This is the main street in the old village of Roquebillière. The chapel of the white penitents can be seen above.
You can head in the direction of Saint-Martin-Vésubie by going to the small roundabout and continuing straight on, but also towards the new village of Roquebillière by taking the bridge to the left of the roundabout or go to the church of Saint-Michel-de-Gast by taking the stairs and then the bridge reserved for pedestrians. The history of Roquebillière is that of a village marked by disasters. Many times destroyed or devastated by the raging elements. The original inhabitants were the Liguri-Capillati. The tribe's name was Vésubiani. Shepherds by nature, they settled between Caïre del mel and Castel Vieil. The remains of narrow streets and a cemetery (lou cimenteri) can still be seen today. In 1094, following a flood of the Vésubie, the village was destroyed, with the exception of the church. The inhabitants then settled on the left bank of the Vésubie, where the old village now stands. In 1772, another flood caused damage to the lower quarters of the town. Dyking work was undertaken. A land register was drawn up and completed by the surveyor Rostagni from La Bollène-Vésubie. Finally, on 24 November 1926, a landslide on the heights of Belvédère engulfed around twenty houses and killed 19 people. Wooden huts were built on the esplanade in front of the church, where homeless people were housed for 8 years. Then in 1933, construction began on the new village of Roquebillière on the right bank of the Vésubie at a place called ‘le Cros’.