17 June 2009

Dames/Femmes


This is the Ladies/Women's loo at the Monte Carlo Bay Resort Hotel.

In the smaller photograph someone has crossed out Femmes and written Dames. A dame being a lady, and a femme being a woman. What is even more surprising is that no one in the hotel has cleaned it up.

So which should it be?

17 comments:

richard said...

Hi Jilly - thanks for the insight into such forbidden territory for us men! So - only the French patrons are keeping up appearances - just plain old English "women". I seem to recall Italian loos being labeled as "Signore" - what is the distinction with "Donne" - which is "Ladies?"

richard said...

Forgot to mention that I loved the mural! Ingres' "Bather", but not a reproduction as would be so easy to do these days - a hand painted copy I guess? Quite spectacular

Jilly said...

Richard, Signora is Lady and Donna is Woman according to my dictionary.

At least the hotel is consistent in its use of the word.

Unknown said...

There's a pub here that has put 'Kings' and 'Queens' on the loo doors, so there's no worry about status.

Hilda said...

Love that mural!

I can only speak for myself, and I think 'femme' fits me better than 'dame' ;D

Leif Hagen said...

Salut Jilly! The Ingres painting is a beautiful welcome for the LADIES to "powder their noses." Formidable! It's a fancy hotel in fancy Monaco donc je prefere DAMES et pas FEMMES. Bonjour d'EAGAN daily photo

Halcyon said...

Funny! I vote for Dames. I have always prefered to be called a lady rather than a woman. But I'll take either over girl!!!

Sharon said...

I think either will work. When I need to use the facility, I'm not so concerned with what the call it.

I love that mural!

maria said...

I agree Sharon! As long as it doesn't say hommes, messieurs, gents, men, or uomini, I'm i!

Frank said...

I like to think of all women as Ladies. But more importantly, I can't get over the artwok. It's a fantastic mural. What's on the "gentlemen's" wall??

Jilly said...

Frank, I didn't see it. Next time I'll look!

Anonymous said...

Hi! I was there 3 years ago. Is there still the pink wall with the heart in the next room? A friend of mine hat much fun there taking photos of each other!

Jilly said...

Don't remember the wall with the heart so I can see I'll have to go back and photograph that one day!

chrome3d said...

Leave it like it is. That is so cool!

Nathalie H.D. said...

Yes Jilly, you'll have to go back ! To many things to check!

- is there a wall with a heart ?
- has the "dames" note been cleaned up?

And my own question :
Was the Ingres copy really hand painted or was it a wallpaper?

I LOVE that Ingres nude anyway. It's CLASSY !

Jilly said...

Nathalie, you are right, I must go back. I think the wall is a digital photo blown up - I don't think it's a mural.

Today Vanessa Paradis and film crew are working outside the hotel.

cyanea said...

Salut Jilly

Ingres is classy , like the photo

hopefully you can get photo of Vanessa shes cool

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