Visitor’s Guide

Vallauris Golfe-Juan

In the heartof Côte d’Azur

Golfe-Juan has to offer. This guideprovides you with all you need toknow for a break by the sea: whetheryou fancy relaxing on a beach, orneed ideas for boat trips and sportingactivities, or information on scubadiving and water skiing.

Golfe-Juan, a historical shorelineBook now for the re-enactment ofNapoleon’s landing at the beginningof March.

Visits and heritage, activities. Ideas for making the mostof your visit: sporting activities, historical heritage, routes to follow inthe surrounding area of Vallauris Golfe-Juan.

Map of the area

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Historical references

Vallauris Golfe-Juan: easy access. Motorway access 3 km; Nice airport 25 km; the prestigious“Paris-Lyon-Méditerranée” rail link.Golfe-Juan is also the starting point forthe legendary route: the ‘RouteNapoleon’.

Vallauris, town of claytradition and techniquesEverything you need to know aboutpottery: where to see the potters atwork, what heritage and contemporaryworks exhibitions are being held, whoto speak to about the differentmethods of production. Four pagesfull of useful information.

Artists of internationalrenown. The technical know-how inVallauris has attracted a great manyartists that have come to learn moreabout the art of pottery making. Twosuch artists firmly placed the name ofVallauris on the map: Picasso and,more recently, Jean Marais.Find out more about them and theirwork in Vallauris. Also discover: thelargest public collection of works bythe artist Alberto Magnelli, one of thepioneers of the Abstract movement.

Water-based activities and boating. Sand, exceptionalunder-water life, and two boatingports: this is a brief summary of what

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Index

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Historical referencesThe history of Vallauris is lost in the mists of timewhere its fate was linked to its Ligurian neighbour,Antipolis (Antibes): at 247 metres in altitude, on thepresent site of the Encourdoules, a Roman hill fortwas found.

19 AD A milestone dating from the time of theEmperor Tiberius is discovered on the JulianAugustus way. The Romans occupy the hill until theend of their reign.Around 400 The inhabitants “descend” into thepresent site of the village, which lies in a depression.987 Vallauris is awarded to the episcopate ofAntibes.1038 The Bishop and Lord of Antibes, Aldebert,donated Vallauris to the Abbey of Lérins.1227 A priory and chapel are built on the presentsite of the castle.1480 The whole region is ravaged by the plagueand the population decimated.1501 First settlements occur: Lord Raynier ofLascaris encourages families from the surroundingarea of Gênes to settle and repopulate the village.1568 On the base of the priory a castle is built inthe Renaissance style.1815 Napoleon lands at Golfe-Juan on 1 March onhis return from Elba; this event marks the beginningof the One Hundred Day campaign.1862 The first train arrives in the station at Golfe-Juan.From 1870 to 1910 Pottery-making reaches itsheight, as the smaller workshops become industries.1889 Clément Massier shows his lusterware ceramic work at the universal exhibition in Paris.1896 A port is built.1904 A cooperative of orange producers known asthe Nérolium is formed1932 The ‘Route Napoleon’ opens in Golfe-Juan1948 Picasso comes to live in Vallauris1949 Picasso is made a freeman of the town anddonates ‘Man with a Sheep’ to the town.1949 The marriage of Rita Hayworth and Ali Khanmakes headline news in all the papers.1956 Picasso donates War and Peace to the FrenchState: Vallauris is given a national museum.1975 Jean Marais opens an art gallery.1978 The town acquires works by Magnelli andopens a public gallery1989 Construction of the port Camille Rayon; newbeaches are created.1996 and 1998 André Villers and Jean Marais aremade freemen of the town.Today Vallauris continues to give birth to new talents thus perpetuating the artistic tradition.

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Vallauris Golfe-Juan: easy to accessBy carMotorways A6 and A7Paris-Marseille (known

as the “sunshine motorway”, or Autoroutedu soleil), and the A8 (La Provençale);Antibes exit, then take the RD135 toVallauris. The RD 6007 and RD 6098 crossGolfe-Juan from east to west.Note: the famous ‘Route Napoleon’ startsfrom Golfe-Juan and takes you as far asGrenoble (RN85) along the Emperor’sroute through the Alps, passing throughGrasse, Castellane, Sisteron, and manymore places on the way.

By trainFrom the SNCF station at Golfe-Juanyou can access theRegional Express

Trains, known as the TER (Mandelieu-Grasse -Cannes-Nice-Vintimille; ligne n°4),trains run every 30 minutes on average. For national rail routes and high-speedtrain links (TGV) – with many daily servicesfrom major French and European cities thenearest stations are Cannes and Antibes.Information (timetable and ticket sales;direct line and pre-recorded message): Tel. 3635 (0,34 € /mn) or www.voyages-sncf.com

To make things easier, the ‘Carte Isabelle’ isa one-day travel pass available from 1 Juneto 30 September for use on the Alpes-Maritimes network. The Pignes train (aProvence Railways service between Niceand Digne) takes you on a wonderful journey up into the hinterlands.

