Jackie
Meet Jackie – Cap d’Antibes resident.
Meet Jackie who lives in Cap d’Antibes. Jackie lives with her husband and two children. Her husband is the resident Guardian of one of the most beautiful Villas on the Cap.
How long have you lived here?
“We have lived here for 18 years. 18 years in July. Before that we were in England, doing the same sort of work . I left school at 16 and started out as a nanny which later led to nanny/housekeeper roles and eventually developed into the kind of work I do now. Previously we were working in a stately home in Oxford but we really wanted to find something in France”.
“Then this job appeared on a Tuesday in The Lady Magazine. The advert had been placed by the agency we were registered with, so I called them up and asked why we hadn’t been put forward for it. The agency told me that the client wanted someone older, Wayne was 31 at this point, so I asked her to please set up an interview for him anyway”.
“He was invited for an interview on the Thursday in Central London with the owners and they basically offered him the job straight away. I remember telling the agency afterwards that he had been offered the job. ” He can’t have been ” she said, “I’ve still got 3 more people scheduled for interviews”.
“During the interview it turned out that the owner knew one of our old bosses who also has a house around here. He had spoken to him the previous day to get a reference and it was that reference which got Wayne the job. Fate really, I am a true believer in Fate and this job I believe was just meant to be”.
What do you love about living in here?
“The weather. The lifestyle. The kids have a better life here. I think they get a better education here and there are more opportunities for them here than there possibly are in the UK”.
“Long term I think there is a lot more to offer here. You can spend your summers on the beach and the winter in the mountains and you are a stones throw from Italy. You can go to Italy for the day or to Monaco, you can do three countries in a day (she laughs) you know as you do”!
“I am sure the kids don’t realise the enormity of what they have. They look out of their window and they see the sea or the swimming pool or the tennis court, that’s normal for them”.
“When they were little we often took them back to England. Waynes mum has a postbox on her gate and also one in her door. They couldn’t believe that someone had a little opening in their front door”. “What’s this for” they asked, “ they put the post through it” I said. “They did find that funny”.
“Someone once came up to me and said, So you live in that house with the lift. The one where all those people died”.
I said “Sorry what people”?. “Well apparently years ago, so the story goes, the owners at the time were having a big party down on the pontoon- now this was years ago, probably like the 50’s or 60’s”.
“The then owner said to the staff, right we will leave you to clear everything up, and they left. The staff finished clearing up and got into the lift . Apparently the lift broke and they were left in there to die, so I was told. That was the weirdest thing I have heard but I don’t think it is true. I even ran it past the current owner and she said No no I have never heard that one”.
“The lift isn’t there anymore the current owners had it taken out. It was too much to maitain. They don’t really use the pontoon anymore, since the public path opened people swim round and use it to sunbathe on”.
“Medy Roc have a big pontoon, that’s the House next door. They have a massive terrace and they put sun loungers and everything out there. It’s very nice but the trouble is people come in from the boats on their tenders and go and sit on the sun loungers and ask for a coke or whatever. They think it’s a hotel. It drives the house security guys crazy. It’s hilarious”!
“I shouted at Woody Allen once”.
“He was outside in a big golden rolls Royce because they were doing some filming next door and the chauffer pulled up to the gates blasting his horn. I have this little hatch here so I shouted ‘Oi’ and the chauffer put his window down. Then the back window went down and there was Woody Allen!! “Tell him to shut up” I said, “You know the gates won’t open if he keeps beeping his horn”. She laughs
“Obviously there’s always lots going on on the Cap in the summer. Especially next door at Eilen Roc. They are always filming or holding events and private parties there”.
“Beyonce and Jay Z filmed a video there, and Beyonce played at Medy Roc next door, for the owners’ birthday party. That week we had a private Beyonce soundcheck and then the performance, it was amazing! The year after that he booked Katie Perry and Pink so we got to hear their concert too which was pretty special.”.
“There is always filming going on somewhere on the Cap. People used to say, make lots of noise and they will come and pay you money to stop and you know what, they really do”!
“Once, while they were doing a big film next door, the leaf blower was on. Someone from the crew came round to ask me if I could stop. I said No! I can’t tell the gardener to turn it off he’s working. Anyway a bit later they came back. I got 1000 Euros out of that one”! She laughs.
“When I go back to the UK I don’t like to talk about the goings on on the Cap too much in case people think I am showing off but things like this are so normal when you live here. Like the time Wayne saw Harrisson ford jogging on the cap a few years back. He’s seen Madonna running, Andy Murray but I mean, they stay at the Hotel (du Cap) why wouldn’t they run? For us to see these sorts of people strolling around is normal”.
“I remember seeing Roman Abramovich in a smart car at the top of the road. He’s got one of those convertible little Smart cars. It was during the financial crisis but I didn’t have my phone on me as it would have made a great photo. I could have sold it for thousands with a headline like ‘ You know times are hard when even Abramovich downsizes’, she laughs. He was sat there looking really miserable in his little smart car , which I found really funny”.
What is your Favourite time of year?
“It has to be September. It’s still nice and warm everybody has gone back to work, the restaraunts have started to take a chill pill, it’s relaxed, you can get on the beach and everything is still open. May June is also a nice time. But September has to be my favourite month. In September I know The busy time is finally over. The kids are back at school, the tourists have gone and the owners have left. Time to relax”.
Favourite thing to do?
“Picnics on the beach, that’s something you do as a local, you can just call everyone up say on a Friday and say lets meet at the beach at 6 O’clock. It’s great, especially for the kids. We’ve been at the beach until 2 or 3 am in the past”.
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