Le Grand Hotel
Cannes
le 12th Aug. 1949.
Dearest Mummy,
Since we got down here we have been as lazy as can be & have done nothing except sleep, eat, drink & totter down to the beach to bathe! We have a ground-floor room in an annex of the hotel, which is quite comfortable, but it is warmer than the weather we’re used to!
It is gloriously sunny, but we burn so easily that we are trying to keep out of it as much as possible & sit under umbrellas on the beach etc. The sea is lovely & we bathe twice usually & Cec ducks me regularly & says that as we sweat so much, swallowing salt water is good for me! We bought me a snappy white satin bathing suit with a strapless top. After various adventures in the water with the top practically around my waist, I have decided that it must be for glamorous sunbathing only!
The journey from Paris to Avignon took 10 hours & was very hot & dirty, so we were very glad to stay there for 2 nights & recover. Then we travelled down here on Sunday, which took 5 hours & was nice as we arrived about 4 o’clock & felt fine. We don’t eat in the hotel, except breakfast, so have fun choosing a different place each day – Cec laughs because whatever I order turns out to be the hugest helping of anyone in the restaurant & I have a struggle to eat it – but usually manage!
We leave here on 16th & travel overnight & have decided to stay a day or so in Paris. We expect to be in London on the night of the 19th & will ring you, but know no times yet. I wonder if you would write Mrs. Thompson, Mummy & ask her to get milk & bread for us on Saturday 20th- we hope to get back in time for me to go shopping otherwise.
[In Cec’s handwriting:] The suit is actually transparent when wet, I’m surprised at her – but not much.
Love
Cyn & Cec
A Family History in Letters 