By busSeveral lines regularlyserve Vallauris Golfe-Juan.• Regional route

Cannes-Nice served by Lignes d’Azur”regional Nice-Cannes line, free phone0800 06 01 06 or visitwww.lignesdazur.com, stops in Golfe-Juanevery 15 minutes. 1€ per ticket withconnexion possible up to 74 minutes afterfirst use (return trips are not allowed onthe same ticket). Connexion at Nice for

Menton and the valleys and at Cannes forGrasse and Saint-Raphaël.• Urban network by Envibus. Bus station,

bd du Docteur Jacques Ugo, 04 93 64 18 37or www.envibus.fr. Six lines pass throughthe town for Cannes, Antibes and Sophia-Antipolis. Note : in July/August, there is a beachshuttle from 8h30 to 19h00 (1€).

By planeVallauris Golfe-Juan islocated 25km fromthe Nice – Côted’Azur International

Airport, gateway to the south of Europeand point of departure to more than 70destinations worldwide, served by 50 regu-lar companies. There is also an excellentshuttle service between Paris and Nice.Information: 0 820 42 33 33 or www.nice.aeroport.fr

Regular connexions by “Lignes d’Azur” busfrom the airport. Information : free phone0800 06 01 06 or www.lignesdazur.com• Vallauris/Nice Airport line, bus no 250,every 35 minutes, trip lasts about 1 hour,with stop at Golfe-Juan. Single 8 € return 15 €.

• Express link via motorway, bus no 210,every hour from 8h00 to 20h00, trip lasts50 minutes, stops at Cannes bus stationwith connexion for Golfe-Juan until 20h00.Single 15,60 €, return 25,50 €.

To help you locate the various places andbuildings mentioned in this guide, references to Vallauris are preceded by abrown symbol to indicate the map reference, for example and references to Golfe-Juan are in blue,for example

All addresses mentioned in this guide are followed by the postcode 06220 Vallauris Golfe-Juan.

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Identity cardName: Vallauris Golfe-JuanEtymological origin: complex and much debated; we favour the more endearing definition, Vallis Aurea or Golden Valley, which stemmed from the fact that since Ancienttimes this valley has been covered with golden fruit.

Surface area: 1 303 acres; 3km of seafront and the town itself stretches back 6 kminland.Altitude: from 0 (Mediterranean sea) to 281 m (Héliomarin centre).

Climate: exceptional; more than 300 days of sunshine per year; average temperatures of 11°C in winter and 25°C in summer.

Population: 30 809 inhabitants (in 2009)

Feature: world ceramic capital and historical site of Napoleon’s landing on his returnfrom Elba.

Vallauris, town of clayThe pottery-making traditions of Vallauris date back to the start of the Christian era. In Gallo-Roman times, large deposits of fireclay were already being used to make bricksand pots. In the 16th century, the town was ravaged by the plague. However, 70 families from thesurrounding area of Gênes later repopulated it, among which were several potters.At the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, the arrival of the railwayled to a boom in the industry.The depression of the 1930s and the use of other, more appropriate materials such as aluminium, cast iron and stainless steel marked a shift away from pottery-making forcooking purposes and led to the development of decorative pottery-making in the 1940s.This developed in particular due to the arrival of the Massier family (end of the 19th, beginning of the 20th century), with the introduction of coloured enamels and lusterware.It was with Picasso’s arrival in 1946 and the wonderful work that he created in theMadoura workshop that Vallauris’ reputation as a centre of pottery-making for cooking pur-poses, finally gave way to that of a town in which artists and crafts people worked side byside. In 1966, Vallauris potters decided to create a true World Centre of Ceramics. They pro-posed the creation of a national competition bringing together the best artists and crafts-men in France. This idea rapidly caught-on with famous contemporary artists such asAndré Malraux and Pablo Picasso, as well as other creative artists, so well in fact, that in1968 the Competition became international. Thus the Vallauris International Biennial ofCeramic was born. These days, as in the past, you will find on show in Vallauris examplesof decorative pottery, one-off pieces and work by such great names as well as pottery forcooking purposes and a large variety of decorative objects.

Pottery-making life in Vallauris is punctuated by permanent and temporaryexhibitions, which show to what extent this activity is valued both in terms of heritage and contemporary creative trends.

POTTERY WORKSHOPS VISITSPotters like to share their know-how by openingtheir workshops to visitors and talking about themethods of production used. Each day a differentcompany offers such a visit and visits can be arranged on request at the Tourist Office.

THE KITSCH CERAMICS MUSEUMThis museum in the old town of Vallauris shows GilCamatte’s collection who for 40 years passionatelyassembled thousands of various items sold to visitors toVallauris Golfe-Juan from the 60’s to the 80’s.

