Sainte Agnès is a tiny little village located high on a ridge above Menton on the Côte d’Azur, only a couple of kilometres as the crow flies from both Italy and the coast. It is known as the “highest coastal village in Europe” as it sits at just under 800m altitude while being practically on the sea. Owing to its strategic location it has some interesting fortifications including a medieval castle and more recent 20th century defences. Naturally this all makes it a pretty spectacular place, both to look at and to look out of.
Come along with me as we visit Sainte Agnès, officially classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France. This prestigious national award, les plus beaux villages de France, has been given to 159 communes across the country (out of a total of 32,000) for exceptional beauty, heritage, culture and history. Another village with the title nearby is Gourdon.
To get to Sainte Agnès you have to have your wits about you as it’s a rather hair-raising 20 minute mountain drive up from the coast. The road is narrow and winding, with steep drops sometimes without any protective barriers.
You pass through several tunnels on this two way road (it is NOT one way despite the rather alarmingly narrow width you see here in these photos).
We followed a cyclist up; hats off to him! Not for the faint hearted.
You feel like you’re on top of the world with magnificent views down to the Mediterranean and across the mountains. In the photo below you can see Menton and the A8 motorway.
When you arrive in Sainte Agnès there are a couple of car parks, one of which is next to a rather ugly concrete structure which I initially thought was some sort of very unsypathetically constructed water tank. But it turns out its a bunker built in the 1930s as part of the Maginot Line defences, a line of fortifications, weapons installations and obstacles along many of France’s borders designed to protect the country from the menace of Fascism. This historical fort which descends 4 storeys down into the rock can be visited at weekends during winter and every day in the summer months.
For more information including times, tarifs and hours of the Maginot Fort click here. Having parked the car we wandered into the village. Every commune in France no matter how small has a mairie/hôtel de ville (town hall) and Sainte Agnès (population around 1200) is of course no exception.
We visited on a beautiful day in November and practically had the village to ourselves. Everything was closed except one small café.
The village consists of narrow, steep cobbled alleyways which occasionally cut through vaulted passages like the one in the photo below. There’s no car access and it would be difficult to push a pram/buggy around. I can’t imagine how anyone with any mobility issues could live here, but then that’s the case with all the perched hilltop villages in the area.
We visited on a gorgeously sunny day but even so in November these narrow paths don’t get much sunlight; lovely and cool in the summer, but just plain dark and damp in winter. I love visiting places like this but I can’t imagine living here.
You can see from the church clock that it’s just gone half past twelve and yet the shadows are deep and long.
We stumbled across this little bookcase full of books to swap and borrow. Such a great idea.
And finally came across the only open café, in a rare sunny spot, which we didn’t eat at as we had other plans!
This auberge looked charming, but it was closed.
Up and down we strolled….
This restaurant has an amazing view…when it’s open!
The inhabitants of these hill villages always decorate their doorways and tiny little patches of street with plants and flowers.
We discovered an activity for children to help make the most of their visit to the village. It appeared to be a sort of treasure hunt with questions and enigmas in French, English and Italian to work out. As JF and I were sans enfants we didn’t pay too much attention but apparently it’s available at the tourist office. Along with the lending library, another great initiative; Sainte Agnès seemed to have some pretty smart ideas.
Having exhausted the labyrinth of alleys it was time to head up the steps behind the village towards the medieval gardens and château. You can see some pretty wiggly roads in the photo below.
The steps took us up above the village rooftops. From here you can see just how squashed in and narrow the place is.
We climbed high above the houses until we reached the medieval gardens with wonderful lookout points.
The village of Sainte Agnès may be on the list of officially beautiful places, and there’s no doubt it’s attractive, but I think many other local hill villages are prettier. What does make Sainte Agnès stand out however is its surprising gardens located above the village just below the ruined castle.
These gardens seem to defy nature. They are planted to invoke the 5 senses with a variety of medicinal herbs, flowers, fruit trees and a vine, all clinging to the side of a mountain and dating back to medieval times. Devising the watering system must have been a challenge, Menton is after all the place in France with the most sunny days a year.
As I mentioned before, we visited in November which obviously wasn’t the time to see the gardens at their best, but despite the approaching winter, they were still very attractive. And the views were truly wonderful.
Perhaps not ideal for those with a fear of heights – the vertiginous drops over the side of the steps were impressive – but for those with a strong constitution, the gardens in Sainte Agnes are free to visit and maintained by volunteers, and an absolute delight to experience.
