Tour Saint-François

Tour Saint-François rises in the heart of Nice, beside the old Franciscan complex at the foot of Castle Hill. The tower once served a thirteenth-century church and convent, surrounded by a cemetery and cloister. Its stone structure now carries a campanile, cross, clock and bell above the surrounding old town.

Franciscans began building here after Augier Badat donated land to their order in 1250. The church, first called Sainte-Croix, gained a consecrated chapel in 1377 and additional altars in 1448. Sieges damaged the complex, while the French Revolution changed its religious purpose into civic and commercial uses. In 1836, architect Joseph Vernier reshaped the tower with a square clock stage and campanile. Morez supplied the clock, Auguste Davin installed it, and Genoa cast the replacement bell.

The restored complex preserves layers from medieval worship through civic reuse and later cultural activities. The tower and the old church’s choir and east facade became historical monuments in 1993. A modern spiral staircase leads upward through 262 steps to views across Nice, the old town, hills and sea.