The porte Saint-Antoine

Menton is a small isolated town, surrounded by walls pierced at the four cardinal points of doors jealously guarded. Streets and alleys are dark, crooked, often vaulted. They follow the level curves and are connected by ties that go down to the old Roman road, today Long Street. Piercing the rampart, the doors connect the city with the neighboring states. To the North, that of John II opens towards Castellar; to the South, a door delivers passage to the inhabitants who are heading towards the Val de Menton; to the East, the Saint-Julien gate lets pass via Julia Augusta and to the West, that of Saint-Antoine gives access to the area outside the walls called Cap Saint-Sébastien.
In 1800, General Massena pursued the Austrian army.
One of the stragglers, playing bravache wax his boots on the Place des Logettes. A French rider sees him. He leaves the sword raised in pursuit of the Austrian. The latter fled with all his legs and when he crossed the Saint-Antoine gate, the formidable sabre stroke that was destined for him struck the vault and cut one of the claveaux, a testimony of the pursuer’s vigor and vigour.

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