Roquebrune -Cap-Martin
Roquebrune -Cap-Martin
Sheltered by the imposing Mont Agel, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin is perfectly positioned between Menton and Monte Carlo, the landscape punctuated by slender cypress trees, shimmering silver-green olive groves and warm terracotta rooftops. Follow winding pathways through pine forests and maquis to this historic town and discover the true spirit of the French Riviera.
The town is divided into two areas: old Roquebrune with its medieval village, and the coastal resort of Cap Martin. The meandering streets of old Roquebrune are clustered around the castle – Château de Roquebrune-Cap-Martin – the oldest feudal castle remaining in France. The castle was built in the 10th century by the Count of Ventimiglia to ward off the Saracens and later remodelled by the Grimaldis.
The castle may dominate the skyline, offering the most spectacular views across the coastline, but stroll through the cobbled streets, down ancient stone steps and hidden archways, to discover a more demure historic landmark: marvel at the 2000-year-old olive tree that still bears fruit, its branches now twisted and tangled, the crown still carrying a mass of foliage that produces black olives of the Picholine variety.
Walk the Promenade Le Corbusier, a picturesque coastal pathway named after the famous architect, from Cap Martin to Monaco, passing by the tennis courts of the Monte Carlo Country Club, where the Monte-Carlo Masters take place each year. Pause at Le Corbusier's Cabanon and Eileen Gray's E-1027 villa, modernist masterpieces that provide a striking contrast to the wild flora and rugged coastline of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.
