Saorge (French: [saɔʁʒ]; Royasc: Sauèrge; Brigasc: Savurgë; standard Ligurian: Savurgiu; Italian: Saorgio; Occitan: Saorj) is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France. It is a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (The Most Beautiful Villages of France) Association. Highway E74 which runs north from Menton, passes through Saorge on its way to the Col de Tende (Italian: Colle di Tenda) where it crosses into Italy.

Saorge
A general view of the village
A general view of the village
Coat of arms of Saorge
Location of Saorge
Map
Saorge is located in France
Saorge
Saorge
Saorge is located in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Saorge
Saorge
Coordinates: 43°59′18″N 7°33′11″E / 43.9883°N 7.5531°E / 43.9883; 7.5531
CountryFrance
RegionProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
DepartmentAlpes-Maritimes
ArrondissementNice
CantonContes
IntercommunalityCA Riviera Française
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Brigitte Bresc[1]
Area
1
86.78 km2 (33.51 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
440
 • Density5.1/km2 (13/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
06132 /06540
Elevation319–2,680 m (1,047–8,793 ft)
(avg. 500 m or 1,600 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

The region belonged to the old County of Nice. Beginning in 1388 Saorge was part of Sardinia-Piedmont. In June 1793, Sardinia defeated the armies of the First French Republic in the First Battle of Saorgio. In the Second Battle of Saorgio in April 1794 the French wrested the town from the Piedmontese. The town was returned to Sardinia-Piedmont after the overthrow of Napoleon Bonaparte and finally ceded to France in 1860.

The local spoken regiolect is a form of the Royasc dialect.

From the French Revolution to the First Empire

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In 1792 the announcement of the presence of French revolutionary troops at Saint-Laurent-du-Var caused a panic in Nice. The administration of the County of Nice along with several branches of the government fled from Nice to take shelter in Saorge on 18 September. At the same time, the Sardinian troops departed Nice without fighting the French. Militia from Saorge and Fontan were recruited to fight the invading French troops. To access Saorge from the valley of the Vésubie Ruas, one must cross the pass at the Massif de l'Authion and travel down the valley of Cayros (or Cairos). Two representatives on mission asked the General Gaspard Jean-Baptiste Brunet to launch an attack against the Austro-Sardinian troops commanded by General Charles-François Thaon, Count of Saint-André in June and July 1793. The French troops were inexperienced and suffered the loss of 3,200 men. Brunet was later sentenced to death and executed.

Transportation

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The Nice to Cuneo rail line of the SNCF passes through Saorge as does the D62044(France)/S520 (Italy) scenic highway from Ventimiglia.

Population

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Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 508—    
1975 330−5.98%
1982 322−0.35%
1990 362+1.47%
1999 396+1.00%
2009 438+1.01%
2014 449+0.50%
2020 449+0.00%
Source: INSEE[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
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