La Gaude is a small village in the Alpes-Maritimes located between Vence and Cagnes-sur-Mer. People who like quietness will appreciate the village where Marcel Pagnol lived for a period of his life.

History

A little away from the village of La Gaude is a restored Roman sarcophagus which testifies of a human activity in the town in antiquity.

Later, around the ninth century, the Saint-Jeannet inhabitants took refuge in the fertile plateau of "The Gauda" after the Saracens attacks. Unfortunately the new city was burned and destroyed almost immediately. Plagues and wars did not help its revival and in the fifteenth century "The Gauda" was completely abandoned.

It was not until 1599 that new residents settled there. La Gaude became an independent community and separated from Saint-Jeannet.

In 1704 and 1707, the village was looted again. However, these events did not have a serious impact on its development.

A larger village had certainly existed near La Gaude, where is now the location of the Grande Bastide. There were a parish and a large castle which is believed to have been built by the Templars, the castle of La Gaude, which is now on the Saint-Jeannet territory.

In the twentieth century, the face of La Gaude was transformed with the arrival of water. At the same time, Marcel Pagnol chose La Gaude as his home and bought a house, the current Domaine de l'Etoile.

To do / To see

The old village of La Gaude is made ​​for strolling with its narrow streets and fountains.

Wednesday and Saturday mornings are market days. You taste the Mediterranean flavors.

La Gaude Ecomusée is an interesting place for family visits. Dedicated to the Mediterranean fauna and flora, it consists of a vivarium and a small Mediterranean garden. The objective of this museum is to show the Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur nature, including the most misunderstood and stigmatized animals such as reptiles and insects ... and to educate visitors about their ecological role.