Owners
April 30, 2025
No Comments
Share :
Need more information?
we'll call you back
A XVIᵉ century sentinel between sea and hills
Overlooking the bay of Nice and the harbour of Villefranche-sur-Mer, the Fort du Mont-Alban is one of the few surviving examples of Renaissance military architecture on the Côte d'Azur. Built between 1557 and 1560 at the request of the Duke of Savoy, Emmanuel-Philibert, it embodies the desire to protect the maritime facade of the Savoy States and ensure the defense of the territory against threats from the Mediterranean.
Built on a strategic site between the ancient Château de Nice and the Citadelle de Villefranche, the fort was occupied several times, most recently by the Italians and Germans during the Second World War. Its massive walls and bastioned layout bear witness to the ingenuity of Renaissance military architects.
Classified as a historic monument, it now offers a dual attraction: firstly, its imposing architecture, which can be admired from the outside at any time of year; and secondly, the spectacular panorama it affords, embracing both the Villefranche harbor to the east and the Nice conurbation to the west.
Tours of the interior are organized only in summer, between July and September, in the form of self-guided or guided tours offered by the Centre du patrimoine de la ville de Nice.
Address: Colline du Mont Boron, 06300 Nice.
Opening hours: open Wednesdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (July 1 to September 30).
Prices: €3 to €8.
Self-guided or guided tours by prior arrangement with the Heritage Centre.
French French 
English
