Cross the small bridge over the Cagne and Coursegoules comes into view. A harmonious village nestled on its promontory at 1000 m altitude, its facades facing south (we're 20 km as the crow flies from the sea) and the Cheiron behind. Half-Mediterranean, half-mountain, this is a village of character, with a beautiful architectural unity. 520 people live here. Most of the houses are built of local stone and topped with round tiles. Take a stroll through the stairways, covered passageways, a fountain, a washhouse and a mill built by the Templars. All this in the heart of ancient ramparts, of which a few vestiges remain in places. Half of the commune is a listed site: the Romanesque church, the hamlet of Saint-Barnabé, south of the village, and the chapel of Saint-Michel, at the Pic de Jérusalem on the Cheiron. From here, you can see the terraces where wheat and roses were grown for the perfume factories of Grasse. The geographical location of the village, which appears from Vence as the gateway to the Haut Pays, has favored the establishment of numerous craftsmen and businesses in a wide variety of sectors. Today, Coursegoules is one of the region's towns where economic activity and tourism have grown considerably in recent years. Coursegoules is also a remarkable site identified as part of the Natura 2000 network, which aims to improve the way in which biodiversity issues are taken into account in human activities. A little history. The site was originally occupied by a Celto-Ligurian oppidum. A number of Celto-Ligurian remains - stone enclosures - have been identified around the village, at the Autreville, Campréou, La Tour and Puy de Naouri sites. Roman milestones can also be found. 17 are referenced on the ancient Roman road from Vence to Castellane, which crosses the Coursegoules commune. These include the Autreville milestone, at an altitude of over 1,000 m. The site of Saint-Michel church is also thought to have been the site of a Gallo-Roman villa. Coursegoules was built on a rocky peak according to a defensive plan, with ramparts and three access gates to the village, to the north, south and east. Part of the rampart walk, pierced with loopholes, can still be seen. In the 13th century, the village was the stronghold of the lords of Villeneuve. As in the rest of the region, the village was depopulated from the 19th century until the second half of the 20th century. From the 20th century onwards, the opposite phenomenon occurred. Today, the population of Coursegoules exceeds 500.

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