Day 12 - My Poor Feet

Do you ever have those days that you are so tired that your body says “no more”, your brain says 'oh why not then' and your feet say 'don’t you dare'? That’s happening to me.

0500: Wake up after just 3 hours sleep. We have a lovely Tempur mattress at home; I don’t have one here. My body is miserable. I am just spoilt.

0630: Meet boys at reception and head off to “Les Thermes Marin” – the Monte Carlo Spa. A few widths of the pool, a cycle underwater and then 3 minutes of a massage.

0800: A rather nice breakfast on the terrace.

0900: Change into penguin suit and head off to the Casino.

1000: A gang of pretty girls, led by la belle Celine, descend on the Casino as my playmates. We film a fabulous roulette session. Depressingly I win. The casino was built in 1863 by Francois Blanc then rebuilt by Charles Garnier in 1889, it’s spectacular.

1200: Head back to hotel for a quick change and off to the Metropole.

1500: have cooking lesson with Joel Robouchon and Christophe Cussac – erm – Michelin star chefs. I think the reason I am SO tired is that I was soooo excited by the cooking – they are Gods in the gastronomic world. Cussac is also a FABULOUS human being!

1800: Head out for food.Boys look as miserable as me BUT we keep each other going with the worst jokes known to man. Too tired for more; another 0500 wake-up tomorrow.

Weather: A gamble

Song of the Day: Winner Takes It All - ABBA

Day 11 - The Running Man

0500: So tired but need to get filming

0740: In bus with the boys on the way to beach club for a spot of personal fitness training

0815: Met up with Jean-Louis – fitness man who cycles to and from Nice EVERYDAY and la belle Celine,SBM PR who is spending the day with us.

0900: Trot for what seems MILES for this feature. The boys get a lift home; JL and I jog.

1000: Breakfast by the beach.

1030: Check out of The Metropole. Felt very, very sad. What makes a great hotel is the people inside and Michelle and Vito are like a heart and soul. I hope I get to meet more people like them this year and I hope I stay friends with them forever. T&T feel the same.

1100: Check into The Hermitage. Built in 1900, this Belle Époque Palace was fully renovated in 2002. Creating more rooms, suites and spruced up public areas. One of my favourite rooms in the world is here, the Winter Garden designed by Gustav Eiffel. My suite is 514 and overlooks Port Hercule and La Condamine. It’s claret red - just like my mood!

1200 - 1800: Film film film! The hotel has a 1-star restaurant (La Vistamar) and the Lemun Bar- the afternoon tea hangout in Monaco a bit like The Ritz. Monegasques have a saying that “You visit the Hotel de Paris to be seen, but you stay at The Hermitage." Celine leaves us and Guillaume rejoins us he is full of knowledge!

Interview the excellent Jean-Pierre Siri in the groovy duplex apartment (GM here for 13 years) and Philippe the Concierge.

We have a HUGE day tomorrow so it’s an early meal and bed.

Weather: Magnifique!

Song of the Day: Footloose (Kenny Loggins)