Coordinates: 43°48′46″N 7°18′52″E / 43.8127777778°N 7.31444444444°E / 43.8127777778; 7.31444444444
Contes is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur in south-eastern France. Its inhabitants are the Contois and Contoises. Because the village sounds like the French word comte, the aristocratic title count, it called itself Point Libre during the revolutionary period.
[edit] Geography
Contes is a 7.52 square mile commune in the Southeast of France. It is located on Paillon valley, between 130 and 480 metres AMSL (430-1580 ft). The inhabitants live mainly in the village, but also in hamlets like Sclos, La Vernéa, La Pointe.
Formerly a rural community, with olive, vineyard and cattle-based economy, it has converted in a secondary town with services activities and residential areas for people working in the 15 km (9.3 mi) far city of Nice. The town has an important Lafarge plaster factory.
[edit] Demography
City population grew up from 2,876 in 1962 to 6,551 in 1999. The town is now part of the Nice metropolitan area.
