Breil-sur-Roya (, literally ''Breil on Roya''; it, Breglio sul Roia or simply ''Breglio''; lij, Breggio; oc, Brelh de Ròia) is a
commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to:
Administrative-territorial entities
* Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township
** Communes of ...
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
.
Population
Geography
Breil-sur-Roya as its name says is located on the scenic and fast moving river Roya within the river's gorge and along the adjacent escarpments. The area features river rafting, swimming, and hiking.
Breil-sur-Roya is one of the towns on the route of the SNCF Train des Merveilles which runs between
Nice
Nice ( , ; Niçard dialect, Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department in France. The Nice urban unit, agg ...
and
Cuneo
Cuneo (; pms, Coni ; oc, Coni/Couni ; french: Coni ) is a city and ''comune'' in Piedmont, Northern Italy, the capital of the province of Cuneo, the fourth largest of Italy’s provinces by area.
It is located at 550 metres (1,804 ft) in ...
in Italy. Trains operate seven times each direction as of 2020 can be taken from Nice (1 + 1/2 hour) for area touring. The line operated by Italy (FS, the Italian State Railroad) from Ventimiglia joints the SNCF line from Nice at Breil-sur-Roya.
Tourism
The GR52, part of the French
Grande Randonnée
The GR footpaths are a network of long-distance walking trails in Europe, mostly in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain. They go by the following names: french: link=no, sentier de grande randonnée, vls, link=no, Groteroutepad, nl, L ...
walking trail network links the town to Gorges de Saorge and Vallon de Zouayne.
Breil-sur-Roya is particularly known for trout fishing. The Roya river runs through town and is open to trout anglers from March to September. Part of the trout run is reserved for fly-fishing. Trout anglers share the river with rafters, another popular local sport.
Flood of 2020
The river Roya violently flooded in October 2020. Major damage occurred to both commercial buildings, to residential homes, and to roads all the way downstream to Ventmiglia, Italy, on the seacoast.
Aléria
Aléria (; Ancient Greek: /, ; Latin and Italian: ; co, U Cateraghju) is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica, former bishopric and present Latin Catholic titular see. It includes the easternmost point in M ...