Tourrettes-sur-Loup - commune in Alpes-Maritimes, France

Tourrettes-sur-Loup (population 2400) is a medieval village perched on a rocky spine overlooking the French Riviera between Vence and Grasse. (The final P is not pronounced.)

Get in

By road

A8

• From Aix-en-Provence (eastbound) exit 47 Villeneuve-Loubet .
• From Italy, Monaco or Nice (westbound) exit 48 Cagnes-sur-Mer.
• Follow the signs to Vence, then D2210 Tourrettes-sur-Loup.

By train

Nearest station: Cagnes-sur-Mer 15 km (9 miles).

By plane

Nearest airport: Nice Côte d'Azur 21 km (13 miles).

Get around

Bus service 510 runs between Carros, Gattières, Vence, Tourrettes-sur-Loup and Pont-du-Loup.

Distances from Tourrettes

Vence 6 km (4 miles) Grasse 20 km (12 miles) Antibes 24 km (15 miles) Nice 27 km (17 miles) Cannes 37 km (23 miles) Monaco 49 km (30 miles)

See

• The villages of Tourrettes-sur-Loup and Pont-du-Loup.
• The Gorges du Loup with its waterfalls: Cascade de Courmes, Saut du Loup and Cascade des Demoiselles.

Do

• cycling: Tourrettes-sur-Loup is very popular with cyclists.
• boules: Tourrettans play boules in the Place de la Liberation.
• paragliding
• hang-gliding
• canyoning
• climbing
• fishing
• horseriding
• skiing: The nearest ski station is at Gréolières-les-Neiges 39 km (24 miles).
• beaches: The nearest beach is at Cagnes-sur-Mer 14 km (9 miles),

Events

March

Fête des Violettes. Provençale market and a procession with carnival floats. June Fête de la Musique, around the summer solstice;- with music in the streets. Fête Feux de la St Jean with barbecues and bonfire. Fête du Terroir, market selling local products. July Fête Patronal, nearest Sunday to Ste-Madeleine (22 July). September Marché Potier (pottery market).

Buy

Eat

Tourrettes has the best ice cream in the region.

• Baccanales, 21, Grand Rue, 04 93 24 19 19. One of the better restaurants in the region. Christophe Dufau left the Auberge de Tourrettes in 2004 to start his own small "bistrot gourmet" in the tiny back streets of Tourettes. The menu is very limited, often with no choice at all, but the cooking is top class and often inventive. €24-€70
• Le Relais des Coches, 28 Route de Vence, 06140, Tourrettes Sur Loup, +33 4 93 24 30 24. A restaurant that can talk the talk and walk the walk. This family run establishment is on the outskirts of the village in picturesque surroundings. The owner/restaurateur, Wayne, is extremely welcoming as are all of his staff (many of whom are family). The menu is small but well chosen to suite all tastes. Whilst the service is friendly the food is exceptional. Perfectly cooked and well executed the food lacks for nothing. The desserts to finish are good but the Irish coffees are divine. Over the weekend there is live Jazz but impromptu session can happen at any point. Book if you can but extra seating with a great view is available outside. If in the area this place should not be avoided!.

Sleep

Camping and caravanning

• La Camassade, Route de Pié Lombard. Open all year round.

• Les Rives du Loup, +33 4 93 24 15 65. Route de La Colle (D6). Open May to September.
• La Bergerie, +33 4 93 58 09 36. Chemin de la Sine, 06140 Vence.

Go next

Places to visit nearby

• Gourdon
• Vence
• St Paul de Vence
• Col de Vence (mountain pass) and Coursegoules
• The Upper Loup Valley, Gréolières and Gréolières-les-Neiges
• Le Bar-sur-Loup
• La Colle-sur-Loup
• Châteauneuf-de-Grasse, Pré-du-Lac and Maganosc.

Ski stations

There are two ski stations in the Upper Loup Valley, one at Gréolières-les-Neiges 39 km (24 miles) and a small one at L'Audibergue 45 km (28 miles).

Beaches

• The nearest beaches are at Cagnes-sur-Mer 14 km (9 miles), Villeneuve-Loubet Plage 16 km (10 miles) and St Laurent-du-Var 20 km (12 miles).