La Colle-sur-Loup

Snuggling in a beautiful natural environment of oaks, olive trees and pines, lemon trees and perfume flowers, La Colle-sur-Loup is a very pleasant health and tourist resort located 10 minutes from Nice, and less than an hour from the ski resorts of Gréolières and Andon. La Colle-sur-Loup was a seigneury in the 16^th century, and formerly a medieval community and stronghold of Gaudelet. From its past there remains a castle still in good condition as well as a 12^th century priory now converted into a restaurant (L'Abbaye), which still has a fortified gateway, corner towers, cloisters and a listed Romanesque chapel. Walk through the Canadel gate to immerse yourself in the atmosphere and visit the historic centre with its lively shopping streets and old narrow alleyways where you can admire shady little squares, fountains and wonderful carved doors. For many years La Colle-sur-Loup was the capital of the perfume rose. Today it is renowned for its antique dealers and decorators, and also for its fine restaurants. La Colle-sur-Loup has always attracted artists such as Yves Klein, the founder of the New Realists who is buried here, Jacques Ferrandez the well-known cartoon strip artist, the architect Yves Bayard, and Raoul Giordan, another cartoon strip artist and creator of Space Gordon! As for the natural side of things, the river "Loup" is one of La Colle-sur-Loup's main attractions. Its banks are true oases of coolness, its peaceful murmuring waters are very popular during the hottest summer periods and they are also renowned for the trout that can be caught here. On the banks of the Loup, in the summertime you'll find two municipal parks (La Gueriniere and Roubert) where there are health trails, playgrounds and even a pony club!