This village located on the Italian border is part of the Mercantour National Park. It is on the edge of the Vallée des Merveilles. Tende is a large village built in terraces on the side of the mountain.

A clock tower and the remains of the Lascaris' chateau (the lords of Tende) overlook the village, which was Italian for a very long time (it became French in 1947),and where Alpine and Mediterranean influences blend together.

You can park on the pretty town hall square, with its freshly painted facades of warm "Italian" golden yellow, and take the stairs that climb the steep slope up to the old medieval part of the village.

The main street which runs along the side of the hill, will enchant you with its green and grey stone facades even if they are a little forbidding. From time to time they are brightened by a few trompe-l’œil designs, painted on a facade or a fountain. You will admire its old stone bridges, its old doors with their mysterious lintels, its small squares and its maze of little streets that are sometimes breathtaking…

Your stroll will give you several marvellous views of the mauve and grey slated roofs, and the sumptuous collegiate church that has been magnificently renovated, with its flamboyant facade, blending together red and yellow shades, enhanced with touches of blue.

The 400-hundred-year-old solid oak gateway is framed by two Doric pillars supported by two strange looking lions. It is surrounded by a row of thirteen Saints that contemplate the visitor.
The interior of this Historic Monument has even more marvels to offer : a 15th century nave, an organ dated 1812, etc. The church of Notre-Dame-de-'Assomption is testimony to the splendour of Tende in past centuries.

You can end your visit at the Museum of Marvels, to understand the beliefs, the daily life and the culture of the people who lived in the area around Mont Bego nearly 4,000 years ago.
Then perhaps you might like to set off on a hike to the nearby Vallée des Merveilles (Valley of Marvels), where you can admire these famous rock carvings in their natural environment…

In winter you can ski at the Réserve Blanche resort, at Limone-Col de Tende around 20 minutes away by car. This resort straddling the Italian/French border has over 100 km of pistes and 33 ski lifts. Cross country skiing is available amongst the lakes and forests at Casterino (1.600m altitude) and 20 minutes from the village.

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