In the winter of 1856, Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna, widow of Russian Tsar Nicholas I, traveled to Nice to improve her health. However, her visit was likely related not so much to her health as to the politics of Alexander II, who sought to station the Russian navy in the bay of Villefranche. France was interested in cooperating with Russia, as the political situation in Europe at that time was unstable.

Most of Nice is located on hills, and one of them, Piol, became a popular retreat for the Russian aristocracy in the 19th century. At that time, the Piol area was rural with a mild climate, where agriculture was practiced. Due to its proximity to the city and excellent irrigation system, local wealthy individuals began to build villas here to escape the heat and noise of the city.

In the early 19th century, merchants and industrialists Bermond and Peillon built two large villas on the Piol hill, surrounded by gardens and parks. In 1856, Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna arrived here, marking the beginning of annual visits by Russian tsars and aristocrats to the Bermond and Peillon villas.

During the winter of 1864-1865, important negotiations took place at the Bermond villa between Tsar Alexander II and Napoleon III, who arrived in Nice incognito. In April 1865, the heir to the throne, Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich, son of Alexander II and Maria Alexandrovna, died at this villa. The reasons for his illness remain a subject of debate. The grieving parents bought the villa and demolished it, building a memorial chapel on the site of the room where their son died.

The chapel is located near the Nikolai Cathedral, the largest Orthodox church in Western Europe, built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The cathedral was erected by order of Emperor Nicholas II, the nephew of the deceased Tsarevich, who personally attended its consecration in 1912. The avenue leading to the cathedral is named in his honor. The church and chapel are situated on a hill, and the city authorities prohibited construction nearby in respect for Russia's historical past.

As for the Peillon villa, its park was divided and destroyed, and only some elements of the building remain. Currently, a Belvédère clinic occupies this site. The territory of the former Bermond and Peillon villas now comprises the Imperial Park and adjacent streets. In 1903, a Palace was built here for members of the Russian imperial family, which is now the Lycée Parc-Impérial. The district is still referred to as the 'Russian' quarter.