Taxi Nice — Puget-Théniers

Puget-Théniers is a characterful town nestled at the confluence of the Var and Roudoule rivers, at the crossroads of valleys leading to the Mercantour, the Cians Gorges and the Route Napoléon. This medieval village with its rich past retains a picturesque old town with tall stone houses, vaulted passages and shaded squares. The parish church houses a remarkable altarpiece of the Virgin of the Rosary attributed to Antoine Mirailhet (16th century), as well as an altarpiece of Our Lady of Good Help. Puget-Théniers is an important station on the Train des Pignes, the metre-gauge railway linking Nice to Digne-les-Bains in 3h15, offering one of France's finest train journeys through the wild landscapes of the Southern Alps. The village is also the starting point for the Roudoule Gorges road, a spectacular canyon carved into red schist, accessible on foot or by car. Bernar Venet's monumental sculpture, 'The Major Arc', installed in front of the station, adds a surprising touch of contemporary art to this rural setting. The journey from Nice ascends the Var valley on the M6202, one of the Alpes-Maritimes' most beautiful departmental roads, following the river through narrow gorges and past perched villages before opening onto the Puget basin.