Do not miss the very successful exhibition of the Saint François church in the old town of Nice as part of "My summer in Nice" until July 31, 2020.
"Without a past no future"
History may seem like a dusty discipline to some. This beautiful exhibition proves the opposite by making us discover this emblematic place of Nice. Located just in front of the green flow also called "promenade des arts", at the foot of the Saint François tower, a few meters from the small fish market, this place in old Nice is perfect for strolling. We regularly stop for coffee in this slightly less touristy and flashy area than the Saleya market. Large panels overlooking the street allow you to take advantage of a first burst of explanations.
Saint François church witness to the rich and eventful history of Nice
The Saint François heritage complex (church, convent, etc.) was built and modified many times. The place even housed a hotel, a cinema, a tannery, a cooler, a warehouse for cleaning services and even, among other things, a dancing nightclub in the 1980s and 90s.
History and construction of Nice: "Saint François, time regained"
Nice, probably because or thanks to its geographical position, between sea and mountains, between France and Italy today, has a rich history. This exhibition, with the pleasant pretext of presenting the places to us, gives visitors many explanations, keys, time milestones, to better understand the history of the city. You will understand better by visiting the exhibition the importance of the year 1388, the date of Nice's dedication to the county of Savoie, the first French affiliation from 1792 until 1814, or the definitive attachment to France in 1860, to name just these episodes. If you are interested in the subject of the history of Nice, we recommend reading "Nice and the county: A multimillennial history" by Jean Loup Fontana, published by Mémoires millénaires. We were able to attend the fascinating presentation of the book by its author at the Nucera library, a few steps from Saint Francis Square.
A very successful scenography and graphic presentation
Particularly well-made panels offer visitors texts, photos, graphics but also video sequences with, for example, synthetic images of Nice urban developments. Numerous graphic elements also explain to visitors the construction, architecture and town planning of the city, first around the castle hill and then on either side of the Lympia basin and the Paillon. The exhibition "Saint François, le temps retrouvé" is the work of the service of historical, archaeological heritage and archives of the city of Nice and we hope that it can either be extended or outsourced for the greatest pleasure. Nice and passing visitors.
Few photos
Images made with a small sport camera ...