La Turbie

Visit La Turbie, Provence

La Turbie is a town slightly north of Monaco on the French Riviera, on the spectacular Grand Corniche road that runs from Nice to Monaco - one of the great scenic highlights of this region.

Apart from the village itself, and the great views from the corniche, it is the great Roman monument in La Turbie that will catch your attention - it dominates the village from its high position.

Exploring La Turbie

The village itself developed around the imposing roman monument and is well worth exploring.

You enter the village through a medieval stone gateway and discover pretty medieval streets and alleys lined with exotic plants and bouganvilleas, with a pretty square in the village centre where you can see a small chapel among the colourful houses.

One highlight in La Turnie village is the little Church of Saint Michel, a baroque style church built in the middle of the 18th century. Inside the church you can see many paintings and frescoes and a decorative altarpiece.

Trophy of the Alps

Known as the 'Trophy of the Alps' and built around 6BC, the large monument once featured a great statue of the Emperor Augustus atop a circular building surrounded by columns, itself standing on a very large stone pedestal.

At that time the location was on the boundary between the Roman empire and gaul that stood beyond and the monument would have been a suitably imposing sign of the power of the Roman empire.

The statue is no longer, and the structure substantially fell into ruin and destruction over the intervening centuries and much of the village of La Turbie was constructed with stone pillaged from the monument.

20th century renovation efforts have gone a long way to recapturing the glory of the monument and the plaque that marks the victories of Augustus over the tribes of Liguria for which the original monument was constructed to celebrate has also been restored.

See Trophy of Augustus visitor information for admission details - it is a listed National Monument.

The views from the monument at La Turbie are far-reaching and extremely impressive - among the best in the French Riviera.

Attractions nearby

There are too many highlights in the region to list here, from magnificent scenery and traditional Provencal hilltop villages to the glitzy resorts of the French riviera and the wealthy town of Monaco. There is something close to La Turbie for everyone - see our Cote d'Azur guide for more information.

Suggested places to visit near La Turbie, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Sainte-Agnes 8km; Menton 9km; Villefranche-sur-Mer 9km; Cap Ferrat 9km; Nice 12km; Sospel 15km; Coaraze 16km; Cagnes-sur-Mer 22km; Saint-Paul-de-Vence 23km; Vence 23km; Tourrettes-sur-Loup 28km; Biot 28km; Antibes 29km; Saorge 30km; Juan-les-Pins 31km; Saorge Monastery 31km;

See these places and more on a map at places near La Turbie

La Turbie tourism: sights and attractions nearby

Tete de Chien - site of natural beauty (2km) : Jardins Ephrussi de Rothschild - remarkable garden (8km) : Serre de la Madone - remarkable garden (9km) : La citronneraie - remarkable garden (9km) : Palais Carnolès - remarkable garden (9km) : Jardin botanique - remarkable garden (12km) : Baou de Saint-Jeannet - site of natural beauty (21km) : Le Vallon du Brec - remarkable garden (29km) :

French version: see La Turbie (Francais)