# explosion # cannon fire #blast

Many are used to it, most visitors are clueless. This is the story of the explosion sound in Nice

Local are used to it and visitors always keep astound by it. This is the story of the blast noise that became a tradition in Nice.

It is one of the bizarre traditions: every day at midday, cannon fire is heard from the Castle Hill in Nice.
This tradition began as a tribute too a very special way of reminding someone that lunch is served.

Bizarre tradition

In 1861, Lord Coventry and his wife moved from the UK to Nice. Story has it that the young wife went out to explore the beauties of the city, losing track of time and therefore missing out lunch time with her husband often.
As no other efficient communication method was available in the eyes of the lord, he went on and shot ballistics from a private cannon from the castle hill, so his wife could be reminded to come and prepare his lunch.

Having the authorization to do so by the Mayor, a municipal employee was in charge of blasting away every day at 12 pm.
As time past, the couple moved out and the city was back in silence.

Apparently, this nuisance became so popular among the city’s habitants that they have actually asked for the Mayor to bring it back!
And so, in 1876, the law of the cannon was made.
To this day there the municipal worker gets to set off the explosion at exactly midday since 1992.
Fun fact: to date he has been late once because of a traffic jam.