Parc de la Colline du Château

The Colline du Château is the rocky hill that rises at the eastern end of the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, between the old town and the port, and the park on its summit is one of the best places to understand the city's geography. The hill is about ninety metres high and the park covers nearly twenty hectares, with shaded paths, terraces, lawns, a waterfall and playgrounds, and it is free to enter. The hill is not a castle any more: the fortress that once crowned it was destroyed in 1706, on the orders of Louis XIV, after the French army took the town, and only fragments of walls and foundations remain. A wooden structure on the plateau now suggests the shape of the vanished stronghold.

The history of the hill is the history of Nice itself. Greek traders from Marseille founded a settlement called Nikaia on the slopes about two and a half thousand years ago, and the medieval town grew up beneath the castle, which was held in turn by the counts of Provence, the dukes of Savoy and others. Remains of a cathedral and of the old town, which stood on the plateau until the Middle Ages, have been found. After the destruction of 1706, the hill was left bare, and in the nineteenth century it was transformed into a public garden, with an artificial waterfall added in the 1880s. A tower on the south side, the Tour Bellanda, dates from the sixteenth century, and the composer Hector Berlioz stayed nearby in the 1830s. Two old cemeteries, one Christian and one Jewish, are on the eastern slope, with fine views of the sea.

The views are the main reason to climb. From the summit terraces, the whole Baie des Anges can be seen curving westward, with the white line of the Promenade des Anglais, the airport on a spit of land, and the foothills of the Alps behind. To the east, the harbour of Nice lies directly below, with ferries and yachts, and the red-roofed houses of the old town pack the narrow strip between the hill and the sea. Sunset is a popular time, when the light turns the bay gold.

There are several ways up. A path of steps leads from the old town, a climb of about a quarter of an hour with viewpoints on the way, and a free lift near the Quai des États-Unis carries visitors up for those who prefer not to walk. The park has picnic areas and playgrounds that welcome children of all abilities.

The old town, with the Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas, the Jardin Albert 1er, the Place Masséna, the museums of Matisse and Chagall and the MAMAC, lies all around. The hill suits walkers, families and photographers, and opening hours vary by season.