The castle, perched even higher still, is in ruins and you explore at your own risk. The oldest parts of it date from the end of the 10th century and owing to its strategic position has played an important role in defending various marauders over the years.
Despite such warnings of danger I felt the most safe at the very top as there’s a decent height solid stone wall all around the lookout. There are also panoramic maps pointing out places of interest in the 360° views.
The photo below shows the castle from above.
Finally as we drove away from Sainte Agnès we had one last look back at the pretty village sitting under its ancient château and marvelled at its perilous location. However did they build these places high up on mountain tops hundreds of years ago? It’s really quite a thought.
If you’d like to find more hilltop villages to visit in the Côte d’Azur back country or get ideas on how to make visiting these places with children fun, do take a look at these previous posts I’ve written.
13 of the best hill villages near Nice
Visiting hill villages with children
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Especialy when you ride from Col de la Madone. Fantastic views. Got it this October.
What more can one wish for. Gourdon is beautiful as well. Lovely photos of Sainte Angnès!
What a beautiful, beautiful place, the gardens, the view, those lovely winding alleys. You have just given me another reason to want to return to the South of France
Wow! Even in November this village oozes Mediterranean charm. But I can’t stop thinking: where do the children of the village play? There must be a thousand lost footballs somewhere near the A8…
Stunning – thanks! #AllAboutFrance and #TravelAtHome
The roads are alarming but you have to get used to them living around here or you wouldn’t go anywhere!
We have the opposite landscape here, everything is so hilly and steep, sometimes I wish for flat (particularly for cycling!)
Oh my goodness – they may have dark alleyways, but those views are amazing!! I was just saying to my husband the other day that I wanted to find some cliff-side villages to explore – everything is quite flat around where we are!
Those mountain roads scare me so much but wow, what a beautiful place….calm, picturesque and just gorgeous.
Book yourselves a little trip to Lou Messugo. We must only be about 2 hours apart Julie!
It’s a lovely month here usually. Blue skies and no people. Perfect!
Don’t look down!
Thanks Kimberley 🙂
I always wonder that in these places too ELizabeth. Such dedication and hard work.
I’m pleased you enjoy the linky Jill. We pretty much did have the place to ourselves, I think we saw one other couple.
Thanks Janet.
Yes there are similarities, it’s very steep around here.
Let me know when you come, and perhaps you can stay at Lou Messugo!
I know! You have to bimp hard on the horn before going in .
I hope he does Jacqui as maybe we’d finally meet if he wanted to visit!
Thanks Sonia 🙂
What an incredible place- the views are amazing & the November ‘cornflower-blue’ sky just makes me smile. My youngest would love it I think as not only does it have some WW2 history to tempt him, but he could cycle there too! I must add it to the list of places to visit!
November seems the perfect time to visit. That sky and the scenery were amazing.
I had vertigo just looking at those photos! Breathtaking…
I love the small little villages of the Cote d’Azure. So charming. I too wondered what it would be like to live in such a small place. I enjoyed the tour around. Bises, Kimberly #allaboutfrance
I often wonder how on earth they built such places without the luxury of modern machinery. Thanks for the tour around this town Phoebe. It certainly is very pretty and the fort is very intriguing. Those views…wow! Thanks for hosting #allaboutfrance
Wow, just stunning…but soothing at the same time. What an incredible spot. It looks like you had the place to yourself.
I haven’t been here, but it seems like a place I’d love to take my children — an imagination sparker for sure. Thanks for sharing this and for #AllAboutFrance. I learn so much from the stories here, and the pictures bring me into new places. Cheers to you!
That is breathtaking, I love your photos. I would be very nervous on that road but I agree, just lovely to visit although I wouldn’t want to live there. Too steep!
Lovely pics! That mountain drive reminds me of Corsica. Just don’t look down. Yikes!
Thanks so much for sharing Sainte Agnès with us Phoebe. We’ve visited a couple of other villages on the list of most beautiful villages in France and have found them completely charming. We’ll definitely have to check out Sainte Agnès one day! #AllAboutFrance
Wow! It’s beautiful! I can’t believe that tiny stone tunnel is two-way!
Gorgeous, but I hope my husband doesn’t see this, he will want to visit – by bike!
Absolutely beautiful photos of a stunning place x
Looks like such a pretty place. I love visiting places out of season, you really get to see so much more without all the crowds there. We have a village near us that has a little book swap/borrow case. It’s such a lovely thing to stumble across in a village!
Come on over Dr J! You’d always be very welcome to stay at Lou Messugo!
