THE TRADITIONAL SHOOTING OF THE NICE CANNON

July 12 to September 27, 2020
Every Sunday at 11:45 a.m.

NIETZSCHE TERRACE, ON THE HILL OF THE CHATEAU DE NICE

Discover a theatrical re-enactment of the traditional shooting of the midday cannon in Nice!

In 1861, an English gentleman, Thomas Coventry, persuaded the nice municipality to fire a cannon from Castle Hill to mark the exact meridian hour. Some say that this gentleman wanted to remind his wife of lunchtime, who was slow to return from her morning walk, charmed by our Bay of Angels and very talkative.

A red globe was hoisted to a mast on the roof of the Chauvain Hotel where they were staying, indicating to the artificer that he had to prepare to fire the noon cannon when the ball went down.
In 1867 Thomas Coventry gave his equipment to the City of Nice and on 19 Nov. 1875 a municipal decree instituted "lou canoun de Miejour."

In 1881, the artificers settled on the clock of the St. Francis tower, and then on the talking clock on the post-war radio. The artillery piece was replaced several times and the firing site transferred under the esplanade platform. Since 1886, the artificer has set off a fireworks bomb, called an "air chestnut". The techniques have changed but since December 21, 1863 a explosion makes us startle every day at noon sharp.