Tourrettes
Tourettes-sur-Loup, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, 06140
Tourrettes-sur-Loup, an ultra-charming fortified hilltop village in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France, consistently makes every list of day trips from Nice. In the tiny pedestrian-only medieval center, a warren of narrow streets are lined with stone homes, many ground-floor shops, art galleries, craft workshops, and open-air cafes.
The Basics
With brightly painted doors and perfectly creeping vines and flowering plants, stunning little Tourrettes-sur-Loup is straight out of a fairy tale. In the spring, the scent of violets permeates the air. SInce 1952. Violet production has been the village’s main agricultural activity. Travelers may discover the village as part of a private day trip exploring the towns of the French Riviera and the Provençal countryside, leaving from Nice. Cruise the Boulevard de la Croisette in Cannes, tour a perfumery in sweet-smelling Grasse, drive through the gorgeous Loup Goges, taking in sweeping views of the Alps and the Mediterraneanxa0 Sea, drop in on artsy Saint-Paul-de-Vence and the mountain town of Gourdon.
Things to Know Before You Go
- Suitable for solo travelers, couples, and families.
- During the summer, remember sun protection and water for hydration.
- If you require wheelchair access, please request at time of booking, if taking a tour.
How to Get There
The best way to approach Tourrettes is by driving the outer roads, which offer vertiginous views of the valley below and the neighboring hills. Just under an hour from Nice city center, parking may be found in squares just outside the old town. If public transport is the only option, take the local bus from Nice Airport to St-Laurent-du-Var, then the #400 bus to Vence, and finally, the 510 bus to Tourrettes-sur-Loup.
When to Get There
With a mild Mediterranean climate, Nice is a pleasant place to visit any time of the year. Come in the spring and the autumn to avoid the crowds, or if you’d like to join them, come in February for the Nice Carnival, or in March, for Tourrettes-sur-Loup’s Violet Festival, celebrated with floral processions and musical events. July is especially packed, with the Nice Jazz Festival and Bastille Day happening back to back.
Violet Museum
Learn about the fascinating history of violet production in Tourrettes-sur_loup at his small but engaging museum dedicated to the lovely purple flower, and the village’s chief industry. Local archives explain the context for violet cultivation within the perfume industry in neariboring Grasse. Walk through the greenhouses to see how the plants are grown vertically and then dried and crystalized. DOn't leave without taking the violet ice cream.
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