Saint-Paul-de-Vence

Visit Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Provence

Saint-Paul-de-Vence is found on the French Riviera, a little way inland from Cagnes-sur-Mer and close to Vence. The 'correct' name for the town is simply 'Saint Paul' although 'Saint-Paul-de-Vence' has now been widely adopted (remember this if using a GPS to get here!)

St-Paul-de-Vence is small, and also one of the most beautiful and most visited villages in France. It is best summed up by the sign at the entrance to the village itself which reads 'authentic and touristy, quiet and buzzing, Saint-Paul is proud of its paradoxes - they are the key to its charm and identity'. I certainly couldn't put it better myself!

A tradition of modern art

A beautiful perched village of Provence, Saint-Paul-de-Vence has attracted many artists during the last century - starting with Modigliani on the 1920's - and now has a very high reputation as an artistic village, and as a place of great natural beauty. Picasso, Braque and Miro are among the well known artists who stayed at St-Paul-de-Vence.

This artistic tradition continued into the 1960's when the village was host to many renowned French film actors and directors. Many of the artistic community, when less well known, stayed and eat at the Colombe d'Or hotel - which frequently accepted works of art as payment in kind, and now has one of the finest private art collections hanging on its walls!

Explore Saint-Paul-de-Vence

The village itself is entered through an original stone gateway through the defensive ramparts (16th century), then consists of one 'main' (narrow and cobbled) street that runs from one end of Saint-Paul-de-Vence to the other, with a couple of small side-streets to also explore.

You also get the chance to enjoy glimpses of the views over the surrounding countryside and the many attractive medieval houses and attractive facades. Be sure to pay close attention to the houses to see the interesting architectural features such as statues niched within the walls.

Not surprisingly there are a large number of cafes, boutiques and especially art and craft shops so you can take your own piece of Saint-Paul-de-Vence art home with you. The 'art connection' of the town means that a very high quality of art gallery are to be found here, especially along the first section of the main street and art enthusiasts will take great pleasure in window-shopping.

At the far end of the village is a belvedere where you can best appreciate the views, and also the cemetery where the artist Marc Chagall is buried.

Note: busy even by the standards of 'beautiful Provence villages' it is said that more than 2 million visitors come to Saint-Paul-de-Vence each year. This is a lot for a small village! Do try and get here early if possible.

The artistic legacy has also given rise to an especially fine art museum on the edge of Saint-Paul-de-Vence called the Fondation Maeght. The modern art museum (founded by a family of art dealers from Cannes) features an exceptional collection of painting, sculptures and artworks of the 20th century - the areas featuring Miro sculptures and Giacometti sculptures in natural settings are among the many highlights.

Photos of Saint-Paul-de-Vence (click any picture to start the gallery)

Suggested places to visit near Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Le Bar-sur-Loup 11km; Valbonne 11km; Opio 12km; Nice 12km; Gourdon 12km; Antibes 13km; Valmasque Parc 13km; Juan-les-Pins 14km; Mougins 15km; Villefranche-sur-Mer 15km; Cap d'Antibes 17km; Grasse 17km; Cap Ferrat 17km; Cannes 18km; Mandelieu-la-Napoule 22km; Peillon 23km;

See these places and more on a map at places near Saint-Paul-de-Vence

Saint-Paul-de-Vence tourism: sights and attractions nearby

Baou de Saint-Jeannet - site of natural beauty (6km) : Le Vallon du Brec - remarkable garden (12km) : Jardin botanique - remarkable garden (12km) : Jardin botanique de la villa Thuret - remarkable garden (13km) : Jardin de la Villa Fort de France - remarkable garden (17km) : Jardins Ephrussi de Rothschild - remarkable garden (17km) : Abbaye de Lerins (Cannes) - religious monument (19km) : Tete de Chien - site of natural beauty (23km) :

French version: see Saint-Paul-de-Vence (Francais)