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Nice · Mysteries & legends

Angels, Sieges and Phantoms on the Hill of Nice

Nice has its own stories: the saint whose boat supposedly gave the Bay of Angels its name, the washerwoman said to have stood up to the Turks, and the castle Louis XIV had blown sky-high. This walk climbs from the Old Town to Castle Hill as the afternoon fades, always separating what the records say from what tradition tells. It ends at a viewpoint over the bay, a few minutes from the restaurant tables of the Old Town.

  • 5 stops
  • 1.7 km
  • 1 h 40 min
  • Free
Start with GPS Read about this stop 1
Old engraving of Catherine Ségurane on the ramparts facing the attackers

The route

Stop by stop

  1. 1 Sainte-Réparate CathedralThe cathedral of a teenage saint whose boat, legend says, was pushed by angels all the way to the beach at Nice.
  2. 2 Catherine Ségurane ReliefA washerwoman armed with her laundry paddle against the Janissaries: the heroine of Nice who may never have existed.
  3. 3 Castle Hill CemeteryA marble cemetery on the hilltop, where the author of The Phantom of the Opera lies near the victims of a theatre fire.
  4. 4 Cathedral and Castle RuinsThis is where the first Nice stood: a cathedral and a fortress that Louis XIV had blown up with gunpowder in 1706.
  5. 5 Bellanda TowerA round tower above the cliff, where Berlioz dreamed up an overture and where you understand why this is the Bay of Angels.

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Start with GPS

Guide mode

Walk it with GPS.

Open guide mode on your phone: you’ll see your position and the distance to each stop, and we’ll let you know when you arrive. Then read or listen.

Start with GPS

  1. Turn on your location

  2. Walk to the spot

  3. Check the photo and listen

What you’ll discover

Angels, Sieges and Phantoms on the Hill of Nice

Legends with an address

Every tale is tied to a façade, a relief or a set of ruins right in front of you.

Record and tradition

We separate proven facts from popular versions, so you can enjoy the mystery without mistaking it for history.

An ending with a view

The walk finishes at Bellanda Tower, high above the Bay of Angels, just as the light turns golden.

Keep exploring

More routes in Nice

Back to Nice
HistoryBefore Nice Was French: The City of the House of Savoy MixedThe Best of Nice: From the Negresco to Castle Hill

Itineraries

How many days do you have in Nice?

We’ve planned it day by day for you: which routes to walk and in what order, what else to see and where to eat.

1

Nice in 1 day

All three routes in one full day: the highlights, the history and the legends at dusk.

See the itinerary 2

Nice in 2 days

A gentler pace: the three routes over two days, plus extra sights and where to eat.

See the itinerary 3

Nice in 3 days

The city in depth: one route a day, extra museums and neighbourhoods, and a day for good food.

See the itinerary