Sospel

Infobox Commune de France
nomcommune=Sospel
région=Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
département=Alpes-Maritimes
arrondissement=Arrondissement de Nice
canton=Sospel
insee=06136
cp=06380
maire=Jean-Mario Lorenzi
mandat=2001-2008
intercomm=Riviera française
longitude=7.44916666667
latitude=43.8780555556
alt moy=354 m
alt mini=257
alt maxi=1737 m
hectares=6239
km²=62.39
sans=3384
date-sans=2005
dens=54|

Sospel is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France near the Italian border and not far from Monte Carlo.

History

The town dates back to the 5th century, when it served as an important staging post on the royal road from Nice to Turin. The old toll bridge used by travellers to cross the Bévéra, built in the 13th century, still stands; renovated after World War II it now houses the tourist office. Ruins of a tower, part of a château belonging to the counts of Provence, are all that remain of the 14th century city walls.

According to one tourist website, the town today is "popular with cyclists, motorcyclists and fans of twisty-road driving." [ [http://www.beyond.fr/villages/sospel.html Sospel Town Village visit - by Provence Beyond ] ]

ospel in fiction

The town of Sospel is mentioned in Daphne du Maurier's novel "Rebecca", when Max de Winter declines an invitation from annoying social climber Mrs. Van Hopper on the excuse that he is driving to Sospel that day.

Guidebook

A good guidebook in English can be obtained at no charge from the sospel06 website. [ [http://www.sospel06.com Sospel06.com ] ]

References