Saint-Michel ramps

These beautiful ramps leading up to the forecourt of the Basilica of Saint Michael the Archangel were built in 1753. Their original purpose was to link Rue Longue—the main street of the old town—to the sea. Recently restored and repainted in warm shades of yellow and orange, they now face a rather eye-catching building: the Hôtel Pretti de Saint-Ambroise. Built in the 17th century by the Pretti family, one of Menton’s prominent aristocratic families, the building is a classic example of baroque architecture from that era. In the early 1700s, it was home to Alexandre Pretti, who was granted a noble title in 1705 by the prince of Monaco. After the 1887 earthquake, the building was restored. While many of its original baroque features were lost, it still stands today as a striking piece of 17th-century architecture and is now officially listed as a Historic Monument.