Barcelonnette, France

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surrounded by fruit fields and meadows. The roads to the south lead over the well-known passes of Col d'Allos, Col de la Cayolle and Col de la Bonnete; the latter, 2,802m/9,196ft above sea-level, is the highest pass anywhere in the Alps.

Raimond Bérenger, Count of Barcelona and Provence, built a fortress here in 1231; it was named Barcelone, from which developed the present name of Barcelonette. From 1388 Barcelonette, together with the whole of the Ubaye region, belonged to the House of Savoy until it was ceded to France under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1731.

Barcelonette was the birthplace of the politician Paul Reynaud (1878- 1966), a staunch opponent of European unity after World War II. In 1940 he was made President of the Council, resigned and was replaced by Marshal Pétain. He was interned by the Vichy government and deported to Germany between 1942 and 1945. After the liberation he was elected to and made president of the European Economic Commission.

The Avenue de la Libération is lined with fine parks containing the villas built by the "Mexicans". One of the most lavish, known as "La Sapinière", houses a museum and also the offices of the Mercantour National Park (Maison du Parc National du Mercantour); another villa is now a hotel.

The Place Manuel lies outside the chessboard pattern of the old bastion. This broad square, with its colorful house fronts and cafes, is now a favorite meeting place for tourists. The Tour Cardinalis, the old bell-tower of the Dominican priory, dates from the 15th C.