American Romantics
15 July 2008 | La Napoule
American romantics
15/7/08
We took the dingy into Port de la Rague, who sweetly let us leave her tied up under the Capitanerie, with no complaints and no charge. There's nothing in this area except an upmarket hotel, two restaurants, a chi-chi clothes shop and a dive school. The big advantage is the coastal path to La Napoule, about half an hour away. We had two missions: to find cooking gas, and a Honda dealer.
Our outboard is still broken from the injury inflicted off Ile Porquerolle. According to Honda UK, the specific part we need for the accelerator handle cannot be confirmed except by a dealer actually looking at the bits. We have given them the serial number but they still can't tell us exactly which of two part numbers we should order. They can't even tell us the difference between the two! (Not that impressive for a company which shouts so much about its customer service.) According to their website, there's a Honda dealer in La Napoule and part of our reason for staying in the anchorage so long, is to visit the place after the bank holiday.
To add insult to injury, it's not that kind of Honda dealer. In La Napoule, it's just a very upmarket boat broker, who would of course sell us an engine if required, though no stocks are kept there. The actual mechanics are in Antibes! Once we're sorted, there will be a stiff email to Honda!
It was also a struggle to find gas, but eventually the small fuel station on the main road above the marina confessed to having some. Neither of the chandleries sold anything so mundane.
After all that, it was a pleasure to visit the castle of Henry and Maria Clews. The site, which has commanding views across the bay, was originally occupied by the Romans. For a while the Saracens ruled here, but their fortress was largely left in ruins except for a couple of towers. In the 13th century the Villeneuve family, who owned the area, built a castle on the remains. (Incidentally, their name in Italian was neo poule, which is probably the source of the name, Golfe de Napoule.) In turn the Villeneuve family, too, came to dust.
In 1918, Henry and Marie Clews, who both had large private fortunes, fell in love with the site and built their fantasy mediaeval castle around the house and towers. Around the building Marie designed and created lovely gardens, particularly as a showcase for Henry's sculpture.
The building was used as a base for the French, with Marie living in the gatehouse, during the early years of the War. They managed to hide all the artworks before the Italian occupation. The Italians took a dim view of Marie's support to the French, but she managed to survive the war, living in Cannes. Afterwards she came back and lived until the mid-fifties. In 1951 she established a charitable Foundation which continues to manage the house and gardens, promote exhibitions of modern art and provide residencies for successful practitioners.
After she died, she was buried next to Henry in the tomb they designed in one of the Saracen towers.