Beausoleil (; ; ) is a commune in the

Alpes-Maritimes Alpes-Maritimes (; ; ; ) is a Departments of France, department of France located in the country's southeast corner, on the France–Italy border, Italian border and Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean coast. Part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'A ...

department in the

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (commonly shortened to PACA), also known as Région Sud, is one of the eighteen Regions of France, administrative regions of France, located at the far southeastern point of the Metropolitan France, mainland. The main P ...

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...

in Southeastern

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. It adjoins the

Principality of Monaco Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco, is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Liguria, in Western Europe, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is a semi-enclave borde ...

to its south. The commune of Beausoleil was established in 1904; it was supposed to be named Monte-Carlo Supérieur (; ) for a time but the idea was abandoned after protests from Monégasque authorities.

Geography

Located on a hillside above the city-state of

Monaco Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco, is a Sovereign state, sovereign city-state and European microstates, microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Regions of Italy, Italian region of Liguria, in Western Europe, ...

, Beausoleil is surrounded 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 Monte Carlo ( ; ; or colloquially ; , ; ) is an official administrative area of Monaco, specifically the Ward (country subdivision), ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Informally, the name also refers to ...

, Saint Roman, Saint Michel, Moneghetti and

Les Révoires Les Révoires () is a northwestern area in the Principality of Monaco. It is a residential and tourist area, part of the traditional quarter of La Condamine. In 2008, it had a population of 2,545. Les Révoires was a ward of Monaco until 2013, ...

; and with the French municipalities of La Turbie, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin and Peille.

Economy

The commune is intertwined with Monaco. It functions to some extent as a

bedroom community A commuter town is a populated area that is primarily residential rather than commercial or industrial. Routine travel from home to work and back is called commuting, which is where the term comes from. A commuter town may be called by many o ...

as many of its residents are employed in Monaco. The main part of the town consists of

Belle Époque The Belle Époque () or La Belle Époque () was a period of French and European history that began after the end of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871 and continued until the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Occurring during the era of the Fr ...

houses with ornate entrances. Attractions within Beausoleil include the

Gustave Eiffel Alexandre Gustave Eiffel ( , ; Bonickhausen dit Eiffel; 15 December 1832 – 27 December 1923) was a French civil engineer. A graduate of École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures, he made his name with various bridges for the French railway net ...

covered market, St Joseph's Sanctuary (a church with ornate stained-glass windows) and the Fontdivina Fountain and Wash House.

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

, the electorate has traditionally had a sizable proportion which is left-leaning: Roger Bennati,

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

of the town 1989–1995, served under

Communist Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...

affiliation. Monaco's political parties are more right-leaning.

Former mayors

Demographics

Education

Schools in Beausoleil:Les écoles
" Beausoleil. Retrieved on April 13, 2017. * Groupe Paul Doumer et Jean Jaurès (preschool/nursery and elementary school in two campuses) * Groupe Les Cigales (preschool/nursery and elementary school) * Groupe Les Copains (preschool/nursery and elementary school) * École du Ténao (preschool/nursery and elementary school) * Collège Bellevue (junior high school)

Transport

The Gare de Monaco-Monte-Carlo is located on the border between Beausoleil and Monaco.

References

External links

Beausoleil official site

Official Office of Tourism website
{{authority control Communes of Alpes-Maritimes France–Monaco border crossings Alpes-Maritimes communes articles needing translation from French Wikipedia Populated places established in 1904 1904 establishments in France