They are happy memories of a time when cicadas, “bambis”, poodles, domestic or exoticanimals constituted a colourful universe that was to be the source of inspiration for generations of anonymous ceramicists who dared everything. You will be delighted to discover or rediscover these ceramics of modest popular art testifying to the history of pottery of Vallauris. 18, rue de la Fontaine - Tél. 04 93 64 71 83

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GlossaryCeramics: a general term used to describe objects made from clay that are irreversibly transformed by heat: faience,stoneware, porcelain, etc.Pottery: objects in fired earth, often usedfor cooking purposes, which may be totallyor partially glazed.“Taraïette”: small earthenware objectmade by ancient civilisations that were nolonger able to throw large pieces (toys,miniature pots).Biscuit: a ceramic object that has notbeen glazed, the name given to the objectafter it has been fired for the first time.

You will no doubt hear the pottersrefer to many other technical terms(enamel, raku, reduction, slip, chamotte, tournassage…). They willbe happy to explain what they allmean, so do not hesitate to ask.

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Courses on clay techniquesArts of earth and fire,Inside the old Grandjean pottery, the localSchool of Fine Arts holds pottery coursesduring the summer months (clay modelling, potter’s wheel techniques),which cover the techniques of throwing,decoration and raku (a Japanese firingtechnique), over 30 hours of classes heldin one week from Monday to Friday.

A timetable of the courses on offer forboth children and adults is available fromthe School of Fine Arts, Boulevard desDeux Vallons – Tel. 04 93 63 07 61

Don’t miss…pottery festival: every year, on the second Sunday in August.

• Old kilns can still be seen– inside the Espace Grandjean, and a reconstructed kiln can be seen rue Jean Gerbino– at the Foucard-Jourdan factory (now the Sassi-Milici gallery) where the kiln is complete

with chimney stack, ventilation holes and drying ledges– at the pottery museum– the Madoura chimneys– at the Milazzo factory (today the shop called Terres à Terre).– The dove of peace that was made by the craftspeople of the Union of Potters on the

occasion of the 50th anniversary of the arrival of Picasso in Vallauris can be seen on the “Pont-Neuf” roundabout on the road between Golfe-Juan and Vallauris.

As you stroll along…• Don’t forget to look up, as the majority of thetown centre’s street names are made of ceramicplaques; you can also see decorations by Massier on the front of the old post office at 1, rue HippolyteAussel and more recently a work by Roger Capron on the front of the MacDonald’s Restaurant.

Art galleries, workshops and crafts As a creative town, VallaurisGolfe-Juan is home to a large number ofartists’ workshops and galleries with a widevariety of works on display. To find out more about each artist’sparticular creative focus, a leaflet is available on demand at the TouristOffice.

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With its large number of modern art museums, the region offers plentyof opportunity to discover two contemporary artists, Magnelli andPicasso, who both made outstanding contributions to the modernmovement.

Artists of international renown

PicassoThough Picasso departed this world in1973, his mark is forever engraved in theemotional and cultural memory of the Côted’Azur where visits to Vallauris Golfe-Juan,Antibes and Mougins are amust if you want to learn moreabout his work.

• In 1948, Picasso came to livein Vallauris where he stayeduntil 1955. During his timehere, he created a greatmany sculptures and paintings including Warand Peace, which was oneof the major artworks of theperiod. He also developed afascination with the two tech-niques of ceramics and linocuts.

• It was in 1946, on a visit to the annualexhibition by the potters of Vallauris, thatby chance he met Suzanne and GeorgesRamié, who owned a ceramics factory –the Madoura workshop – where Picasso,

who was keen to try something new, madehis first foray into ceramics and then decided to throw himself into the activity,which offered him new creative horizons:the malleability of the clay and the magicof the firing process which created

exploding columns of enamel and thebrilliance of the glazes were what drewhim to the craft.

• His approach was somewhatunorthodox. Picasso, as a sculptor, fashioned fauna andnymphs in the glaze, melted theclay like one melts bronze, and

tirelessly decorated plates anddishes with his favourite subjects

(bullfights, women, owls, goats, etc). He also used the unlikeliest of bases

(fragments of casserole dishes, kiln bits and broken bricks), invented white paste,which is ceramic that has not been glazedand decorated with pieces in relief. Picasso never considered ceramics as a lesser art form.

Man with a sheepThis bronze statue,created in 1943 anddonated to the townin 1949 stands on the church square.The sculpture, ofwhich two othercopies were made(one in Philadelphiain the USA and theother in the PicassoMuseum in Paris), isone of the rare statues the artist created fora public place. Picasso wanted children tobe able to climb all over this work, a wishthat is fully realised today.

