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Magical Gorbio
2010-06-24 13:59
If you want to visit a 'perched' village that has really retained its history, look no further than Gorbio, considered by many to be one of the most authentic villages on the Côte d'Azur. Situated only seven kilometres from Menton and about thirteen from Monaco, you'll soon find yourself imagining life as it once was in medieval times.
An elm tree, planted in 1713 and ranked as one of the hundred most remarkable trees of France, welcomes visitors to the main square. It's here in the square that you'll find the two village restaurants: Les Terrasses is a bar/restaurant which is open all year, and opposite is the Beausejour, with its charming decor and delicious food - open April to October. You'll also find the centennial fountain which was installed in 1902 and used for watering the mules and donkeys. It's designed in the shape of a saddle with the lateral bowls reminiscent of the big baskets seen on the mules' backs.
Walk through the ancient archway, walk up the narrow cobbled street and soon you'll come to the Church of Saint Barthelemy which dates back to 1683 when the village was very poor. The masons who built it came from Sospel and were never fully paid and so the facade was never finished. This is about to change, as this summer work will begin on the new facade chosen by the villagers.
As you explore the village you'll find two chapels, the old presbytery, the communal oven and the castle of the Counts of Malaussène. At the top of the village is Place Honoré Vial, named after a young resistance fighter who was shot by the Nazis.
The old Chateau of Lascaris, which was badly damaged in the earthquake of 1887, has recently been sympathetically restored and is now used as an art gallery. At the top you'll find a viewing platform giving sensational views over the countryside and the Mediterranean.
The Counts of Ventimiglia were the first Lords of Gorbio in the year 1002. Then in 1157, Gorbio was assigned to Genoa by Guido Gerra Ventimiglia. A century later, the feud passed to Beatrice, Countess of Provence. In 1388 it was taken up under the arms of the House of Savoy. With the War of Austrian Succession, the village didn't know where to turn in the tug-of-war between the Kingdom of Sardinia and France. In 1860, by referendum, the fate of Gorbio was decided by the villagers themselves. The Gorbarins, as the villagers are called, decided by a vote - 59 for and 26 against - that their attachment was to France.
Gorbio, unlike other medieval villages, is totally unspoiled by tourism. You'll find just one gift shop - an excellent one - a small village shop where you can buy milk, bread and so on; and below the village, you can buy olive oil products. Otherwise, there is little to detract as you wander the alleyways and hidden squares. It's very much a lived-in village too, with a young population that grows each year and with a dynamic Mayor who organises many fabulous cultural events including several feast days and the famous Flamenco week in August.
As you wander the streets, pay attention to the details, dates engraved on lintels, mullioned windows and then sit on one of the benches under the olive trees at the top of the village and feel how this place has retained its soul.
Jilly Bennett