Located on the historic Napoleon road, the commune of Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey is located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the Alpes-Maritimes department. It takes place about ten kilometers from Grasse and thirty kilometers from Cannes, between the Alps and the sea, more than 700 meters above sea level.
This summer climate resort, former seigniory until the Revolution, was put into fashion in the nineteenth century by the rich families of Grasse. It takes its name from Saint Vallier, former bishop of Antibes martyred in the 4th century, and from the mountain that dominates it, the Thiey.
Today, Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey has retained its tourist vocation, unveiling a natural and architectural heritage of great interest and which lasts for centuries. Rich in history and traditions, this old medieval city will not fail to seduce you with its warmth and its authenticity.
By visiting the old city of Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey, you can discover many monuments and other tourist sites rich in interest. Thus, the Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption church will seduce you with its 13th century nave, as well as its 18th century bell tower and 19th century bell tower. Formerly fortified and greatly enlarged in the 17th century, it has a beautiful carved wooden altarpiece inside and 17th century paintings. There are also charming chapels in the town, including that of the Holy Spirit from the 17th century and that of Sainte-Luce from the first half of the 16th century. The latter still houses today a well of miraculous reputation against stomach aches.
Listed as a Historic Monument, the Castellaras de la Malle camp consists of a dry stone enclosure built in the Iron Age. It is the most spectacular and the most important in the department, and takes place at an altitude of 1,200 meters. We can also see dolmens, tumuli, oppidums and pseudos-megaliths.
Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey hosts a large network of caves developed for tourism, like the Baume Obscure cave. It offers nine rooms to visit for a course of 500 meters going up to 50 meters deep. Do not miss the Audides cave and its route with reconstruction of life-size scenes. Around the town, it is also possible to see bories and dry stone huts, formerly for agricultural use.
Do not miss a visit to the bastide of Arbouin, listed as a Historic Monument. The building has, among other things, a lake, an old icehouse, terraced vegetable gardens, a sheepfold, a dovecote, a bread oven and can also be visited from the inside.
In the city, a bust of Napoleon Bonaparte installed on a fluted column with a Corinthian capital was erected in 1869. It testifies to the passage of the emperor following his return from Elba.
There is no shortage of sites to stroll around, such as the botanical path and its vivarium, or the many hiking and horse riding trails that surround the town of Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey.
It is possible to discover several workshops of craftsmen in the town, such as a ceramist and an artist-painter.
- The Baume Obscure cave: In the heart of a vast wooded limestone plateau overlooking the gorges of Haute Siagne hides a true jewel of nature. The Souterroscope invites the visitor to live a unique experience, delivered to himself and guided by sound, image and light. The diversity of playful, visual and didactic approaches make it an incredible museographic show, with light and shadow effects suitable for a very large audience.
- The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption: The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption is one of the oldest churches in the region and was built in several stages. The primitive church, built in the 12th century, had only the central nave. The apse and the bell tower, both in Romanesque style, were added later. The side nave in Gothic style in 1555. In the following period, the baroque altar was added. Finally, the main door dates from 1667.
- The natural bridge of Ponadieu: It results from the limestone deposit (tuff) from a source that has now disappeared. The Siagne, a river which rises at the foot of the Audibergue, in the town of Escragnolles and flows into the Mediterranean at Mandelieu, accompanies visitors throughout this hike accessible to all. The path leading to the Pont de Ponadieu partly runs along the valley of the Combe, in the shade of large holm oaks. Close by is the Saint-Jean chapel.
- Hiking on the territory of Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey to discover the druidic stone, the Verdoline dolmen, the oppidum of La Malle…
- Visit of the cave of the Obscure Baume.
- Observatory of the Calern plateau.
- Paragliding.
The weekly market takes place on Friday morning as well as Sunday all day in the large meadow.
Garage sales take place several times a year. A night market is organized in July and August. In December, the city offers its Christmas market.
In July and August, the Summer Evenings are an opportunity to attend various shows in the town.
The patronal feast of Saint-Constant takes place in August.
Espace du Thiey (Cultural center) allows residents to benefit from a Media library, a Cultural Café, an Exhibition Space, a Green Theater and an Auditorium, hosting shows and a traveling cinema every Friday evening.
