Valbonne

Nice Cote D’Azur airport is only 25 minutes away and it provides low-cost flights to the UK on a daily basis. The Gare de Nice, which provides national train travel across the whole of metropolitan France, is only 35 minutes away also. It is possible to reach Paris in just under 6 hours from Nice by TGV.

History
The area around Valbonne was initially a settlement in the Iron Age and there is evidence of further ancient inhabitancy from artefacts such as Neolithic period tools and funeral urns from the Bronze Age.
Valbonne was officially founded in 1519 around the ancient abbey of Saint Mary which was built in the 13th century by monks belonging to the Cistercian order. Like many communes that sprung up throughout the south of France at the start of the last millennium, Valbonne started out as monastic settlements that eventually grew with religion at its epicentre. The old town was surrounded in the 20th century by the construction of the new town that at the end, encapsulated the old town. The old town still survives today thanks to careful preservation by the local community. The clock tower that dominates the old town was added onto the abbey church in the 19th century. The monastic buildings now play host to museums with exhibitions and presentations. For example, there is “Le Vieux Valbonne” which is a heritage museum.

Sport
As Valbonne is in one of the premier areas of France, the Alpes-Maritimes department in Provence, there is much to take your interest. Golf is popular in the area as well as horse-riding, tennis and swimming. The stunning beaches at Cannes are only 20 minutes from Valbonne.

Restaurants
Valbonne offers up many traditional themed restaurants such as the “Alude” Bistro which are well worth a visit to sample the local and regional cuisine.