The origin of the name La Gaude might come from the Latin term “Gaudere,” meaning to rejoice, or for others, from the Celtic “Gode,” meaning wood. Why not both?
Originally, there were woods to support the Celtic interpretation, and the Roman occupation brought vines, wine, and merriment. A third theory derives from the village’s coat of arms featuring a rooster: “lou Gau” in Provenรงal, which may be the most accurate. The first mention of the village dates to 1075: La Gauda. The fief belonged successively to the Villeneuve, the Pisani, and the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem.
La Gaude was then dependent on Saint Jeannet. Like most communes in Provence, the village was decimated in the 15th century by the Black Plague that came from Marseille (1). The town was repopulated by families from Liguria in the 16th century, who were responsible for revitalizing the land. In 1599, La Gaude was detached from Saint Jeannet and became a commune. The village was looted by the Austro-Sardinians in 1707.
With the revolution, the hamlet of La Baronne was detached from Saint Laurent du Var in favor of La Gaude. The church of Saint Victor dates from the 17th century, and the chapel of Saint Ange was restored by the painter Alexis Obolensky and the master glassmaker Alain Peinard.
Before leaving La Gaude, one should not miss the Living Museum of Provence; it is a lively and original way to tell the story of Provence, its past, and its history. While the hamlet of La Baronne is on the right bank of the Var, a small river, the Cagne, disdainful of the coastal river, continues its path towards the sea and flows through La Gaude.
Following it upstream, we arrive at Saint Jeannet, a village nestled on its Baou. The village was fortified in the 13th century and was a fief of the Villeneuve shared with other lords until the revolution. Saint Jeannet became a commune in 1606. The church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist was built in 1666 and the chapel of the Penitent Whites dedicated to Saint Bernardin in 1645.
Saint Jeannet was a stronghold of Provence and the Kingdom of the Lilies facing the County of Nice and the House of Savoy. Saint Jeannet is also famous for its “tuilรฉ” wine. For 2000 years, the wine in this village has not aged in a cave with thick, shaded walls, but in full sunlight and in glass jars rather than wooden barrels.
Saint Jeannet is a destination for athletes and climbers who tackle the Baou, with the summit offering a 360ยฐ panoramic view of the Alps, the sea, and even Corsica on a clear day.
