La Vigie and the Riviera

Frequent family visits to the Riviera continued through Collingwood’s childhood and as a young man. He at first resented these visits, as they took him away from his beloved hunting.

1 January 1897, Cannes
This year for me opens in what is called the “Sunny South” and that is in the Riviera at the Hotel Metropole, Cannes. How I wish I was in Good Old England, hunting with the Thanet Harriers as I was last winter, excepting for the interval with my broken wrist.

19 April 1897, London
Left Paris this morning for London where we arrived about 8.30. England looks truly beautiful now that the fruit trees are all in blossom. Why did not they return sooner to this land of beauty?

His father, no doubt  tired of hotel life, decided to build a house, which he named La Vigie (the lookout), on the coast on the outskirts of Monte Carlo, giving a base for a more normal family life. It was completed in 1902. and was, typically of William, a very imposing building.

Slowly but surely, Collingwood became interested in Riviera birds.

12 March 1898,
We drove over to Monte Carlo and while Pids and Minima were gambling in the rooms, I had to amuse myself as best I could.

          Having nothing better to do, I walked through the gardens near the Casino and was very pleased to see the birds that frequented the place. You get a better view of bird-life in half an hour amongst the many kinds of trees and shrubs of this well kept public ground than in a week’s observation in the surrounding country, for here they have peace and are free from the French “Sportsman”.

          In one tree labelled Araucaria excelsa I saw at one time, three Siskins (I think the species known to bird-fanciers as the Spanish Siskin), a Chiff-chaff and a female Blackcap.

It was pleasing to hear the twitter of a Siskin – of an innocent bird after the coarse jabber of the bad, painted women that were but eager for gold and eager for vice.’