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• Over a period of twenty years he produced about four thousand originalpieces. According to his wishes, several copies were produced of some of hispieces and Madoura had the exclusiverights to their production. Having said this, Picasso wanted thesecopies to be used on a daily basis as heonce remarked to André Malraux: “I havemade some plates that we can eat off”.

• Another technique that particularlyfascinated him was the linocut, somethinghe practised with the printer HidalgoArnera. His first works were used to makeposters to advertise the bull fights andceramic exhibitions in the town. He quicklyturned it into a form of expression by placing emphasis on colour.

Picasso and Vallauris todayUnforgettable memoriesAs freeman of the town, Picasso greatlycontributed to the renaissance of theVallauris pottery industry in the 1950s, thismythical golden age and time wheneveryone was a potter. Many inhabitants still evoke his presenceand that of his contemporaries (FrançoiseGilot and her children Claude and Paloma,then Jacqueline Roque, his last partner thathe married amid the greatest secrecy atVallauris town hall in 1961), the bullfights,exhibitions and visits by all kinds of famouspeople.

Works of art and placesAt the National Picasso MuseumWar and PeaceIn 1952, in the castle’s chapel Picassoproduced two compositions of monumentalproportions (over 100 m2) on hardboardpanels that mirrored the curvature of thevaulting.After Guernica in 1937 and Slaughter inKorea in 1951, War and Peace was forPicasso the final manifestation of his commitment to peace, something that wasparticularly apparent during the congressesorganised by the Communist Party forwhich he designed the Dove, which wenton to be reproduced around the world.War which stands on an old tank, pulledalong by portentous horses, unleashes itstrail of evil before being stopped by Justicearmed with a shield decorated with a dove.Peace contains a tightrope walker as a symbol of the fragile nature of peace, aPegasus, a dancing group of young girlsand, under an orange tree, a family calmlyand happily enjoying themselves in thesunshine. One of the wings of the museumhouses various works by Picasso: linocuts,original ceramic pieces and copies,photographs of André Villers.

ANDRÉ VILLERS MET PICASSO IN 1953.Picasso gave him his first ‘proper’ camera:he later liked to say how it was thanks tohim he became interested in photography.Picasso did not pose for Villers, whichenhanced the intimacy of his pictures thatwere takenin an impromptu manner so asto capture the spontaneity of Picasso’sgestures and facial expressions. Villers didnot photograph the myth that is Picasso,but the man and the artist in his daily life.

Don’t miss…“Vallauris celebrates Picasso” an important event taking place each year in July

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Jean MaraisBorn on 11 December in Cherbourg, JeanAlfred Villain Marais, man of many talentscame to live in Vallauris in 1980.

A dauntless stuntman in cloak and dagger films, a man of the theatre, a painter and sculptor, his artistic leaningsled him to dabble in the art of pottery.

It was in 1973 that Jean Marais, whothen lived in Cabris (a village in the surrounding area of Grasse), came toVallauris and bought 200 kg of clay fromUnion-KPCL (a clay conditioning factory)much to the amazement of the merchantthat sold it to him.With the help of books alone, his beginnings were comical not to mentionunsuccessful and he was advised to take acourse in using the potter’s wheel. JoPasquali was introduced to him. Afterspending hours in front of and behind thepotter’s wheel, with the help of his technician, Jean Marais discovered newtechniques.

His courage and daring soon led him tohave his own workshop and in 1975 he opened a gallery in Vallauris with the helpof Jo and his wife Nini Pasquali , whobecame his closest friends. Next to his gallery stands the statue known as LaRebellissière1, which he donated to thetown in 1991.

A prestigious occupant and freeman ofthe town since 1998, he was a warm manwho brought his enthusiasm and talent toVallauris. Every year since 1986, heparticipated in the Pottery Festival notablycreating the posters for it.

Jean Marais died on 8 November 1998.His funeral took place in Vallauris on 13November and he lies in the old cemetery.

1 In the past, throwers of pots for cookingpurposes were helped in their work by slipapplicators that glazed the pieces and by the “rebellissières“ – women who made thefinishing touches before firing.

Espace Jean Marais

When Jo and Nini Pasquali ceased trading,they gave the City of Vallauris a mass ofmemories about Jean Marais. The Fournas Gallery is open to the publicand hosts the everlasting legend of theartist in Vallauris. It’s a real era of happiness, of a golden age in Vallauris andmeetings with marvellous artists such asJean Cocteau, Picasso…

Le FournasAv. des Martyrs de la RésistanceTél. 04 93 63 46 11Closed on Sunday and Monday Free admission

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Three museums in one!The castle of Vallauris, former priory of theAbbey of Lérins, which was reconstructedin the 16th century, is one of the rareRenaissance edifices to be found in theregion. It houses the National PicassoMuseum, War and Peace as well as theMagnelli Museum and the CeramicsMuseum.

