Beausoleil (; oc, Bèusoleu ; ) is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (; or , ; commonly shortened to PACA; en, Provence-Alps-French Riviera, italic=yes; also branded as Région Sud) is one of the eighteen administrative regions of France, the far southeastern on the mainland. Its pref ...

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...

in Southeastern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

. It adjoins the

Principality of Monaco Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Liguria ...

to its south. The commune of Beausoleil was established in 1904; it was supposed to be named Monte-Carlo Supérieur (; ) for a time but the idea was abandoned after protests from Monégasque authorities. In 2017, it had a population of 13,607.

Geography

Located on a hillside above the city-state of

Monaco Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Lig ...

, Beausoleil is surrounded by the Tête de Chien and Agel mountains. It is urbanistically contiguous with the principality and shares some streets, as the ''Boulevard de France'', the ''Boulevard du Maréchal Leclerc'', and the ''Avenue du Maréchal Foch''. Its municipality borders with the Monégasque wards of

Monte Carlo Monte Carlo (; ; french: Monte-Carlo , or colloquially ''Monte-Carl'' ; lij, Munte Carlu ; ) is officially an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is ...

, Saint Roman, Saint Michel,

Moneghetti Les Moneghetti ( lij, Muneghëti ) is the northcentral Ward in the Principality of Monaco. Moneghetti was incorporated in La Condamine. Overview Situated in an area where the Alps drop into the Mediterranean Sea; Les Moneghetti has steep inclines ...

and

Les Révoires Les Révoires () is a northwestern area in the Principality of Monaco. It is a residential and tourist area, part of the traditional quarter of La Condamine. In 2008, it had a population of 2,545. Les Révoires was a ward of Monaco until 2013, whe ...

; and with the French municipalities of

La Turbie La Turbie (; oc, A Torbia; in Italian "Turbia" from ''tropea'', Latin for trophy) is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France. History La Turbie was famous in Roman times for the large monument, the Trophy of Augus ...

, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin and

Peille Peille (; oc, Pelha; it, Peglio Marittimo) is a commune perched on a rock between Monaco and Menton in the Alpes Maritimes department in southeastern France. It overlooks the River Peillon. Higher still than the village are the ruins of a ...

Economy

The commune is intertwined with Monaco. It functions to some extent as a

bedroom community A commuter town is a populated area that is primarily residential rather than commercial or industrial. Routine travel from home to work and back is called commuting, which is where the term comes from. A commuter town may be called by many o ...

as many of its residents are employed in Monaco. The main part of the town consists of Belle Époque houses with ornate entrances. Attractions within Beausoleil include the

Gustave Eiffel Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (born Bonickhausen dit Eiffel; ; ; 15 December 1832 – 27 December 1923) was a French civil engineer. A graduate of École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures, he made his name with various bridges for the French railway ...

covered market, St Joseph's Sanctuary (a church with ornate

stained-glass window Stained glass is coloured glass as a material or works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although tradition ...

s) and the Fontdivina Fountain and Wash House. Given the town's proximity to Monaco, real estate in Beausoleil is prohibitively expensive for many. There is a sense in which the even more expensive Monaco exports its worker accommodation challenge to Beausoleil, which, in turn, exports its own acute accommodation challenge to other French towns further inland.

Politics

The town's border with Monaco was largely fixed during the 18th century. What is now known as Beausoleil was administered from

prior to 1904, when the town was incorporated. Along with other French communes adjacent to

, the electorate has traditionally had a sizable proportion which is left-leaning: Roger Bennati,

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...

of the town 1989–1995, served under Communist affiliation. Monaco's political parties are more right-leaning.

Former mayors

Demographics

Beausoleil is the home of many Filipino and Portuguese immigrants.

Education

Schools in Beausoleil:Les écoles
" Beausoleil. Retrieved on April 13, 2017. * Groupe Paul Doumer et Jean Jaurès (preschool/nursery and elementary school in two campuses) * Groupe Les Cigales (preschool/nursery and elementary school) * Groupe Les Copains (preschool/nursery and elementary school) * École du Ténao (preschool/nursery and elementary school) * Collège Bellevue (junior high school)

Transport

The

Gare de Monaco-Monte-Carlo Monaco-Monte-Carlo station (French: ''Gare de Monaco-Monte-Carlo''; Monégasque: ''Staçiun de Munegu-Munte-Carlu'') is the sole railway station in the Principality of Monaco, though part of it is located in Beausoleil, France. It is served by t ...

is located on the border between Beausoleil and Monaco.