Come and enjoy the peace and quiet of La Colle-sur-Loup and sample the beauty of nature and of Provence. The village is officially recognised as a climatic, tourist resort, sheltered as it is from cold, northerly and easterly winds by the foothills of the Alps. The area of LA COLLE-SUR-LOUP, known as the "Bourg-de-La-Colle", used to be part of Saint-Paul-du-Var, nowadays known as Saint-Paul-de-Vence. In about 1535, under the reign of François I, the fortifications around Saint-Paul were modified and extended. This caused part of the population to move further out, settling on land belonging to the "Bourg de La Colle", where they founded hamlets bearing the names of their families (the Layets, the Rouberts, etc.). The present-day commune of La Colle-sur-Loup was created under the 1792 Convention. La Colle-sur-Loup is not one of those Provençal villages isolated on a promontory; it is a typical reminder of the rich Provence of yore, when agriculture and trade went hand in hand. The opulent village of La Colle led the region in terms of the number of merchants and craftsmen that lived there. With its very mild and very sunny climate, the village specialised in growing olive trees, orange trees and roses for perfume. The voluminous rose production won La Colle the title of "Capital of the Perfume Rose". The fruit of the land no longer represents the area's economic mainstay: tourism gradually and quite naturally took over from agriculture. Given its exceptional geographic location, sandwiched between the Mediterranean coastline and the foothills of the Alps, and situated at the crossroads of the Cote d'Azur's renowned tourist centers, the town very quickly gained an international reputation for the quality of the welcome it extends to visitors. Already home to several illustrious restaurants, La Colle soon witnessed the arrival of several styles of quality accommodation: distinguished hotels, a holiday village (VVF) and some campsites. Another of La Colle-sur-Loup's trump cards is its great topographical diversity: pine and oak forests, fields of century-old olive trees, the abrupt rock faces of the Gorges du Loup (with the Barres canyon) and magnificent woodlands. Such a variety of different landscapes delights walkers and practitioners of all artistic disciplines. The River Loup, of course, constitutes one of the commune's star attractions; its green and leafy banks offer a veritable haven of cool shade. Now you know some of the reasons why La Colle-sur-Loup is such a very special Provençal village.
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