Things to see and do Alpes-Maritimes

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La Maison du Portal is an art gallery located in Levens. It regularly hosts exhibitions by local and international artists. Visitors can discover contemporary works of art in a variety of media, including painting, sculpture and photography. Exhibitions change regularly, offering visitors a varied artistic experience with each visit. La Maison du Portal is a dynamic cultural center that contributes to the artistic life of the town of Levens.

In a genoese style and classified Historic Monument, this church built in 1560 is closely linked to the history of Cannet. Its original architecture reveals the four successive enlargements carried out over the centuries. It includes a nef and abse, three side chapels and a quadrangular bell tower preceded by a vestibule. 500 m² of decorative wall paintings and motifs were restored: The frescoes were restored to their original beauty. You can also admire the two great Baroque altars, the shimmered paintings glued onto the XVIIIth century arch, the baptismal fonts, the tabernacles and the ex-voto.

On the peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, you have to take the road that borders the coast on the right of the lighthouse and leads to a beach surmounted by rocks (where the steps arrive). It is dredge all year round rather in the daytime.

It is at the foot of the old village that the church Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption, better known under the name of Sainte-Rosalie, was built in the 12th century. We first of all take note of its nave, inspired by Italian Baroque, built in the 17th century by the Chevaliers de l'Ordre des Hospitaliers de Saint-Jean-de-Jérusalem. It houses a gilded wooden statue of Sainte Rosalie and a statue of the Madone, so-called "Mizraim", brought from Egypt at the time of the Crusades by the lord of Chabaud.

In a Neoclassical style, the building was constructed in the eighteenth century at the request of Charles Emmanuel III King of Savoy. The blue colour of the clock's dial is that of the Virgin. The church is listed as a historic monument since 1984.

Nicknamed "Palace of the Prefecture" or "Palace of the Sardinian Kings", it is the residence of the Prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes and the President of the General Council. Classified as a historical monument, this royal palace was built in the early 17th century to house the crowned heads of the House of Savoy. During the Belle Epoque, the guest book of the prefecture continued to grow with the arrival of Napoleon III, Tsar Alexander II, Sadi Carnot, Leopold II and even Clemenceau.

On the front, on the lower cornice of the triangular pediment mounted by the architect Antoine Spinelli, is inscribed Societas sanctissimi Sepulcri, which can be translated as Société du Très-Saint-Sépulcre, the official name of the Blue Penitents. It is to this brotherhood founded in 1431 that this building dedicated today to the Italian Catholic Mission belongs. Its construction has continued through the centuries: the nave in the 15th century, the choir with its beautiful baroque decoration in the 18th century and the last finishing touches in the 19th century. Inside, the decoration comes from various origins. The paintings are dated from different periods while the ceilings are from the 19th century. Legend has it that a young monk named Martin Luther, who was in Nice, celebrated a mass there.

Sort of Nissarde Joan of Arc, Catherine Segurane is a real hero in the city. This monuments build in her honour in 1923 symbolizes the strength of Nice. According to legend, this Madone du Secours, having just washerwoman's simple battledore, repelled the assault of the Turks of August 15th, 1543: as they climbed on their ladders to attack the high walls of the castle, she hurled a blow to the first aggressors and seized his banner thereby precipitating him to the foot of the wall.

This set is unique when it comes to quality, originality and reliability of the pieces it is inspired by. Arlette Roux has always wanted to do sculpture but she lacked of time, she began by collecting small figurines. Tired of seeing them lined up on display, she imagined putting them into scenes under tents of cloth decorated with banners to reconstruct the extraordinary atmosphere of the medieval and Renaissance period. In total, there are now hundreds of figurines representing thousands of hours of work and love that are exposed and invite the visitors to the daily life of women and men of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.