Castle museumNational Picasso Museum, War and Peace,Magnelli Museum, Ceramics Museum

Place de la Libération Tél. 04 93 64 71 83Closed on Tuesdays and Bank Holidays.Free for children under 16 and on the firstSunday of the month.

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Musée National Picasso

A. Magnelli, Museum coll.

Magnelli MuseumThe museum houses an exceptionalcollection of 48 works by Alberto Magnelli(1888-1971) which was put together by theartist himself and acquired to a large extentthanks to the generosity of his wife, SusiMagnelli. Here you can look back over thelife of this Italian painter who was one ofthe pioneers in the world of abstract painting: from his more figurative picturesthat date from around 1910, to his first abstract paintings in 1915 and the largecanvasses he painted towards the end ofhis life.

Ceramics MuseumAs rich as they are varied, these collectionsdisplay art deco and art nouveau ceramicsfrom the beginning of the last century,pieces produced during the 1950s inVallauris and contemporary pieces by prize-winning artists of the InternationalBiennial of Ceramics.

The National Picasso Museum“War and Peace”In 1952, in the castle’s chapel Picassoproduced two compositions of monumen-tal proportions (over 100 m2) on hardboardpanels that mirrored the curvature of thevaulting.

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The bay of Golfe-Juan, nestled between the Cape of Antibes and the Îles de Lérins, is well protected from the winds: a wide range of water-based and seaside activities are on offer:from walking or lazing about on the sandybeaches, to boating and many other sportingactivities!

Water-based activities

Scuba DivingThirty diving sites are spread over fourareas: the Cape of Antibes, the Islands ofLérins, the bay of Golfe-Juan and the bayof Cannes.The diving areas cover a variety of terrain:overhangs, shallow waters, isolated rocks,rich in gorgonians and red coral. You mayeven come across conger eels, groupersand crawfish! From beginners to more experienceddivers, there is something for everyone,especially as the sites that are between 10and 45 minutes away by boat can beaccessed whatever the weather.

The two clubs in Golfe-Juan offer beginners dives, known as “first-timers”, exploratory dives and themed dives (nightdives, marine biology dives, etc). Courses are available and teaching is givenby fully qualified and safety-conscious instructors who are ever keen to pass ontheir love of diving and their in-depthknowledge of the underwater life in thisarea.

CIP Centre International de Plongée - AqualungOpen from March to NovemberOld port - quai St-PierreTél. 04 93 63 00 04/04 93 63 65 19www.plongee-cipgolfejuan.come-mail : cip.golfejuan@free.frBoat: “Le Jean-Marie-Marcelle”

Golfe-Plongée ClubOpen all yearOld port - quai NapoléonTél. 06 16 11 01 08 - Fax : 04 93 64 22 67www.golfe-plongee.come-mail : contact@golfe-plongee.comBoat: “Le Souvenez-vous”

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SandBeaches are cleaned on a daily basis: the sand is sifted, cleaned and regularlydisinfected. Any seaweed is cleared.Beach watchPublic beaches in Golfe-Juan are watchedduring the summer season by life guards.Their mission is to advise swimmers and toassure their safety as well as intervening atsea if necessary.NoteDogs are not allowed on the beach, evenon lead. Swimming is forbidden in the boatchannel as well as beyond the yellowbuoys.

BeachesClear, warm waterYou can swim in the sea all year round inGolfe-Juan as the water temperature variesbetween 13°C and 25ºC. The traditionalNew Year’s Day swim attracts a great manyparticipants.The town accords beach and watercleanliness the highest priority; beaches aremaintained regularly, there is also an efficient water treatment station close byand regular bacterial checks are carried out.

Golfe-Juan has two ports: the Old Port, which is a public port, managed by theChamber of Commerce and that deals with both the fishing industry and boatingfor pleasure, and the Port Camille Rayon, the most recent boating port of theCôte d’Azur which was developed in 1989.

Enjoy two very different atmospheres: from the traditional port, bustling with fishing activities, to the pleasures of the Port Camille Rayon and its magnificent yachts.On the promenades of the ports there are many shops and terraces to stop and enjoy.It is a real paradise for strollers and boating enthusiasts alike!

Port Camille RayonBlue pavillonTél. 04 93 63 30 30 www.portcamillerayon.net• Radio contact VHF channel 9 call sign

“Port Camille Rayon” permanently manned 24/24

• Port authority open 24/24 all year• Number of mooring stations: 841

Places available for refilling: 98 (with water and electricity supply: stations that are 20m x 7m are connected to the telephone and TVnetworks)

• Draught: between 5.50 to 2 m.• Maximum boat length: 75 metres• Naval yard with a lifting capacity of

200 T.• WIFI Zone

A filling station is located in Port CamilleRayon at the very end of quai Napoleon.Total Carburant : 04 93 63 69 77

Vieux PortTél. 04 93 63 96 25. Fax 04 93 63 66 41www.riviera-ports.com• Radio contact: VHF channel 12• Port authority open from 7.00 to 20.00 in

the summer and from 8.00 to 18.00 out of season

• Number of mooring stations: 856• Places available for refilling: 196

(with electricity and water supply)• Draught: between 2.5 and 1 m.• Maximum boat length: 34 m.• 2 fairing zones + 1 storage zone• 2 cranes for up to 15 T.

