Things to see and do Alpes-Maritimes

These two gardens, located next to each other, are true haven of peace. The garden of the monastery lined by the "sacred wood" is ideal for meditation. It is the oldest garden in French Riviera. It is said that its plans have remained the same since 1546! Different varieties of flowers create colourful mosaics while old pergolas are adorned with climbing roses. Orange, mandarin and sour orange are found on a tidy lawn. On the lower part, ponds surrounded by benches in the shade make it a perfect spot for a refreshing break while the view on the eastern part of the city is splendid. Not far from there you will find the Garden of Arenas, speckled by the silvery touches of olive trees. This place is loved by bowls players of Nice who come there every season. A friendly atmosphere is guaranteed! There you will meet joggers as well as parents with their children.

Designed by the sculptor Sasha Sosno and inaugurated in 2002, Tête Carrée has become the symbol of modern architecture in the city with its height of 30 meters and width of 14 meters. Inaccessible to the public, it hosts in its headquarters the Louis Nucéra municipal library offices at the head of B.M.V.R network of Nice (Bibliothèque Municipale à Vocation Régionale) [Municipal Library with Regional Vocation]. The night lighting system of the building was designed by the artist Yann Kersalé.

Guided tours of about thirty minutes allow you to discover this military construction whose objective was to block the intrusion of Italian tanks during the Second World War. You will learn how life was organized in the bunker with the discovery of the technical parts and the barracks. Thematic exhibitions also provide information on the historical background. The bunker is part of the Rimplas fort, which stands at an altitude of 1,000 metres on a rocky peak. The construction of the complex took 11 years.

The Crottés are the remains of the old fortified castle, where only the baseplate of one of the corner towers remains. The first castle was burned in autumn 1184 by the rebellious people of Vintimille. In the Middle Ages, its defense was reinforced by the ducs of Savoy. In 1692, during the first French period, Vauban arranged it. Returned under the domination of the House of Savoy, it resists and repels the attacks of the gallispans but falls into the hands of the French during the Revolution wars. After the Sardinian restoration, it serves as a stone quarry to the people of the country to build or expand their homes. Here, some people arranged theses crottés tomake shelters in which they stored, during the night, the clearances to dry figs and plums.

Built between the 20s and 30s, this church has an amazing architecture. Its reinforced concrete structure, new building material at the time, permitted architects to imagine a futuristic framework, influenced by Art Nouveau in vogue at the time. This Catholic Church, classified as a historic monument since 1992 has three large ovoid and eight smaller domes, based on four pillars and a slender tower of 64 meters high. The interior painting of Eugene Klementtief was inspired by Cubism but also Russian icons while the windows give the structure an oriental touch.

The Forest Natural Park Croix des Gardes is located in the heart of Cannes within one kilometer of the emblematic Croisette. Coastal conservatory property, this green lung has 80 hectares of Mediterranean vegetation. The richness of its fauna and flora, its historical heritage linked to the culture of the mimosa and its 360 degree panorama make the attractions of this area of nature preserved. Crossed by 20 km of trails arranged with information panels, the chemin du Belvédère leads to the top of this hill marked with a great cross. From a heritage point of view, it is on the side of his hill that the first mimosas on the Côte d 'Azur were planted.

Located on the seaside, the place was built on the Paillon bed in 1863, making it the oldest park in the city. In the heart of the garden, between palm trees, winding alleys and lawns, the music booth dating back to 1868 is another time. Formerly known as Jardin Paradis, Jardin des Plantes, Jardin Masséna and Jardin des Palmiers, the park takes the definitive name of Jardin Albert Ier in 1914. In the past few years, the site has been hosting numerous events such as the Festival of Books or the Festival du Jazz and many artists are taking place at the stage of the Greenery Theater. In the center of the garden, a monumental sculpture of the artist Niçois Bernard Venet invites the walkway to contemplation while the youngest enjoy the old carousel and its wooden horses.

In the Middle Ages, Menton Castle stands at the top of Colla Hill hill, 78 m above sea level. Very experienced for nearly three centuries, the site will finally be abandoned in 1650. The remains of the castle were acquired by the commune of Menton in 1807: the place is then turned into a graveyard. The burials of the mentonnaises families surround those of the foreign colonies. Composed of superimposed terraces, each is assigned to a particular religion or nationality. In these places, the famous architect Tersling built most of the beautiful mansions of the late th century in the region, but also the inventor of Rugby Webb, as well as a few Russian princes with famous names such as Troubetzkoï or Volkonski. The mausoleum of the Polish Princess Janina Jelowickich Lewandowska is certainly the most beautiful of the old cemetery: the statue that dominates it represents the flight of a young woman out of her casket. From the cemetery, beautiful views of the old town, the sea and the coast, from Cape Martin to Mortola point in Italy.