Monastère de l'Annonciade

The Monastère de l'Annonciade sits on a hilltop above Menton, in the Alpes-Maritimes department of France, and is best known for the sweeping view it offers over the town's bay and the surrounding coastline.

Why is there a monastery on this particular hill?

The hill was not always a place of quiet retreat. Toward the end of the 11th century, a small settlement called Podium Pini, or Puypin, was built here at an altitude of roughly 233 metres. That town's life was relatively short: starting in 1316, its inhabitants gradually resettled on another hill closer to the shore, and that new settlement eventually grew into modern-day Menton. By the middle of the 14th century, nothing remained of old Puypin except a modest chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame de l'Annonciade, the Annunciation. That chapel became the seed from which today's monastery grew.

What connects the site to the Grimaldi family?

The hill's religious importance grew significantly in the 17th century. According to local tradition, Princess Isabelle, sister of Prince Louis I, was cured of leprosy after making a pilgrimage to the Annonciade. In gratitude for this recovery, the Grimaldi family had fifteen roadside oratories built in 1660 along the path leading up from the town to the monastery, a route still known as the Chemin du Rosaire. Those small shrines still mark the walking route today and form part of Menton's religious heritage.

Who has looked after the monastery over the centuries?

The monastery's history reflects the shifting fortunes of religious orders in both Italy and France. In 1866, Capuchin friars from Genoa, driven from their home after the Italian government suppressed religious congregations, asked to settle at the Annonciade. Their arrival was supported by Charles de Monléon, then mayor of Menton and heir of Jérôme de Monléon. The friars did not remain uninterrupted, however: French legislation targeting religious congregations forced them out for twenty years, and they only returned to the hill in 1922. A new chapter opened in 2000, when, on 24 January, the purchase of the monastery by the Sisters of the Annonciade and the Apostolic Sisters of Heverlee, in Belgium, was finalised. Four nuns and four apostolic sisters moved in at that time.

What draws visitors up the hill today?

The main reason travellers make the climb is the view. Perched around 225 metres above sea level, the monastery looks out over the whole of Menton's bay, the rooftops of the old town, and the Alpine foothills as they descend toward the Mediterranean. It is regarded as one of the finest viewpoints on this stretch of the Riviera, appreciated equally by photographers and by anyone looking for a quiet spot away from the seafront crowds.

How do you get to the monastery?

Visitors can reach the hill by car or on foot from central Menton. The pedestrian route follows the Chemin du Rosaire and counts 464 steps, passing the oratories the Grimaldi family funded along the way. The walk itself is part of the experience, combining a devotional route with an increasingly wide view as the town falls away below.

Frequently Asked Questions

How high above sea level is the monastery? The Annonciade stands roughly 225 metres above sea level, on a hill overlooking Menton.

Where does the monastery's name come from? It comes from the chapel of Notre-Dame de l'Annonciade, the only structure that survived from the medieval hilltop settlement of Puypin that once stood on this site.

Who lives at the monastery today? Since 2000, the site has been home to the Sisters of the Annonciade and the Apostolic Sisters of Heverlee.

What is the best way to walk up to the monastery? Most visitors follow the Chemin du Rosaire, a 464-step path from central Menton lined with fifteen 17th-century oratories funded by the Grimaldi family.