We recommend: a walk to the end of thejetties…In January and February, the timeof the mistral wind, exceptional views canbe enjoyed from here: hills dotted withmimosas and the snow-capped mountainsof the Mercantour that stand out againstthe sea blue sky. Here the ‘Alpes-Maritimes’certainly live up to their name.

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Boating Information

EXCURSIONS

Riviera Lines Tél. 04 93 63 97 37/04 92 98 71 31 All excursions leave from the quai Saint-Pierre in the Old Port, from April toOctober

• Discover Sainte Marguerite island.Regular trips, every day during the summer. • Trips to the Corniche d’or, Monaco andSt Tropez (book in advance) from June toSeptembre.

K6 Au Fil de l’eau664, route de Valbonne 06740 Chateauneuf Tél. 04 93 42 08 45/06 09 06 23 00www.aufildeleau.come-mail : info@aufildeleau.com

Experience the joys of sailing on boardskippered sailing boats that hold between 8 and 15 people: enjoy relaxing days, amorning’s fishing, a mini sunset cruise

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The stele: in the port of Golfe-Juan, thisstele is said to mark the very spot whereNapoleon landed and bears the simple inscription:“Napoleon landed here on 1 March 1815”.

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Memories of NapoleonNapoleon’s Column: erected from 1815 by the garrison of

Antibes, it has been moved, knocked over and defaced on severaloccasions. It was unveiled in its present position in 1932 on theoccasion of the opening of the Route Napoleon.

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Golfe-Juan, a historical shoreline1 march 1815On 1 March 1815, Golfe-Juan entered the history books. It was here where Napoleon landed on his return from Elba and, after a short rest in this “land of the brave”, by thelight of a lantern he declared; “Victory will march at “the pas de charge”, the eagle fly, inthe national colours from steeple to steeple until it alights on the towers of Notre-Dame”.This was a proclamation which, throughout the One Hundred Day campaign, was to inspire fear in the monarchs of Europe and inspire the famous route he took which laterbecame known as the ‘route Napoleon’ in 1932, the first ever French tourist route of a historical nature.

Napoleon in Golfe-JuanIn March a huge re-enactment of thelanding takes place with old rigging,actors, Napoleonic troops, weaponsand campaign equipment.For a few days during this highly original spectacle, the town and all ofits activities take on an imperial flavour.There are conferences, exhibitions,soldiers bivouac on the beach, windows are decorated and shop staffdress up in costume, many eventssuch as the history game and a temporary post office. A page in our history is re-enactedfor all to enjoy!

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Visits and heritageWalks around the old townThe Old Town was built “in sections” according to some very detailed town planning by the Abbey of Lérins, at the time ofthe settlement act in 1501. The fortifications donot comprise ramparts in the strictest sense ofthe word. They are houses that have been ali-gned one against the other with their blindwall facing outwards, forming the defence. To complete the defence, at each angle of thequadrilateral thus constructed, was a tower. One of the singular features of Vallauris is thattwo of its streets, the most northerly street ‘la rue Soubrane’ (the ‘rue Haute’ today) andthe southern street ‘la rue Soutrane’ (‘rue Clement Bel’ today) were linked by two opposing doors in a straight line. These exits, along with the majority of the towers weregradually destroyed as the town expanded beyond its walls, to make it easier to passthrough, and a square was formed at each of the outer corners of the town. The site of thechurch is also characteristic of the plan of Lérins.

The Parish Church of Sainte-Anne de Vallauris. This church houses two altars which were dedicated to Saint Anne and Saint Martin anddates from 1839. It was built on the site of two other adjoining churches, Saint-Marie andSaint Martin, which became too small and the chapel of Saint-Bernardin, which belongedto the Confraternity of White Penitents until the Revolution. Its baroque-style front wasrenovated in 1882.The Square shaped bell-tower dates from 1839.

Castle chapel. This chapel probably dates from the beginning of the 13th century.Built in the Romanesque style, it has broken barrel vaulting made from a remarkable arrangement of cut stones. The faithful entered by the outside door in the form of a pointedarch, which today links the chapel with the most modern building, where Picasso’s Warand Peace is on display. The latter building probably dates from the time when the churchwas deconsecrated and turned into an oil mill, where animals were used to turn the millwheels.

Chapel of Mercy. This is the old chapel of the Black Penitents the date of whichappears on the front: 1664 (the penitents were lay people that came together in a common goal of piety and Christian charity). A magnificent baroque altar dating from 1724can be seen inside. Today, the renovated chapel houses exhibitions.

