The Observatoire de Nice was built in 1881 in Nice, on the summit of Mont Gros, east of the city, at 370 m altitude, in the heart of a wooded area of over 30 hectares.
This monument is both a masterpiece of architecture and a leading scientific site. Most of its design is due to Charles Garnier, who is also the Paris Opera, and the building includes a mobile dome, the largest in Europe, designed by Gustave Eiffel. Note that the white stones of the main building come from the neighboring village of La Turbie and that the facades are decorated with ionic columns that evoke Egypt, as evidenced by the pyramidal base of the building.
The important astronomical glasses sheltered in the observatory made it possible to discover hundreds of planets.
Now part of the Center for Research in Geodynamics and Astrometry to form the Observatory of the Côte d'Azur, the building has been partially classified as a Historic Monument.
The Nice Observatory is still a reputed research site.
The two-hour guided tour includes a 2-kilometer outdoor course through the surrounding woodlands on Gros Mont. It reconciles the discovery of the outstanding architecture of the observatory, its history, the work and projects of researchers and exceptional panoramas on the Bay of Angels. Visit all year round on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 14:45, as well as on Friday during school holidays in zone B. Price: 3 and 6 euros. Mandatory reservation. Information on +33 4 92 00 30 11.