Observatory of the Cote d'Azur is located two miles north of Mont Boron park, on a hill of Mont Gros (370 meters above sea level). This is not only a world-famous research laboratory, but also a cultural center, which each year attracts thousands of tourists.

She created observatory French banker and patron of the sciences of Dutch origin Rafael Louis Bishofshaym. He was an avid amateur astronomer, funded the observatory - Paris and located in the Pyrenees at the Pic du Midi. In 1878 he bought the top of Mont Gros and asked his friend, the architect Charles Garnier draft a new observatory. The site was chosen with knowledge of the matter: the crystal clear air of Nice and a large number of cloudless days here create excellent conditions for observation.

Observatory complex includes 18 buildings, 13 of them created in the Beaux Arts Charles Garnier. For the main building needed a dome with a diameter of 24 meters (more than that of the Pantheon in Paris). Among the architects competition was announced for the project whopper weighing 162 tons, which was easily and smoothly rotate around the vertical axis. He defeated by Gustave Eiffel, who offered an unexpected solution: put a dome on the float, float freely in the annular channel. To channel does not freeze in the winter night, it filled with a solution of potassium carbonate.

In 1887, established under the dome is the largest in the world (at the time) refractor telescope - a diameter of 76 centimeters, 18 meters in length. It is complemented by a smaller tool diameter of 50 centimeters. Against the background of the current giants tools look dwarfs, but it was with the help of this small telescope astronomer Auguste Honoré Charlouis' opened four dozen asteroids.

In 1986, the Nice Observatory merged with the Research Centre for Geodynamics and astrometry, located in the Maritime Alps. Together they form the Côte d'Azur Observatory. Here and now, intensive research, including planetary, stellar physics, gravitational waves.

By the observatory goes winding road climbing up the hill. The gate is guarded by statues of Physics (author - sculptor Aimé Millet) and astronomy (the work of Jules Thomas). Housings are in a beautiful forest park, which stretches over an area of ​​35 hectares. There are stunning views to the west, in the direction of Cannes and east (seen Monaco).

Astronomers allow group visits the observatory. It offers walks through the forest trails and "Astrorama" - a platform with telescopes in the open air. Here you can listen to the lecture of the Observatory of the planets, stars, black holes and other wonders of the universe. The site "Astroramy" every day is indicated rising and setting of the moon and planets. They can be seen here, from the summit of Mont Gros, floating in a starry ocean away from the noisy Nice.