Thank you for your lovely words Richard. I adore seeking out unusual places like this, we are so lucky to live in an area with such a rich history.
As long as you can overcome the drive up Margo (close your eyes and let someone else drive you?) then you could visit the bunker as it isn’t in a vertiginous spot (though I guess there must be stairs inside down the 4 levels).
Living here you have to get used to roads like this or you’d never venture out. I’ve been here nearly 10 years and still find them alarming but it doesn’t stop me exploring.
Ste Agnès is practically in Italy so this bit of the Maginot Line was built to keep out Mussolini. You’re right, it IS a long way to the shops!
It’s only a tiny place, I doubt anyone from out of the area has heard of it but its location right next to the sea is pretty amazing
Isn’t it just!
Hi Harriet, yes there’s a permanent population living here! Are you limited to school holidays? In which case I would recommend the Toussaint holidays but if you’re free to choose any time then I’d go for late September. Early spring (late Feb-March) can also be lovely with mimosa out. May is gorgeous but tends to be busy on the Côte d’Azur.
Once again you’ve convinced me that I must travel down to the south of France. This village looks too perfect to be true – do people actually live there? Would you recommend the October holidays for a visit? We hate being feeling like tourists… #AllAboutFrance
Thanks for taking us off the beaten path for this village walk. Makes me really want to visit this part of the world. Thanks again for the inspiring post!
Phoebe — I’ve been visiting and writing about some of les plus beaux villages, too, but hadn’t come across this one. (It’s incredible how isolated many of them are — but as you make clear in this post, they’re always worth the trip.) As always, your photos are beautifully evocative and make me want to visit Saint Agnes as soon as possible!
Very interesting! I’ve wanted to visit the Maginot Line for quite some time, but since I don’t really like heights or stairs, I don’t think this town is for me. 🙂
I am drawn to places on perches but then almost ALWAYS feel my fear of heights creep in. That road alone would probably stress me. But then I’d still do it! I love the views of the water from the top. Beautiful. #AllAboutFrance Cheers from Copenhagen, Erin
What a picturesque village. Long way from the shops, though.
I didn’t realise the Maginot Line stretched that far. Least said about it the better. 🙂
What a fabulous place! And terrific views. Your photos give a really good flavour of it. I’d never actually heard of the place, but it looks as if you could jump right into the sea from there. Thanks for this tour around a special village.
wow! Stunning shots and what an amazing looking place.
The never-ending list! High places are good, I agree!
The light is always amazing in the south of France, winter included. You get used to roads like this when you live here as using them is a regular occurrence!
Ha ha Clare, wait till I write about our trip to the mountains in Vietnam, makes those 2 look like child’s play!
From Montenegro to France, you always seem to find the place that’s at the top of the mountain, Phoebe! I love the look of this pretty village and really enjoying exploring a place out of season. Thanks for taking me on a tour for #AllAboutFrance
Oh my word – stunning! I can’t believe these pictures are from November – the light is so clear and piercing. I’d be a wreck at the end of the drive to the top, though. We went somewhere similar in Spain and I was terrified.
That looks absolutely beautiful. I love high places. And the road looks like something out of the Italian Job. Another place on my list (sigh).
That list is getting long Carolyne!
I could never ride such a steep road Annette, I dream of cycling in the Netherlands!
Walls…very topical, how sad.
How beautiful but I am not sure, like you say, that it is somewhere I would like to spend my whole life. I am guessing if you did live there, though, you’d be pretty fit. I was reading about the Maginot Line in a magazine article on Vichy France just last night. Let us hope that no more walls of this type ever need to be built #sigh
#AllAboutFrance
Oh Wow that bike rider impresses me. I dream of being able to ride incredible roads like that one day. For the moment my rides are much more tame. Your photos are stunning with my favourite being the Thé et Crépes café with the blue chairs. #AllAboutFrance
Hi Phoebe: I have just added this village to my long list of “must visit” places
I’d like to go back in spring to see the gardens in bloom.
Great view but imagine having to drive up there regularly!
The drive was pretty hairy but you get used to it living here!
Oh it looks gorgeous! I’m not sure I’d fancy the drive up there though!
What a beautiful place – imagine living there and having that view every day x x
What views – love them – but what a drive! I wouldn’t be that cyclist….
Seriously though it looks a gorgeous place to discover and those gardens look a treat too.
My pleasure Mary Ann
Thanks for your lovely comment Kelli
What a breathtaking and beautiful post. Thanks for sharing. I wish I was there!
Charming. Thanks for sharing the photos!!