Rampe Major

About this place

Rampe Major is an old paved walkway climbing from Place d'Armes in La Condamine to the square of the Prince's Palace on the Rock. It is the traditional way up to the palace on foot, passing old fortifications and stone gates, so the climb itself is a pleasant part of visiting the old town rather than taking buses and lifts. The fortifications along it date from Prince Antoine I. A stone plaque says one gate was built in 1714, and another that the L'Oreillon bastion was built in 1707 and 1708 to plans by the engineer Guiraud. The Rock, 62 m tall, has long been fortified, and it was the first conquest of the Grimaldi dynasty. The walkway zigzags on a floor of slanted red brick with pale stone edges, between high walls showing their age. You pass under a stone gate arch, with a round tower and a small sentry box ahead, and the edge opens onto wide views of the harbour, the towers of Monte Carlo and the mountains behind. It is about 245 m in a straight line from the cathedral and starts near La Condamine Market, so you can pair the two. The climb is moderate and short, but the slope can be tiring in the heat, so go up in the morning with water. Comfortable shoes help, as the brick can be slippery after rain. It may not suit wheelchairs, so ask about the public lifts.