Located on Rue Droite in the heart of Le Vieux Nice, the Saint Jacques Le Majeur Church, commonly known as the Église du Gesù, is an imposing historic monument in the Baroque style, the construction of which dates back to the seventeenth century.
With its blueish façade, the imposing Saint Jacques Le Majeur Church dominates the small square of the same name, one of the most discreet in the Vieux Nice. Initially built at the instigation of the Jesuits, its architecture inspired the design of most of the other Baroque churches on the Côte d'Azur. It consists of a nave, the outline of which picks up the lines of that at the centre of the Gesù Church in Rome. This is surrounded by six chapels, each honouring a holy figure. Inside, many frescoes recount the life of Saint James the Greater, one of the twelve apostles.
The church is overlooked by a 42-metre bell tower. Located right in the heart of the old town, it is surrounded by many restaurants whose traditional cuisine is a treat for holidaymakers, but especially the people of Nice. Among them, institutions such as the Restaurant du Gésu, Chez Theresa, and the Acchiardo family's restaurant. L’Eglise du Gesù was registered as a Historic Monument in 1971.
