Breathtaking views over the Var valley and the Bellet vineyards.
The name La Gaude is thought to come from the Celtic Gaud, meaning forest or wooded area, from which is derived the word Alagauda, a term that first appears in 1075. In the past, the Gaudois drew their main resources from olive trees, wheat and vines, and La Gaude wine was renowned. Later, they began to grow orange trees, carnations and roses.
Interpretation of the landscape :
The village of La Gaude is built on a ridge overlooking the Cagne, but from this point, the view is over the Var plain. Upstream, the braided meanders of the river and its riverbanks form the main artery, underlined by the road on the left bank, which can be recognised by the line of plane trees that line it. The hilltop villages of Castagniers and Aspremont cling to the hills.
On this bank of the Var, the Bellet vineyards spread out in terraces where several kilometres of embankments cut into the puddingstone have been created by farmers and have shaped the landscape. These terraces seem to follow the contour lines. The desecrated white chapel of Château de Bellet on the left and the Venetian red walls of Château Crémat on the right are clearly visible, framing the vineyards of Nice. A few greenhouses and vegetable tunnels on the ridges and flats bear witness to the horticultural activity typical of the hills around Nice.
Plots of terraced olive groves can also be recognised by their silvery hue, while the green of the pine trees highlights the wooded areas of the valleys. On the plain, farmland alternates with commercial areas.
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