In the summer of 1976, while tourists lounged on Nice’s famous Promenade des Anglais and locals went about their business, something extraordinary was happening beneath their feet. A group of thieves led by a charismatic photographer named Albert Spaggiari were executing what would become known as “the heist of the century” – a crime so audacious it still captures imaginations today.
The Perfect Target
The Société Générale bank building still stands at 17 Avenue Jean Médecin, Nice’s main shopping street. Today’s visitors passing by might never guess that its vault was once the scene of one of history’s most notorious bank robberies. The building’s location was key to the heist’s success – it sat directly above Nice’s ancient sewer system, a fact that would prove crucial to Spaggiari’s plan.
The Masterplan
Spaggiari, who owned a photography studio in Nice, had meticulously studied the bank’s security systems. He discovered that while the vault’s walls were reinforced with steel and alarms, its floor was relatively vulnerable. More importantly, he realized that the bank’s basement sat just above Nice’s sewer system.
Over a weekend in July 1976, Spaggiari and his gang entered the sewers through a manhole and tunneled upward into the bank’s vault. Working in horrific conditions, they broke through nearly eight feet of reinforced concrete to reach their target. The gang spent two days in the vault, breaking into nearly 400 safe deposit boxes.
“Without Weapons, Without Violence”
When bank employees returned on Monday morning, they discovered something unprecedented. The vault had been emptied of millions in cash, jewelry, and valuables (estimated at 60 million francs, approximately $50 million in today’s money). On the vault wall, the thieves had left a message that would become legendary: “sans armes, ni haine, ni violence” (“without weapons, without hatred, without violence”).
The Great Escape
The story might have ended with the gang’s arrest months later, but Spaggiari had one more dramatic act planned. During a hearing at the Palais de Justice (which still stands in Old Nice), he managed to escape by jumping out of a judge’s office window, landing on a parked car, and fleeing on a waiting motorcycle. It was a scene straight out of a Hollywood movie.
Walking in Spaggiari’s Footsteps
Today, visitors to Nice can explore several locations connected to this remarkable crime:
- The Société Générale Building: Still operating as a bank at 17 Avenue Jean Médecin, though the vault is no longer accessible to the public.
- The Palais de Justice: Located in Old Nice, this is where Spaggiari made his dramatic escape. The building continues to serve as Nice’s courthouse.
- The Sewer Museum: While not directly connected to the heist, Nice’s sewer museum offers visitors a glimpse of the underground network that made the robbery possible. (Note: Check current opening times as access can be limited).
A Criminal Legend
Spaggiari never returned to Nice and died in exile in 1989, taking many secrets of the heist to his grave. Much of the stolen loot was never recovered. Some locals still whisper about hidden treasures somewhere in the city, though these are likely just urban legends.
Legacy of the Heist
The robbery has become part of Nice’s modern folklore. It represents a curious chapter in the city’s history – a crime that, true to its perpetrators’ message, was executed without violence or weapons. While the city certainly doesn’t celebrate the theft, the ingenuity and audacity of the plan, combined with Spaggiari’s dramatic escape, have given the event a nearly mythical status.
Today’s visitors walking down Avenue Jean Médecin might notice elderly locals pointing out the bank to their grandchildren, telling the story of the summer when a photographer and his gang pulled off one of history’s most spectacular heists right under the feet of unsuspecting Niçois.
The heist serves as a reminder that Nice’s history isn’t just about art, nobility, and tourism – it’s also about colorful characters and audacious schemes that could only have happened in this unique corner of the French Riviera.