A must-see
article | Reading time6 min
Fancy a cultural outing while enjoying the sea and fine weather? Head for the Riviera, between the PACA region and Occitanie, where sun, sand and pebbles are never far away...
The Château d'If, worthy of a novel!
What better way to start our seaside itinerary than with a diversion to the island of If and its castle, off the coast of Marseille ?
Built from 1516 onwards by François Ier, who had just reclaimed Marseille and Provence from the House of Anjou, the castle was part of a coastal defence policy. Five years after its completion in 1531, the castle helped to repel Charles V, before becoming a special prison. By definition, it only took in prisoners during special events such as the French Revolution. A place steeped in history, the castle has been home to famous captives such as Mirabeau and General Kléber.
But the château d'If is best known for its role as the setting for Alexandre Dumas's famous novel The Count of Monte Cristo ! Its publication attracted the first visitors to the island, 40 years before it was officially opened to the public in 1880!
- Open every day except Monday
- Full price 7 €, free for under 26 years old
- Only accessible by boat from the Vieux Port (crossing fee in addition to island access)
© We are Content(s) / Centre des monuments nationaux
The Villa Kerylos, a passion for ancient Greece
Just 10 km from Nice, discover the Villa Kérylos, an architectural achievement inspired by ancient Greece!
This total work of art is the result of a meeting between the scholar Théodore Reinach and the architect Emmanuel Pontremoli at the 1900 Salon.
Completed in just 6 years, the villa and its furnishings offer a reinvention of Antiquity with the technical resources and comfort of the 20th century. Every trace of modernity is concealed, however, to give the illusion of a bygone era!
Among the remarkable creations housed in this villa overlooking the sea, you'll find a rich array of colourful mosaics. All the floors are covered in them! Geometric motifs and mythological scenes blend together to tell the story of the Mediterranean in days gone by.
- Open every day
- Full price 13 €, twin tickets, special rates and free admission subject to conditions
- Accessible by car, bus and train
© We are Content(s) / Centre des monuments nationaux
La Turbie and its Trophy overlooking the coast
Want to get up high and admire the sea in all its glory? Take a look at the Trophée d'Auguste in La Turbie!
The Trophy, which dominates the Bay of Monaco, was dedicated to Augustus in 7/6 BC following his victory over the Alpine peoples hostile to Rome.
The whole structure, consisting of a square base with an engraved inscription,a cylindrical floor surrounded by columns with sculpted busts and a conical roof topped by a statue of Augustus, reached a total height of 50 metres !
Damaged and dismantled several times over the course of history as a result of the decline of Rome and the evangelisation of the Empire, the Trophy was finally consolidated and studied by the architects Jean-Camille and Jules Formigé in the early 20th century. It is to them that the Trophée d'Auguste owes its current appearance.
- Open every day except Monday
- Full price 7 €, twin tickets, special rates and free admission subject to conditions
- Accessible by car, train from Monaco and bus from Nice and Monaco
© We are Content(s) / Centre des monuments nationaux
Cap moderne: a paradise for avant-garde architects
In Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, nestled among the trees, just a few metres from the water, you'll find some illustrious examples of the architectural avant-garde...
A total work of art, like the Villa Kérylos, Villa E-1027 was designed by Eileen Gray with and for her partner Jean Badovici in 1929. This boat-like holiday home embodies their shared vision of architecture and design. The house is named after its creators: E for Eileen; 10 for J, the tenth letter of the alphabet; 2 for B and 7 for G.
Ten years after the villa was built, in 1938-1939, Le Corbusier stayed there for the first time and painted some of the walls. Another ten years later, while he was back at the villa, a former plumber from Nice named Thomas Rebutato had the bar-restaurant L'Étoile de Mer built just above it. The two men hit it off and Le Corbusier bought the land next door to build his Cabanon in 1952, followed by a studio in 1954. The complex was completed by 5 camping units in 1957, built by the architect for Rebutato, whose land is now used by campers.
- Open from 1 April to 3 November only, online booking required (self-guided tours not available).
- Full price19 €, special rates 10 €
- Accessible by car, bus and train
© We are Content(s) / Centre des monuments nationaux © Eileen Gray, © Jean Badovici, © FLC (Fondation Le Corbusier) - ADAGP
Aigues-Mortes and its 1643 metres of ramparts
Head for the Occitanie region, between Arles and Montpellier, to discover the tours et remparts d'Aigues-Mortes!
Aigues-Mortes, the first Mediterranean port of the Kingdom of France, was built in 1240 on the orders of Louis IX, the future Saint Louis. After the Constance Tower and a castle, the king had a 1643-metre perimeter wall built, as well as five towers, five large gates and five back gates.
Throughout its history, Aigues-Mortes has been a crusading and trading port, as well as a place of safety and a prison for Protestants. In 1685, following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, which made Aigues Mortes one of the Protestants' places of safety, the towers were refurbished to house prisoners until 1768.
Many years later, in the 19th century, " sand wine " and salt production developed, and in the 20th century, seaside tourism made its debut in the town.
- Open every day
- Full price 9 €, special rates and free admission subject to conditions
- Accessible by car, bike ("Voies vertes" routes in the Gard) and train (TER liO line)
: © Laurent Lecat / Centre des monuments nationaux
A Cistercian abbey in Provence
Looking for mountains and greenery? After exploring the monuments on the water's edge, complete your itinerary with the abbaye du Thoronet in the Var!
Completed in 1250, the abbey was founded by monks of the Cîteaux order who lived according to the rule of Saint Benoît. As the rule imposed a life of prayer and work, the monks chose the site of Le Thoronet, which was isolated without being cut off from the world. Inhabited by the monks until 1791, the abbey was then sold as national property to private individuals.
In the 19th century, Prosper Mérimée and the architects of historic monuments spotted the abbey, which was finally listed as a historic monument in 1840.
Purchased by the State in 1854, the restored abbey is a true symbol of Cistercian art and the Cistercian ideal of life. It has inspired a number of architects, including Le Corbusier, Fernand Pouillon and John Pawson.
- Open every day
- Full price 9 €, special rates and free admission subject to conditions
- Accessible by car, train, bus and on foot (Santiago de Compostela section)
© We are Content(s) / Centre des monuments nationaux
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