Beausoleil, Alpes-Maritimes

Beausoleil

St. Joseph Church's tower

Coat of arms
Beausoleil

Coordinates: 43°44′33″N 7°25′28″E / 43.7425°N 7.4244°E / 43.7425; 7.4244Coordinates: 43°44′33″N 7°25′28″E / 43.7425°N 7.4244°E / 43.7425; 7.4244
Country France
Region Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Department Alpes-Maritimes
Arrondissement Nice
Canton Beausoleil
Intercommunality Riviera française
Government
 • Mayor (2008–2014) Gérard Spinelli
Area1 5.48 km2 (2.12 sq mi)
Population (2008)2 14,078
 • Density 2,600/km2 (6,700/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code 06012 / 06240
Elevation 40–621 m (131–2,037 ft)

1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.
Place du Marché (Market Square)

Beausoleil (French pronunciation: ​[bosɔlɛj]; Occitan: Bèusoleu [ˌbɛwsuˈlew]; "Beautiful Sun") is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France. It adjoins the Principality of Monaco. Beausoleil was formerly known as Monte-Carlo-Supérieur (Upper Monte Carlo).

Geography

Located on a hillside above the city-state of Monaco, Beausoleil is sourrounded by the Tête de Chien and Agel mountains. It is urbanistically contiguous with the principality and shares some streets, as the Boulevard de France, the Boulevard du Maréchal Leclerc, and the Avenue du Maréchal Foch. Its municipality borders with the Monégasque wards of Monte Carlo, Saint Roman, Saint Michel, Moneghetti and Les Révoires; and with the French municipalities of La Turbie, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin and Peille.[1]

Economy

The commune is very dependent on Monaco. It functions to some extent as a bedroom community for people employed in Monaco. The main part of the town consists of Belle Époque houses with ornate entrances. Interesting attractions include the Gustave Eiffel covered market, St Joseph's Sanctuary (a church with ornate stained-glass windows) and the Fontdivina Fountain and Wash House. It can be difficult to determine where Monaco starts or Beausoleil ends as the border meanders across streets and footpaths. Another attraction is its Stade Vanco, a well-appointed sports centre. Given the town's proximity to Monaco, real estate in Beausoleil is usually prohibitively expensive for people who work in the town. There is a sense in which Monaco exports its worker accommodation challenge to Beausoleil, which, in turn, exports its own acute accommodation challenge to other French towns.

Politics

The town's border with Monaco was largely fixed during the 18th century. What is now known as Beausoleil was administered from La Turbie prior to 1904, when the town was incorporated. Along with other French communes adjacent to Monaco, the electorate has traditionally had a sizable proportion which is left-leaning: Roger Bennati, mayor of the town 1989-1995, served under Communist affiliation. This may seem strange since Monaco's political parties are more right-leaning.

Former mayors

Date Name Party
1904 Camille Blanc
1929 Jacques Subles
1935 Paul-Joseph Chiabault
1941 François Rochesani
1943 Arthur Audoly
1944 Marius Floret
1944 Auguste Dubar
1953 Paul-Joseph Chiabault
1971 Paul Massa
1986 André Vanco
1989 Roger Bennati PCF
1995 Gérard Spinelli UDF
2001 Robert Vial Divers Gauche
2008 Gérard Spinelli

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
196814,144—    
197512,208−13.7%
198211,664−4.5%
199012,326+5.7%
199912,775+3.6%
200814,078+10.2%

Beausoleil is the home of many Filipino and Portuguese immigrants.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Beausoleil map at OpenStreetMap

External links

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