Chapel of Notre-Dame-Des-Grâces. It appears that this chapel, of quiteconsiderable size, once belonged to a confraternity. Its construction dates back to thebeginning of the 17th century and it houses a magnificent altarpiece that dates from 1694.A more recent porch is said to have been added in the 19th century. A religious service isperformed there every Sunday.

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Churches and chapels circuit

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Agricultural activitiesThe hills of Vallauris Golfe-Juan still house39 farms that specialise in flower cultiva-tion (in particular roses, mimosas and strelitzias), market gardening and citrusfruit production. Traditional farming activities of growing perfumed plants haveled to their transformation into productsfor the perfume industry. Today, the majo-rity of these holdings are wholesalers.Visits to see how perfume is traditionallymade can be arranged..

Three annual events are held in celebration of local produce:• Orange Blossom feast in May• On the first Sunday in August the “Fêtedes paysans“ (country-folk festival), knownas “la Saint-Sauveur“ is held with processions of highly decorated farm trucks.• In November there is the “town farm“ festival.

A speciality that is unique infrance : the bitter orange treeThe blossom of the bitter orange tree perfumes the hillsides in May and thecolourful fruit stands out against the bluesky in winter. We do not recommend thatyou taste them however as they are certainly not sweet!Producers, who came together to form the‘Nérolium’ agricultural cooperative, growthe tree which yields fruit several times ayear and forms the basis of a variety ofproducts• The fruit of the tree is distilled in the

cooperative stills in Golfe-Juan, which produces the essential oil known as‘Néroli’ (used in many of the big-nameperfumes) and orange blossom water,which is used in the baking industry. 1000kg of flowers are needed to make 1 kg ofNéroli.• The oranges themselves are turned intomarmalade using traditional methods ofproduction.

Nérolium agricultural cooperative

12, avenue Georges ClemenceauTél. 04 93 64 27 54Closed Sundays and Bank Holidays

140, avenue de la LibertéTél. 04 93 63 74 29Closed Sundays and Bank Holidays

Sale and tasting of bitter orange jam atthe Nérolium boutique in Golfe-Juan.

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Parish Church of Saint-Pierre of Golfe-Juan. This church was built in the19th century thanks to the generosity of a donor that owned a considerable amount ofland on the RN 7. We now come to the more modest buildings in our description, but buildings which are, nonetheless, of as much historical interest as the others and still bearwitness to the life of our ancestors.

Chapel of Saint-Bernard. This used to belong to the Confraternity of the Armsof Purgatory and probably dates from the 16th century. It is said that this chapel used toprotect the town from epidemics, in particular the plague.

Chapel of Saint-Roch. Dedicated to Saint Roch, patron of pavers and surgeons. Though the exact date of its construction is unknown, on entering the buildingyou can see an iron Cavalry crowning a stone base above the porch, which bears the date1851.

Chapel of Saint-Antoine. This chapel is said to date from the 16th century andis dedicated to the hermit Saint-Antoine to protect the town. An oratory dating from 1850adjoins the chapel.

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A wide range of ideas to help you make the mostof your visit to Vallauris Golfe-Juan

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MarketsCome and discover the array of coloursand smells of Provence in the marketswhich sell local flowers and produce.

Fruit and vegetable market everymorning except Mondays, Place PaulIsnard

Clothe market Wednesday morningand Sunday morning, avenue de Cannes

Fruit/vegetable and clothe marketevery Friday morning, place Aimé Berger.

Local fish stall in the mornings(depending on the arrival of the fishermen), in the old port.

Craft market every evening from19.00 to midnight in July/August. Artistsand craftsmen, seaside promenade.

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Cooking using Vallauris potteryIn Vallauris you can purchase “oven-fired”(and therefore oven-proof) earthenware in traditional shapes and sizes: casseroledishes, large saucepans, gratin dishes.

Sporting activities

Tennis municipal des CourcettesAv. des Courcettes - Tél. 04 93 63 41 234 green set courts.

Tennis municipal des TuilièresChemin des Tuilières, Porte 7Tél. 04 93 64 28 454 courts in classic clay et 4 clay courts.

Tennis Country Parc308, chemin Lintier - Tél. 04 93 64 53 916 clay courts, including three floodlit courts.Court hire per hour, with a sliding scale.Individual tuition and courses are available.

Municipal swimming poolComplexe sportif des TuilièresChemin des Tuilières, Porte 7Tél. 04 93 64 63 38 - Closed on Sunday

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Entertainment“Le Minotaure” hall. Espace Loisirs FrancisHuger, bd Jacques Ugo. Tel 04 97 21 61 05

Cinema every Wednesday 18h30/20h30.Seats 700. National release or recent films.

