Castagniers

Population : 1.362 h.

Department of the Alpes Maritimes

Castagniers is a pretty little perched village in the Nice hinterland, surrounded by hills and nestling in generous Mediterranean vegetation, with a superb uninterrupted view of the Var plain.

It is said Castagniers got its name from an ancient Chestnut tree that sheltered travellers. It is reached via the picturesque D14 road, climbing up the hillside in tortuous hairpin bends, in the midst of parasol pines.

Castagniers is a relatively recent municipality (1874), that split away from Aspremont. Today it consists of a series of hamlets with evocative names: les Moulins, la Grotte, la Garde, le Vignon, le Cabrier, le Carretier, etc.

Castagniers has no medieval past, but does have a relatively old quarter, called "du Masage", dating back to the end of the 19th century - consisting of some fine stone-built houses grouped around a large church, which seem to cling to the hillside .

Superb walks and hikes await you around the village, inviting you to discover the beautiful natural environment and its fragrances at first hand. If you climb to the top of Mont Cima at 878 metres, you will be rewarded by a magnificent panoramic view.

At the Cistercian convent of Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix, you can buy chocolates and jams made in the traditional manner. It's a haven of peace amidst cypresses and olive trees, where a community of nuns live in a large 16th century house. Here you will receive a warm welcome, since Saint Benedict's Rule declares: "At the monastery, guests are welcomed as if they were Christ".