Travel Guide Tourrettes-Sur-Loup

Coming from Bar-sur-Loup, the view of the stone houses stacked above the ravine is breathtaking. You'll discover the village as you wander through its flower-filled lanes, staircases and vaulted passageways. The facades are exquisitely decorated with Provencal shutters.But Tourrettes-sur-Loup is more than just a charming medieval village. It's also a haven of peace and work for dozens of artists who have gathered here, finding the serenity they need to devote themselves to their art. Potters, ceramists, jewelers, painters and sculptors set up store in the village streets. Jacques Prévert, Jean Cocteau, Franck Sinatra and Francis Poulenc were also regulars. Since then, the word "culture" has been applied as much to promoting art as to working the land.Indeed, violets have made the commune famous. It has been grown in abundance since the late 19th century, along with olives and orange blossom. Every year in March, the "Fête de la Violette" is held, a celebration of Tourrettes-sur-Loup's star flower.And to finish with a touch of history: the commune's territory is rich in prehistoric sites. The Beaume and Pié Lombard caves, as well as the Courmettes site, were visited by humans as early as the Palaeolithic, then the Neolithic, and reused during the Bronze and Iron Ages. The first reference to the Tourrettes site dates back to 1024. The name Castrum de Torretis is mentioned. In the 14th century, the death of Queen JeanneI led to a succession crisis at the head of the County of Provence.