La Brigue travel guide

Visit La Brigue (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France)

La Brigue is a village in a picturesque riverside setting just south of Tende and north of Menton in the Alpes-Maritimes department of France.

Originally part of Italy, La Brigue was annexed to France as part of the Treaty of Paris in 1947.

Exploring La Brigue

Although it seldom seems to appear as more than a footnote in travel guides the large village of La Brigue is very attractive with steep rocky hills rising either side, has several important monuments, and a visit is recommended when you are in the region.

Start on the bridge across the river in the center of la Brigue, with nice views along the houses and river valley. At one end of the bridge a small square contains a statue, a chapel and a church.

The most important of these is the 14th century Church of Saint-Michel, in roman style with a baroque facade and much larger than you might expect in such a small village, containing various frescoes and paintings of interest.

Beyond this square the old town of La Brigue contains some picturesque houses and a square next to the river with arcaded buildings, while above the village you can see the ruins of the 15th century Chateau Lascaris.

Sanctuary of Notre-Dame des Fontaines

Follow the road to the east of La Brigue and after a few kilometres you reach a small unassuming chapel in the woods called the Notre-Dame des Fontaines.

The peaceful setting and simple design of the chapel gives little clue to the interior, which contains a very impressive series of frescoes painted in the 15th century by an artist called Canavesio.

These frescoes are the major attraction for the village and the chapel is sometimes referred to as the 'Sistine Chapel of the Alps'.

Attractions nearby

While it is possible to drive from La Brigue to Notre-Dame des Fontaines a better way to appreciate the location and countryside is to follow the path between the two.

Following the river upstream, you will also see various oratories and a medieval bridge en route. This route is called the Chemin des Oratories and the return walk takes about two hours.

Other highlights along the Roya valley include Tende, Saorge and Sospel - Tende also provides access to the numerous ancient engravings in the Valley des Merveilles.

You can find more travel ideas in the Alpes-Maritimes guide and the Provence guide.