Roquebrune-Cap-Martin

History

In pre-Roman times the area was settled by the Ligurians. Traces of their language can be still found in the local dialect. The commune (originally known as Roccabruna) was founded in 971 by Conrad I, Count of Ventimiglia, in order to protect his western border. In 1355, Roccabruna fell under the control of the Grimaldi family of Monaco for five centuries, during which time the castle was strengthened. In 1793, Roquebrune became French for the first time, changing the name from the original Roccabruna, but it was returned to Monaco in 1814. In 1804 Napoleon built a road along the coastline. This road connected the village to the rest of the Côte d'Azur, and eventually led to its merger with the smaller town of Cap-Martin. In 1848, there was a revolution related to the Italian Risorgimento, with the result that Roccabruna and Menton became free cities under the protection of the Savoy Prince. The Free Cities of Menton and Roquebrune hoped to be part of the Italian kingdom of Sardinia, but this did not occur, and the towns after two years of independence were administered by the House of Savoy for ten years. They were finally ceded to France by a plebiscite in 1861. Nice-born Giuseppe Garibaldi, who promoted the union of the County of Nice to Italy, complained that the plebiscite was not done with "universal vote" and consequently Roccabruna was requested by Italian irredentists. From the middle of the 19th century, with the construction of the Marseille–Ventimiglia railway line, this stretch of coast also became a magnet for personalities as a holiday home. Elisabeth of Austria spent several months of the last years of her life from 1894 to 1897 at the Hôtel du Cap Martin. Eugénie, widow of Napoleon III, owned a villa here. As a consequence of these irredentism…

Most-observed species

• Yellow-legged Gull

  Larus michahellis J.F.Naumann, 1840 · Aves
  3,149
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  2,876
• Eurasian Blackcap

  Sylvia atricapilla (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,723
• Eurasian Collared-Dove

  Streptopelia decaocto (Frivaldszky, 1838) · Aves
  2,375
• European Robin

  Erithacus rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,373
• Eurasian Magpie

  Pica pica (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,131
• Rock Pigeon

  Columba livia J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  1,999
• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,924