Monastère de Cimiez, Franciscan monastery in Cimiez district, Nice, France
The Monastery of Cimiez extends across 9,550 square meters of gardens with Mediterranean plants, citrus trees, and a central well on a hilltop location.
Founded in the 9th century by the Brothers of Saint-Pons Abbey, the monastery was acquired by Franciscan brothers in 1546 after its destruction during Nice's siege.
The monastery church displays three significant paintings by Louis Bréa, including a Pietà, Crucifixion, and Deposition, alongside a carved wooden baroque altarpiece.
Located at 164 Avenue des Arènes de Cimiez in Nice, the monastery and its gardens are open daily from 8 AM with free admission for all visitors.
The cemetery adjacent to the monastery contains the final resting places of notable artists Henri Matisse and Raoul Dufy among its graves.
Location: Nice
Website: http://stemariedesanges.free.fr
GPS coordinates: 43.71990,7.27908
Latest update: June 23, 2025 09:41
Nice reveals much more than its beaches and the famous Promenade des Anglais. This collection invites you to discover the treasures that Niçois cherish daily: the Castle Hill Park overlooking ancient ruins, the Matisse and Marc Chagall museums housing exceptional collections, and the Cimiez Monastery surrounded by gardens. These sites narrate the story of a city shaped by diverse influences, from the Orthodox Saint Nicholas Cathedral to the alleys of the Old Town. From the flower market at Cours Saleya, where local accents can be heard, to Fort Mont Alban perched on the heights, each location offers a different experience of Nice. Some places, like the Louis Nucéra Library with its modern architecture, showcase the city's contemporary face. Others, more subtle, allow you to grasp the essence of a Mediterranean city where history and daily life blend effortlessly.
Nice combines museums, parks and coastal areas in a city between hills and the Mediterranean. The Marc Chagall Museum holds the largest public collection of his works, while the Matisse Museum is devoted to the paintings and sculptures of an artist who spent many years here. Castle Hill offers views over the rooftops and the water, and the Promenade des Anglais follows the shoreline. The Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral is the largest of its kind in Western Europe and stands in a quiet neighborhood north of the center. Parc du Mont Boron spreads across wooded slopes with trails for walking. Place Masséna marks the heart of the city with red facades and open squares. Port Lympia lies east of the old town and keeps the feel of a working harbor. These places show different sides of Nice, from art to nature to everyday life by the sea.
Nice naturally lends itself to photography. The Mediterranean light shapes the city from morning to evening, revealing in turn the ochre facades of Old Nice, the palms lining the Promenade des Anglais, or the blue domes of Saint-Nicolas Orthodox Cathedral. From the Château hilltop, at 92 meters high, the view encompasses the entire bay, while below, Place Masséna displays its geometric paving stones and red facades. The flower market at Cours Saleya, established since the 17th century, extends to Lympia Port where yellow facades reflect in the water, each neighborhood forming a different scene. The Negresco Hotel with its pink dome marks the coastline, and the Matisse Museum shares the painter's love for the light of the South. Nice offers a variety of viewpoints, making it a preferred destination for those interested in capturing the architecture, colors, and vitality of a city oriented toward the Mediterranean.
Musée Matisse
244 m
Palais Regina
485 m
Musée Marc-Chagall
1.4 km
Arènes de Cimiez
303 m
Marc Chagall National Museum
1.4 km
Château Valrose
1.1 km
Cemenelum
742 m
Abbey of St Pons
660 m
Sainte Jeanne d'Arc Church
1.5 km
Thermes de Cimiez
214 m
Musée archéologique de Nice-Cimiez
279 m
Villa Paradiso
1.3 km
Ancien hôtel Alhambra de Nice
1 km
Chapelle Sainte-Anne de Nice
302 m
Église Notre-Dame-Auxiliatrice de Nice
1.2 km
Monument à la reine Victoria
544 m
Saint-Roch Church
1.3 km
Villa Nobili
1 km
Ancien groupe épiscopal de Cimiez
285 m
Villa Schmitz
1.5 km
Vieux mur ligure
146 m
Croix séraphique de Cimiez
69 m
Chapelle Saint-Aubert de Nice
1.4 km
Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de Cimiez
22 m
Chapelle Bon-Voyage de Nice
1.2 km
Antoinist temple of Nice
1.5 km
Tronçons de la Turbie et du vallon de Laghet de la Via Julia Augusta
301 m
Pont René-Coty
790 mReviews
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