Saint-Paul-de-Vence (France) is a medieval village, which is considered to be a "living" art gallery. There were many famous guests, there are a large number of art installations, the works of the most famous contemporary artists are sold and much more. We suggest using this article to plunge into the magical world of the streets of a part of Nice - Saint-Paul-de-Vence.
What is this wonderful place?
Saint-Paul-de-Vence is located on a hill, fifteen kilometers from Nice. This is not a city, since the size of the settlement does not allow it to be called that, but it is not a village, because they don’t do this with culturally and historically significant places. Locals and many tourists call this place the city of one street.
Arose Saint-Paul-de-Vence (photo can be viewed above) at the turn of the 8th century. In these times, coastal residents went to the mountains, tired of the raids of the Saracens. There they built a home for themselves. And in 1538 the settlement was fortified by Francis I.
Saint-Paul-de-Vence is built up of small houses of 16-18 centuries, made of stone. The facade or entrance of each is decorated with flowers in tubs and pots, as well as climbing plants. The town is very fond of creative people. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that most of the buildings are reserved for galleries or workshops of artists and sculptors. At one time, celebrities such as Catherine Deneuve, Sophia Loren, Bridget Bardot, Jean-Paul Sartre, Yves Montand, Alain Delon, Marc Chagall stayed here. The latter, by the way, spent the last years of his life here and rests at the local cemetery.
Things to do?
This small town is very popular with tourists. Therefore, you need to go here in the morning in order to avoid crowds and hustle and bust even in transport. In Saint-Paul-de-Vence, there are several viewing platforms that offer stunning views of the valleys of Provence and the Alpes-Maritimes, monuments, installations, mosaics, various art objects are found everywhere. There are many cafes and small restaurants where you can also touch creativity and get inspiration. Here even signs are a real work of art.
In addition to the fact that in Saint-Paul-de-Vence you can culturally enrich yourself and have a tasty meal, there is the opportunity to buy souvenirs from memory: various figurines and postcards with the symbols of the city, small copies of famous art installations and paintings, and much more. You can do this in souvenir shops or in the market, which is open from Tuesday to Sunday. Also here you can buy fresh vegetables, fruits and local flowers.
Or perhaps you yourself are so inspired by the spirit of creativity that you will want to draw a picture and take it with you. To do this, you can purchase paints, brushes and paper at a local store.
Saint-Paul-de-Vence Attractions
In a small area, literally at every step you can meet an interesting object or building. The most famous is the only hotel "Golden Dove". In it, artists of the 20th century loved to spend time, who often paid bills with their paintings. Now within the walls of the hotel is a rich collection of scripts of popular artists. Also, famous actors, writers, poets stayed here.
In addition to the fact that various art objects are located on the streets of the town, there is also the Fund Mag Mag Gallery. It contains collections of paintings, drawings, graphic works of the 20th century, sculptures. There are permanent and temporary exhibitions.
In the narrow streets you can find a horse statue made of horseshoes, several monuments and many fountains, next to which there will definitely be green spaces. Also in Saint-Paul-de-Vence there is an old chapel of the Order of the White Penitents. When you enter it, you get the feeling that you are in the past. On the walls of the building are preserved frescoes by Giovanni Canavecio.
The local cemetery deserves special attention. As stated above, Marc Chagall rests here. But not only that, it is popular. A small area does not look depressing, as you might imagine the first time. It's the other way round: the cemetery seemed to have become another platform for creativity.
Gastronomic tourism
If you think that when you come for a dose of inspiration, you risk being left without lunch, then you are clearly mistaken. Saint-Paul-de-Vence has small restaurants and cafes where you can taste not only beautiful, but also very tasty dishes. What are inexpensive pancakes with jam!
Local delicacies include: panis (golden-fried dough from chickpea flour), a la porquette (baked stuffed milk pig), sea bass with fennel (grilled stuffed fish). All this can be enjoyed on the summer terraces.
And wine lovers should visit the wine cellar, which was built in the 14th century. It is located in the very center of Saint-Paul-de-Vence. The winery has a large collection of Provencal wines that you can drink on the spot or buy as a souvenir. Here are the best vintage wines and products of the best wine cellars in France. Also in the cellar you can find bottles of Armagnac, Calvados, vodka, liquor.
Festivals and Holidays
Not a single city can do without thematic holidays. There are as many as fifteen permanent events in Saint-Paul-de-Vence:
- exhibition festivals in the "Fund Mag" gallery in winter and summer;
- the March festival of poets and the feast of olive oil;
- June holidays of music and St. Jean;
- summer festival in the open air;
- July Provencal Pentacle and Ball Competition;
- August feast of St. Clair;
- September days of cultural heritage;
- October festival of chestnuts;
- December Christmas market.
On such days, the influx of tourists into the small Saint-Paul-de-Vence becomes even greater. But the planned events are striking in their diverse and rich program. And since it takes only an hour to get to the town, you can stop for the night in Nice, so that you can fully enjoy the spirit of the planned celebrations, which last several days.
Nice - Saint-Paul-de-Vence route: how to get there?
It takes about an hour to get from Nice to Saint-Paul-de-Vence by bus. Route number 400. Ticket price - 1 euro. On weekdays, the bus runs every 20-25 minutes from 6:55 to 20:20. On Saturdays, shipping takes place once an hour from 7:50 to 20:30. On Sundays and public holidays, buses from Nice run 1-2 times per hour from 8:00 to 20:30.
You can reach Saint-Paul-de-Vence by car via the A8 motorway, taking the exit 48 to Marseille. The city is a fifteen minute drive from the main highway. You can park your car at the multi-level parking lot at the entrance to the settlement.
Tourists reviews
Enjoy superb creativity, architecture and Mediterranean landscapes. Indeed, despite the small size of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, there is something to do here. And this is noticed by everyone who has already managed to visit the concentration of creativity. No one was indifferent either to the narrow streets, or to architecture, or to delicious food, and even less so to art. Visitors to this town want to come back here again to truly relax their body and soul.