Sospel

Sospel is located in the Bévéra Valley, about 20 km from Airole, and is a vibrant French town with around 4,000 inhabitants. Its landmark is the Pont Vieux, a medieval toll bridge from the 13th century with a fortified tower – one of the last of its kind in Europe. The bridge was once an important station on the salt route between Nice and Turin.

The old town stretches on both sides of the Bévéra with winding alleys, Gothic houses, and painted facades in trompe-l'œil technique. On the Place Saint-Michel stands the baroque Cathedral Saint-Michel (1641-1762) with its Romanesque bell tower from the 13th century. The church is among the largest in the Alpes-Maritimes.

Sospel is not a sleepy museum village, but an active place with shops, restaurants, and a lively Thursday market on the Place des Platanes.

Sospel was an important trading post and episcopal see in the Middle Ages. During the Great Western Schism (1378-1417), the town supported the Pope of Avignon, temporarily elevating the church to cathedral status. The "Academy of Literary Occupations" was founded in 1702 and attracted historians and poets.

During World War II, the bridge was destroyed by German troops in 1944 and rebuilt exactly as it was in 1952.