As you drive towards the picturesque village of Vence on the road from Cagnes-Sur -Mer the breathtakingly beautiful sight of Saint Paul de Vence will appear before you. Few are the people who could see this for the first time and not stop to gaze in admiration before rushing on intent on visiting the ancient village that has remained so well preserved for centuries.
Saint Paul preserved so long by poverty is now one of the worlds biggest tourist attractions with 2,500,000 visitors a year. It owes much of this fame to the artists attracted here throughout much of the twentieth century. The artists themselves were as much attracted by the 300 days of sun a year as the many suitable subjects for their work. Among those who came and worked here were Renoir, Duffy, Matisse, Chagall, Signal, Valloton, Derain and Soutine. There can not be many other places of this size that have found favour with so many great artists. Once you have seen Saint Paul it is easy to understand why they came and others continue to come.
Saint Paul is less than eight miles from Nice Airport and a taxi would cost about £25. If driving take the Cagnes-sur-Mer
exit off Autoroute 8 and then follow the road to Vence. Vence is itself a charming village but is mostly ignored because of its near neighbour.
Saint Paul called by its three hundred residents, and many others, "the most beautiful village in the world" has some justification for the claim but on balance I think that there are many that beat it to this title. I may be put off by its commercialism and the sheer volume of visitors here. Even on a rainy winters day you will have plenty of company.
There are a number of small hotels, none of which could be described as budget priced and to be honest I would not want to stay here, it would be rather like taking your holidays inside a public aquarium on the day they gave the tickets away. There are however a few good places to eat but all expensive and my advice would be to eat outside the village.
A good place to start your tour is the church of Sainte Claire a few hundred meters from the village this dates to the 15th century it is a pleasant small church but has plenty of free parking something you may not find closer to the village.
You will pass the Colombe d' Or an Inn that was the haunt of the previously named artists, the food here has a good reputation but I have not sampled it myself but it is worth a look as it still contains a few mementoes of its earlier patrons.
Next is the Café de la Place a very popular meeting place for locals and tourists alike and not expensive considering its prime location. I spent a most enjoyable time on the patio here watching the many games of pétanque going on all around .
Sant Paou as the village is known in the provençal tongue was first recorded during the 11th cent. but there is evidence of much earlier occupation. In 1418 it is recorded as the fief of the Lord of Saint Paul the Count of Provence the King of Naples in 1481 Provence passed under the control of France. During 1426 the village was swept by plague.
The entrance into the village is through the Porte Royale or North Gate part of the 16th cent. fortifications added at the order of François 1st. (1515-1547) to strengthen Saint Paul against the power of Savoy and the castle at Nice. Charles Quint or Charles V Holy Roman Emperor, King of Castile, The Netherlands, Spain, Sicily, Naples, and Austria invaded provence in 1524 and 1536 from Nice, the territory of his ally the Duke of Savoy.In 1560 "disturbances" were recorded at Saint Paul, I have been unable to find the nature or cause but as this coincides with the outbreak of one of the religious wars of the period it would seem likely that this was the reason. Saint Paul was besieged twice during the Wars of Religion by the Huguenots without yielding, a fact still celebrated each year by the Catholic Church in Saint Paul.
Next you will pass through the 14th century Tower Gate part of the earlier defensive fortifications and on your right is the 15th century Machicolated Tower. Before you is the Rue Grande a street of touristy shops where you will also find the Tourist Information Office. At the cross roads is a small water fountain.
Fountain Square contains another fountain dating to the 17th century,many of you may recognize it from the countless paintings in which it features.
At the Placette or small square is the Hotel Saint Paul and yet another fountain said to date from 1611.
The 16th century Nice Gate and the Saint Michel's Bastion is a good place from which to enjoy the views west over the Mediterranean. Saint Michaels Church reputed to be the oldest of the settlement is worth a look. The cemetery contains the grave of Chagall buried here after his death in 1985, it is traditional to add a pebble to the pile on the grave.
From here it is best to walk north along the east ramparts and enjoy the views, once you reach the area of the White Penitents Chapel descend and have a look at this 17th. Century church, there are two good frescoes of St.Peter and St.Paul and a good painting of the Transfiguration which my guide claimed was a Raphael, it is not, but that is the style.
Close by, the Collegiate Church this 12th. century building is said to contain many treasures but on both occasions I have tried to visit it was closed. The tower is 18th. century built after the original collapsed in 1739.
The Maire or town hall was once part of the castle and is surmounted by an old clock that is said to date from the 15th century.
There is a Local History Museum which is a bit tacky.
The Musée Municipal has a collection of contemporary works which I have not visited.
The Fondation Maeght outside the walled village on the La Colle road holds a world class collection of twentieth century art beautifully displayed in a wonderful setting, this is worth the trip all on its own.
A interesting piece of local trivia is that D.H.Lawrence was buried at Vence in 1930 but his body was later exhumed and cremated.His widows lover being entrusted with transporting the ashes to Taos he is said to have thrown them away and later to have replaced them with ashes obtained in the in the USA.
Saint Paul de Vence is well worth the time to visit but a few hours is enough at one time, this is not because there is not plenty to see but the huge numbers of visitors here does make it very tiring. A good plan is to spend a few hours sightseeing in the village, then to relax over lunch ( try to book before you start your tour ) and then take in the Fondation Maeght.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
NH Hotels, the hotel chain leader in Europe, with more than 300 hotels in 20 countries in Europe, Latin America and Africa. Enter into our web site and find the best available tariff at all times
Sep 8th, 2002
(Sep 10th, 2002)
very helpful by (100%):
