April 2008: This, the fifth article in the series on the French Riviera, complements the preceding one on Old Antibes .
Vauban (1633-1707)
You may be forgiven for not recognizing his name today, but he was one of the most important men in military history, probably as important to France 300 years ago as Nelson was to England a century later. Vauban was a soldier’s soldier, humanitarian, social thinker, and engineer extraordinaire. He joined Louis XIV’s army in his mid-twenties, rose swiftly, was appointed Governor of
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Port Vauban
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part of the marina
This is what you see looking directly to the East from the Pierre et Vacances...
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a different angle …
… showing the northeast end of the marina. Those are the first low...
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small personal sailboats
As the camera moves from north to south within the overall marina...
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a bit larger
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some small family cruisers
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slightly larger cruisers ...
… probably available for weekend or weekly hire.
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luxury yachts
Here we’re getting into the multi-million dollar class....
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a truly luxurious yacht
I didn’t catch the name of the boat or its owner, but I was told that it...
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the "Lady Moura"
Belonging to a Saudi Arabian businessman, this luxury yacht, the length of a...
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the "Square Fort "
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illuminated at night
From nightfall until midnight the Fort is illuminated with powerful...
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The long trek starts here.
The city provides free shuttle bus service from Avenue de Verdun in...
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It’s a long …
… but relatively gentle climb. Notice the four cannon ports in...
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heading past that bastion…
… toward the entrance. In addition to the cannon ports on the...
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The tour begins here.
There is a small tour guide office, where a tour starts every 30...
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central assembly area ...
… open to the elements. Around it are rooms for accommodations, meals,...
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mock-up ...
… of the fort and its surroundings, in the central assembly area. Along...
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up to the battlements
Here you can see the rifle slits in the wall, plus smaller openings along the...
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looking eastward …
… across the Baie des Anges. What you see in the distance is the...
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looking southward …
… into the Mediterranean, through one of Vauban’s cannon ports....
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looking westward ...
… at dusk over part of Port Vauban, toward Old Antibes. What you...
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early soldier’s monument
This was created to commemorate those from Antibes who served in WWI...
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approaching Nice airport
This plane, like all the others that arrive every five or six minutes all day...
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