Chapelle Saint Michel de Roccasparviera

The place

Former chapel of the abandoned medieval village of Roccasparviera, at 1089 m in the commune of Duranus, in the Préalpes de Nice / Mercantour (Alpes-Maritimes). The village stands above the Paillon and Vésubie valleys, on a fine rocky outcrop. According to legend, the Rocca Sparviera castle sheltered Queen Joanna of Naples — suspected of ordering the murder of her husband Andrew of Hungary; Andrew's brothers are said to have then had Joanna's children murdered. Several hiking access routes: via Engarvin (the shortest), Duranus, or the Col Saint-Roch. To be treated with absolute respect as any place of worship (like Le Thabor or the Chapelle Saint-Pons at Ilonse), but it is tolerated as a place of refuge — valuable protection in the event of a sudden, violent storm on this exposed ridge.