look at the Dutronc notice (and learned we can buy tickets tomorrow) and as I got back in Chump told me it had just been on!