CAP D'ANTIBES. 121 



The little chapel of Notre Dame de Bon Port is 

 adorned with man\' an "ex voto" offering. Rings and 

 chains of ships and small boats carved out of wood bear 

 witness to the gratitude of those who have been saved 

 from peril at sea. There is a curious stor\' connected 

 \\ith the Grand II(')tel of the Cap d'Antibes. De \'ilie- 

 messant, the once well known editor of the "Figaro", is 

 said to have had tlie ll()tel built as a home for authors 

 and artists, who were to work there togctlier stimulated 

 h\ tire inspiring surroundings. This tale ^\as. however, 

 onh' a "bhigue'' originated b\' articles in the paper, and 

 lurther supported by an "Expedition" which the staff 

 of the "Figaro" made to this neighbourhood, l^lie object 

 of the expedition seems however to ha^'e been xci'v different 

 to the one put forward. The idea was to start a new 

 resort on the Riviera to rival tire rapidly increasing town 

 of Cannes. The-\' wished to imitate Lord [Brougham, 

 about wliom tire "Figaro" of April 25, 18f)7 relates tliat 

 lie had discovered the town of Cannies — disco\'ered in 

 as much as he found plots of land for sale there at five 

 sous the metre which ^^•ere soon sold at sixt-\- francs. But 

 the "Figaro'" abandoned all its fine plans and the projected 

 "\'illa Soleil" was ne\'er built. A Russian, however, who 

 \'\'as li\ing on the Cap d^Vntibes. decided to build the 

 great Ib'itel du Cap. The undertaking proved a failure. 

 One tenant succeeded another until at last the etablish- 

 meut was closed. But now that the number 'of travellers 

 lias so mucli increased, circumstances seem more favour- 

 able. Tlie lli)tel is now under skilled and careful man- 

 agement and will doubtless prosper. Its position is uniquely 



