Vintimille

Research Status: Basic Last Updated: 2025-07-06 Diary Coverage: Up to 1874-04-15

Identity

French-Italian border town (Ventimiglia in Italian) where the Bashkirtseff family's Genoa trip ended in chaos.

Diary References

1874

• April 15: Family travels from Nice to Vintimille arguing and crying. At the station, indecision about continuing to Genoa. Stiopa and Machenka depart while Marie's mother refuses to continue. Family returns to Nice.

Context

• Border town between France and Italy
• Italian: Ventimiglia
• Railway junction point
• First stop in Italy from Nice
• Site of travel decisions
• "Les Italiens sont obligeants" - Italian hospitality noted

Historical Context

• French-Italian border since 1860
• Strategic railway location
• Customs and border controls
• Mixed French-Italian culture

Research Notes

• Border crossing procedures 1870s
• Railway connections and schedules
• Cultural transition point