Special inscriptions in Old Nice...

You've probably noticed the very unusual inscriptions above the doors of several buildings in Old Nice?

This is a lintel, a medieval inscription that the owner decorated as he wished when he moved into a building; there are still about thirty of them in all of Old Nice!

You can find religious symbols, initials, dates, coats of arms of local families or even mottos; it's up to you to find them during your walk...

But if you look closely... above these inscriptions are some rather special grilles called transoms. The transom allows both ventilation of the dwelling and light to the beginning of the staircase.

This is Nice's air conditioning! Yes, even in the Middle Ages, the people of Nice built very tall buildings and narrow houses where the sun barely penetrated, but from the 17th century onwards they became even more ingenious: they installed light wells, creating air currents by circulating the hot air accumulated under the sun-baked roofs and the cool air from the shaded alleyways. In the evening, a bucket of water was thrown in front of the door to "start" the air conditioning for the night. The cool water lowered the temperature by 2°C.

At the end of Rue de la Barillerie, take the first set of stairs until you discover a small square and one of the old wash houses of Old Nice, still perfectly preserved. Washerwomen used to come here to wash their clothes (one tub for water and the other for soap) and exchange the latest neighborhood gossip.