©Pierre BEHAR
Trophee Auguste La Turbie Drone De Regard Vincent JacquesTrophee Auguste La Turbie Drone De Regard Vincent Jacques|
In the Roman's footsteps
The Trophy of Augustus
Symbol of imperial glory
The old border between Gaul and Italy lies at the top of Monaco. This is where you’ll find the 35m high Trophy of Augustus. It celebrates the Empire’s unity and power after Octavius, Caesar’s nephew and the future Emperor Augustus, finally defeated the 45 Alpine clans. It was built near a sanctuary devoted to Hercules Monoikos and brought the future emperor closer to the gods.
Via Julia Augusta:
a legendary road
Via Julia Augusta connected Rome to Gaul in Antiquity. The Romans wanted to build new roads and this one was inspired by the myth of Hercules wanting to link Spain to Sicily. Most of the 200,000km of Roman roads in 13BC wouldn’t be here without Emperor Augustus and his vision.
More than
just a road
The French and Italians have breathed new life into the world’s most famous transborder Roman road which is now protected like an ancient jewel which dazzles history buffs. It runs through the French Riviera Community via La Turbie, Beausoleil, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin and Menton. Via Julia Augusta is now one of the themed roads that introduces you to the history of our region.
Peutinger’s Tabula:
the world through the eyes of Rome
Peutinger’s Tabula is a 13th century copy of an ancient Roman map depicting the Roman Empire’s main roads and cities. The table isn’t to scale but it is symbolic as the cities and geographical features are portrayed in images. It presents the entire Roman world as well as the Near East, India and even China.
The table is made up of 11 parchments which measure a total of 6.82m long and 0.34m wide. It presents 200,000km of Roman roads including the famous Via Julia Augusta and La Turbie, called Alpis Summa. It depicts cities, seas, rivers, forests and mountain ranges. Major cities such as Rome, Constantinople and Antioch are highlighted by a decorated medallion.
Col de Tende:
an important passageway
Despite its altitude, the Southern Alps have always been a major passageway for people as it forms a natural border between the Italian Piedmont and Alpes-Maritimes region. Col de Tende lies on a direct path between the Po Valley and Mediterranean coast and has been one of the best-known transalpine routes in the region since the Middle Ages.
To reach the Roya Valley
- Roya Valley Access
Storm Alex hit our area hard on 2nd October in 2020. Please note that access to some Roya Valley towns and villages has been seriously affected.
To ensure you have a great time, whether at mid or high altitude, we strongly recommend contacting the Tende Tourist Information service prior to your visit: +33 4 83 93 98 82 or tende-tourisme@menton-riviera-merveilles.fr.
A mountain sanctuary
& an archaeological site
Ancient coins and pottery fragments were found in the rubble from roadworks at an altitude of 1871m on the mountain pass in 1994. This became the Col de Tende archaeological site. Hundreds of Roman coins as well as votive items (metallic pieces, embers etc.) were unearthed in the exact ridge crossing spot, revealing a unique mountain sanctuary in the Southern Alps.
These many relics are undisputed evidence of visitors here since Prehistory, primarily in the Iron Age and Antiquity, and the existence of religious rites and practices to worship gods for a millennium.
