“Rue de France” and “Marble cross”

Rue de France and the Marble Cross

A stop on the Nice audio-guided tour, rue de France owes its name to the fact that it led to the border before the attachment of Nice to France. Here one enters another Nice, without cobbled alleys or orange Italian facades.

The congress of 1538

Parallel to the sea, the street is lined with fine private mansions with carved facades, where wealthy foreigners who came to spend the winter in the sun lived. The white marble cross symbolises the efforts of a pope during an important congress held in Nice to reconcile two sworn enemies, Charles V and Francis I.

What to see

The two sovereigns eventually made peace, for about ten years, and left in memory the rue du Congres and this fine white cross. Observe with respect this monument, a witness to an important diplomatic episode of European history, in the heart of the Nice of winter visitors.

Practical information

Rue de France and the Marble Cross are in the centre of Nice, near the seafront. Freely accessible, they can be discovered at any time.

What does the Marble Cross commemorate ?

The congress held in Nice to reconcile Charles V and Francis I, under the aegis of a pope.

Why is the street called rue de France ?

Because it led to the French border, before the attachment of Nice to France in 1860.