We took the bus down to the coast and then the elevator to the top of the hill. As it gets closer to the 25th, more decorations are being set up and the Christmas market is in full swing. We haven’t gone to the market yet, but we do plan to before we leave Nice.
The hill overlooks the Promenade des Anglais and used to house a chapel. The chapel is long gone, but there are still a few archeological ruins. There’s a great view from the top. The park has a Greek theme with references to the Odyssey.
There are two cemeteries at the top – a Jewish cemetery and a Christian cemetery. The Jewish cemetery is divided into a newer section and an older section. There is a wall outside of the cemetery for the righteous among nations. When you first enter the old section, there are two urns – one that contains ashes from Auschwitz and one that contains some remains that were used to make soap. There is also a wall outside listing all of the names of those deported from Nice under the Nazi occupation.
In the Christian section of the cemetery, there are lots of cool sculptures and tombs. There are some important people buried here, including the author of the Phantom of the Opera and the man who started the Mercedes company.
Even if you don’t like cemeteries, the view from the top is worth a trip.