Théâtre de la Mer “Jean Marais”, portCamille Rayon. Tel 04 93 63 73 12. In July/August : rich and varied artistic program, Jean Marais Festival in July.Complete list of events, information andtickets for most shows from the receptionat the Tourist Office.

Note : several restaurants offer themedentertainments : jazz evenings, piano bar,karaoké...

Petanque centre1193, chemin Saint-BernardTél. 04 93 64 11 36 - Fax. 04 93 64 38 41www.petanque.com Annual closure: November

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A unique exhibition covering some300m2 looks back over the historyand manufacture of this round bowl.

WalksWith a variety of routes to choose from,you can enjoy short trips out in the surrounding area: the Cape of Antibes pathway, the Valmasque and Vaugrenierparks, the Biot pathways, the Mouginspond, the “Pointe de l’Aiguille” at Théoule.

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Cannes which is internationally known forits film festival in May, la Croisette and itspalaces some of which date from the beginning of the last century; the marketat Forville which is very picturesque and leSuquet with its steep streets.

The Islands of Lérins offer the calm andunspoilt beauty of nature.Sainte-Marguerite Island (3 km long,900 m wide): lovely walks through theforest of sea pines and eucalyptus trees; italso contains the Royal Fort where the ‘manin the iron mask’ was imprisoned.Île Saint-Honorat Island (1.5 km longand 400 m wide) the saint founded a

monastery towards the end of the 4th century which was to feature among themost illustrious in all of Christendom; theabbey, which houses a Cistercian community,opens up to the public so people can visitthe ruins of the monastery that was fortifiedin the 11th century, as well as the churchbuilt between 1800 and 1930, several chapels and monastic craft work departuresfrom Cannes.

Antibes: old Antibes, perched on its ramparts, is dominated by the cathedraland the Grimaldi château, the Cape ofAntibes and its dream villas. The sailor’schapel of La Garoupe has a collection of

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There’s much more to discover in the surrounding area ofVallauris Golfe-Juan:

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votive offerings and commands superbviews over the whole of the Côte d’Azur.Marineland offers wonderful killer whaleand dolphin shows.

Follow the Picasso route on the Côted’Azur and stop along the way to visit thePicasso Museum in Antibes (25 monumentalcanvasses, drawings, sketches and ceramicpieces created in Vallauris) and the Museumof Photography in Mougins that houses anexhibition of portraits of the artist by thebest names in the world of photography(Doisneau, Duncan, Villers, Lartigues,Quinn)

Route Napoleon: this is a symbolic routefrom Golfe-Juan to Grenoble that takes insome exceptional places along the way suchas Le Cannet, Mougins, Mouans-Sartoux,Grasse, Saint-Cézaire, Saint Vallier-de-Thiey(from where you can follow some of thereal road taken by Napoleon), Escragnolles,Seranon and Saint-Auban, just to mentionthose places in the Alpes-Maritimes region.

The contemporary art circuit with theMatisse museum and the National MuseumBiblical Message Marc Chagall in Nice, theNational Museum of Fernand Léger in Biot,the Maeght Foundation in Saint-Paul deVence, etc.

Panoramic views

The craggy backdrop to Vallauris Golfe-Juan commands somemagnificent views.

Esplanade of the Chapel of Notre-dame-des-Graces: views over the bay of Golfe-Juanand the Cape of Antibes..

Mauruches PathwayTake care here, as this path is very narrow.

Collines PathwaySuperb panoramic views over Cannes and the Estérel massif.

Cannet pathway and Héliomarin centre: views overthe heights of Cannes, Le Cannet, Mougins, etc.

St-Antoine pass: you can even go through the passbetween Vallauris and Cannes! Commanding views over thetwo towns.

H4, J2 to J4, K2 to K3Wonderful views from the roads of the Super-Cannes district.H2

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By CarMotorway A8, Antibes exit, then take the RD 435 to Vallauris.Note: the famous ‘Route Napoléon’, starts from Golfe-Juan andtakes you as far as Grenoble.

By trainGolfe-Juan train station. Tél. 36 35

By planeNice Côte d’Azur International Aéroport. Tél. 0 820 423 333

By busRegional route from Nice to Cannes serve by the‘Lignes d’Azur’, stops at Golfe-Juan. Tél. 0 800 06 01 06

Maison du Tourisme ��� de Vallauris Golfe-JuanBP 155 - 06227 Vallauris Cedexwww.vallauris-golfe-juan.fre-mail : contact.tourisme@vallauris.fr

Square du 8 mai 1945 - Vallauris - Tél. 04 93 63 82 581, rue Ambrosio - Vallauris - Tél. 04 93 64 97 73Parking du Vieux Port - Golfe-Juan - Tél. 04 93 63 73 12

Come to Vallauris Golfe-Juan

Crédit photos Maison du Tourisme Vallauris Golfe-Juan, Lubrano, Sordello, GiordanoEdité par la Maison du Tourisme (LB) - 2011/2012